Could there really be one greatest day in all of history? Perhaps it’s V-Day, the day Abe Lincoln freed the slaves, or how about the day Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon? For you personally, the greatest day might be the birth of your child, your wedding day, or the day you got that big promotion.

Is it possible that one single day, in all of history and across the globe, could stand out far above the rest to be called the greatest day ever?

To answer this question, let’s go back 2000 years and watch a group of 11 men hiding behind locked doors in Jerusalem. Their despair still overwhelmed them from witnessing their Lord and leader, Jesus, being killed in the most humiliating way only 3 days before. They had put all their hope in him and believed he was the Savior of the world, but now he lay lifeless in a tomb.

Heaviness of sorrow, laced with dejection and fear filled the room. In the end, all of them had disowned Jesus.  In the end, they all had run away.  Abandoned him. Betrayed him and watched in horror as their own religious leaders mocked, accused and lied about Jesus and brought him to their Roman enemies so he could be whipped, tortured and killed.

It was still early when one of the women who had also followed Jesus anxiously entered the room, “They have taken away the Lord and I don’t know where they have put him!” Unbelievable!  What more could Rome do to them?  Why would the Pharisees move his body?  

To the tomb they ran.  They ran with dismay.  They ran with confusion and adrenaline.  Finally entering the tomb, their hearts went weak when they saw strips of linen wrappings lying there.  

We can only imagine the long, lonely, desperate walk back to their hiding place.  The unanswered questions only added to their sorrow.  Where was Jesus’ body?  Why was it missing?  Who could have taken it?  To make it even worse, we would have to believe Peter replaying his denial of Jesus over and over in his own mind and how he even swore, “I don’t even know that man!” (Matthew 26:72).

For three years they had followed Jesus.  Three wonderful, joyful years of hope, faith-building and inspiration and now. . . Now to be thrust into three horrible days of despair, regret, fear and hopelessness, and to add to all of this, his body was gone.

Crushing weight and overwhelming grief and guilt must have filled the room with indescribable darkness so deep that no sunlight could prevail.  Like a drowning man going down, deeper and farther from air.  

And then it happened.  Suddenly, without warning, “Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’” (John 20:19).  The light of the world filled the room!  Air burst into the lungs of the drowning men!  Jesus – our Lord, our Savior, our King is alive!

From death to life, he’s alive!  From darkness to light, he’s alive!  From sorrow to joy, he’s alive.  From condemnation to forgiveness. . . Yes, he’s alive!

Can we even begin to imagine when Peter’s eyes connected with Jesus’ eyes of love?  As he saw Jesus smile once again, and heard such beautiful words, “Peace be with you.”  Can we stand in Peter’s sinful shoes and try to grasp how he must have trembled in indescribable joy?  Jesus still loves me and he is alive!   My God, my God thank you for your love.  My God, thank you for loving me.  My Jesus, thank you for forgiving me.  For freeing me.

Yes, for setting me free and setting you free.   Just as Lincoln freed the slaves, Jesus victory over death frees you and me from all kinds of slavery. We don’t have to fear sickness, failure, persecution, or death ever again! Jesus rose from the dead to conquer death and give us a new life, a free life, for all people and for all time.  He’s alive!