O Death, Where is Thy Sting? O Grave, Where is thy Victory?

Today is a beautiful Easter day!  Although this holiday has always meant a great deal to me, it means more today than it ever has before.

As most all of you know, I am a devoted sports fan.  In fact, yesterday I managed to spend several hours watching what was essentially a BYU football practice for the simple fact that I love BYU football.  I love seeing my team win.  I hate seeing my team lose.  When they win, I am elated and talk about it for a long time.  When they lose, sometimes I want to disappear because of the frustration.  I have lost my voice numerous times in cheering during and after victories. Today, I celebrate the greatest and most complete victory this world has ever known, in the most important contest this world has ever witnessed.

Because the Savior's victory was so absolutely complete that it was assured before the world was, sometimes we forget just how much was at stake.  Lehi declared that "all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer" (1 Nephi 10:6). Amulek explained that unless an atonement were made, "all mankind must unavoidably perish" (Alma 34:9).  And Jacob gave the most detailed description of our fate, explaining that had it not been for the atonement, "this corruption [meaning our mortal bodies] could not put on incorruption [immortal bodies].  Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration.  And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more. . . . For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our sports must become subject to that angel who feel from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil to rise no more.  And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery like unto himself" (2 Nephi 9:7-9).

In short, everything was at stake.  It wasn't just a little disappointment that was on the line, where perhaps we didn't get to go home, but we could remain as good people.  No, our very ability to progress and to develop all of the virtues that make this life beautiful was on the line.  The Savior spoke an eternal truth when he declared, "for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).

But on that first glorious Easter morning, He burst the bands of death forever and for all "men, women, and children who belong to the family of Adam" that "the resurrection might pass upon all men, [women, and children]" (2 Nephi 9:21-22).  I can only imagine how we shouted that morning!  I can only imagine how glorious that greatest of all victories felt as we looked on in faith and wonder when the sinless Son of God took up His perfect body with His perfect wounds!  What an honor it must have been for two of our fellow children of God to declare those perfect words, "He is not here; for he is risen, as he said" (Matthew 28:6)! It was the victory of victories; the championship of championships!

With so very much having been won, we celebrate again today.  With Paul, we ask in humble adoration, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory. . . . But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ?" (1 Corinthians 15:55, 57)

Today I celebrate the assurance that because our Savior was victorious over death, so too will we be, and so too will be each of our loved ones, and so too will be each member of the divine household of God.  At some future date, my beloved Dad will rise again.  In fact, I expect to take a picture similar to this one above.  We took that picture in May 2014 as we were driving home from Texas for the last time.  In previous years, we had made that drive for me to come home to visit for the summer, knowing that we would be going the opposite direction the following August.  In May 2014 we made the drive home with plans for me to stay.  We took this picture right before we drove across the Colorado border into Utah.  I was home.  Someday I will be home again, and my Dad will be there to greet me and make the journey together with me and with the rest of our family.  And that day will be glorious, made possible because the Perfect Son of a Perfect God "hat borne [my] griefs, and carried [my] sorrows. . . . He was wounded for [my] transgressions, he was bruised for [my] iniquities: [and] the chastisement of [my] peace was upon him; and with his stripes [I am] healed" (Isaiah 53:4-5).  It will be possible because that first Easter, "the Son of Righteousness [arose] with healing in his wings" (3 Nephi 25:2; Malachi 4:2).

And this is truly a victory for which we can and will rise and shout to all eternity.

Brett