He Is Not Here, He Is Risen
Month 11: The Cross & the Empty Tomb · Memory Verse
Today's Scripture
Read together: Luke 24:1-8
1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were puzzling over this, suddenly two men in radiant apparel stood beside them. 5 As the women bowed their faces to the ground in terror, the two men asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’” 8 Then they remembered His words.
Memory Verse
“He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’””— Luke 24:6-7 (BSB)memorize this week
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Romans 4-7
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Abraham believed God; we are justified by faith, set free from sin, and alive in Christ.)The Heart of It
Luke tells about the same morning from the women's side of it. They came "very early," carrying spices to anoint a dead body, expecting nothing but grief (). They found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. As they stood there confused, two angels in shining clothes appeared. The women bowed their faces to the ground. And the angels asked the question that turns the whole world around. "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!" (vv. 5-6). Then came the gentle nudge of our memory verse. "Remember how He spoke to you." Jesus had told them this would happen. The Son of Man would be handed over, crucified, and "the third day rise again." And Luke says, "they remembered His words" (v. 8). The promise had been in their hands the whole time. They just hadn't believed it yet.
That is why this verse is worth hiding in your heart this week. It carries both halves of the gospel in one breath. Jesus was "crucified." He really died for our sins. And He would "the third day rise again." He really conquered death. Notice too how the angels point the women back to what Jesus said. Sometimes we are sad or afraid simply because we have forgotten His promises. The cure is not to invent new comfort. It is to remember His Word. When your children carry "He is not here, but is risen!" in their memory, they are carrying a truth strong enough to meet them at the hardest graves of their lives. It will remind them that the living Lord goes ahead of them.
Around the Table
The women went to the tomb very sad. But the angel said, "He is not here. He is risen!" Jesus is alive! That turned their sad day into the happiest day.
Let's do it: Say the first part together three times, a little louder each time: "He is not here, but is risen!"
The angels reminded the women, "Remember how He spoke to you." Jesus had told them ahead of time, but they forgot until that moment.
Let's talk: When you're sad or scared, which Bible promise could you "remember" to help your heart?
Our verse holds the whole gospel. "Crucified" means He died for sin. "The third day rise again" means He defeated death. Both are needed. A dead Savior couldn't save us. And a Savior who didn't die would have no payment to offer.
Let's go deeper: Why does the angel point the women back to Jesus' own words instead of just telling them new information? What does that teach us about trusting Scripture?
💬 Conversation Starter
Has anyone ever promised you something amazing, and you almost forgot they said it until it came true? Jesus promised He would rise. And He kept His word right on time.
🛡️ Defending the Faith
"The third day" wasn't a guess after the fact. Jesus predicted His resurrection again and again while He was still alive (; ). A movement built on a failed prediction would have collapsed. Instead, it exploded across the world, because the prediction came true.
For Dad · Go Deeper
There is real pastoral power in the angels' method. They comfort grieving women not with a feeling but with a remembered word. This is the rhythm of the whole Christian life. Faith feeds on what God has actually said. Helping your children memorize Scripture is not a school exercise. You are loading their hearts with ammunition for the day doubt or sorrow comes knocking. The enemy's oldest tactic is "Has God indeed said?" (). The surest defense is a child who can answer, "Yes, and here are His exact words." Make memory work warm, not mechanical. Say the verse in the car, at bedtime, over breakfast. You are building a wall of remembered promises that will still be standing when they are grown.
Draws on: Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You that Jesus kept His promise and rose again. Help us remember Your words when we are sad or afraid. Keep this truth alive in our hearts. He is not here. He is risen! In Jesus' name, amen."
When sorrow comes, remember His words. He is not here among the dead, for He is risen.