“He is not here; for He is risen, as He said” (Matthew 28:6, NKJV). This is the announcement at the center of everything Christians believe. Not a wish, not a metaphor, but a direct statement: the tomb is empty because Jesus is risen.
Notice the phrase as He said. This wasn’t a surprise even to those who’d walked with Jesus. He’d told them plainly what would happen, and the resurrection confirmed it exactly as promised.
Every hope described elsewhere in Scripture, forgiveness, new life, the promise of resurrection for those who trust in Him, rests on this one historical claim being true.
On this Easter Sunday, this verse isn’t a seasonal tradition to observe once a year. It’s the foundation the rest of the year’s hope is actually built on.