The Savior's victory over death doesn't eliminate sadness and grief, but it does assure the living that they may someday be resurrected and reunited with loved ones, said President Gordon B. Hinckley.
Speaking Sunday morning, the first counselor in the First Presidency said he had spoken at three different funerals of "good and close friends" during the past three weeks.
"I have had occasion to reflect on the fact and miracle of life, and the wonder and miracle of death," he said.
When he returned from the services for a high school friend who had passed away, he thumbed through the pages of his high school yearbook.
"Once as lively students we shouted for victory for our basketball and football teams," President Hinckley reflected.
"Now, somewhat bent, we prefer to read and ponder and reflect. Once we danced and sang with noisy delight. We now enjoy peace and quiet and a comfortable chair," he said, bringing understanding laughter from the congregation.
The experience of standing at the bier of his classmate, he said, caused him to reflect on the "things of eternity," and he received a peace in his heart and felt gratitude. "There were tears, yes, properly so," he said, and then quoted D&C 42:45-46, where the Lord said, "those that die in me shall not taste of death, for it shall be sweet unto them."
"I am confident that for the friend of my high school days, death was a sweet experience with the assurance of a glorious resurrection," he declared.
President Hinckley explained that her spirit had gone to join others who will come forth on the morning of the first resurrection and live in that "sociality which bound them with bonds of love" while still mortals.
"This is the great promise of Easter," he emphasized. "How wonderful it is that this is a day of celebration throughout the Christian world. Of all the events of human history, none is so significant as the resurrection of the Son of God."
Death may be solemn, dark and silent, but it is not final, he counseled. To those who accept Christ and His mission, there is light, comfort, assurance and certainty. No victory in human history is as great as the triumph of the crucified Lord over death, he said.
"He [Jesus Christ] was the Master of life and death , the Man of miracles," President Hinckley proclaimed. "It was He who made the blind to see, the lame to walk and the dead to live."
President Hinckley then related the story of a ruler of the synagogue who came to Jesus to ask that his daughter might be healed. As he was talking to the Savior, the man was informed that his daughter was dead.
As President Hinckley quoted from Mark, chapter 5, he stretched out his arm and described how Jesus had gone to the girl and commanded her to arise.
President Hinckley then raised his hand as he read how the damsel had arisen, causing all who witnessed this miracle to be astonished.
"Small wonder that they were astonished with a great astonishment," he declared. "None other in all of their acquaintance, nor in all of history, had done as He had done."
The Savior did the same with Lazarus who had been dead and entombed before Jesus called him forth.
"Surely Jesus was the Master of life and death, yet He accepted the ignominy of the horrendous pain of the cross as cruel and barbarous men planned His death," President Hinckley said.
"The Savior had power to save Himself, but gave of Himself to atone for the sins of all mankind, "that He, being lifted up, might lift up all men after Him."
The first counselor in the First Presidency recalled the beatings and mockery the Savior endured, and then added that He forgave his tormentors even while He suffered.
President Hinckley said Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?" Full of emotion, President Hinckley paused before saying, "Then he died for all of us."
By bringing about the redemption of mankind, Jesus became our Redeemer. The Lord was resurrected and appeared to Mary and then another 500 more.
Another testament of this miracle appears in the Book of Mormon. Often quoting from 3 Nephi, President Hinckley told fo the events occurring just before and after the Savior's appearance to the people living in the western hemisphere.
"They felt of His wounds, they cried with love, and they fell at His feet and worshiped Him."
Jesus taught the Book of Mormon people the things He had preached in Palestine, instituted the sacrament, blessed them and left them with the Holy Ghost.
A third witness of Jesus Christ's resurrection occured when He and the Eternal Father appeared to Joseph Smith. In D&C 76:22-24, the Prophet Joseph testified that the Savior lives and is the only Begotten of the Father.
"To his we add our solemn testimony this Easter Sabbath," President Hinckley declared, "that He is the living Son of the living God."
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