The Greek term that translates into English as "He is risen!" It's the angelic Easter proclamation found in Matt. 28:6; Mk. 16:6; and Lk. 24:6.
While the term can mean something as benign as "s/he got up," when it's used to describe what happened to Jesus post-death it signifies a cosmic change. His "getting up" or "rising" is the defeat of sin and death. It means hope after death. Love has conquered.
Then, after 40 days, ἀνελήμφθη "he was taken up" (Acts 1:2). His ascension marked his return to the heavens where he is now seated at the right hand of his Father (Eph. 1:20). Between his resurrection and his ascension we see glimpses of Jesus in his brief encounters with the disciples. Not as a ghost or some post-human spiritual being, but as a resurrected human. A God-man who still looked, talked, and walked like a pre-resurrected human; just with new attributes (i.e., being able to walk through locked doors and disappear/reappear). Then, he ascended to the heavens to take his rightful place, once again, over all things, holding all things together (Col. 1:15-18).
So, this Easter I am celebrating the risen Christ and the defeat of sin and death. I'm celebrating that I, like the apostle Paul, have been raised with Christ now (Col. 3:1). I'm celebrating that even in death there will come a day when I in my body will "rise" to live just as it happen with Jesus on that first Easter morning (1 Cor. 15:35-57). And I'm celebrating that the world is a perfectly good and safe place to be, because Christ is ruling over all things.
Happy Easter!
