Luther Comments on the Death and Resurrection of Christ.

[GHansen]

"St. Paul writes in Romans 4:25 as follows: Christ was delivered up
for our trespasses, and was raised for our Paul is indeed the
man who extols Christ in a masterly manner, telling us exactly why and for
what purpose he suffered and how we should conform ourselves to his
sufferings, namely, that he died for our sins. This is a correct interpretation
of the sufferings of Christ, by which we may profit. And as it is not
sufficient to know and believe that Christ has died, so it will not suffice to
know and believe that he rose with a transfigured body and is now in a
state of joy and blessedness, no longer subject to mortality, for all this
would profit me nothing or very little. But when I come to understand the
fact that all the works God does in Christ are done for me, nay, they are
bestowed upon and given to me, the effect of his resurrection being that I
also will arise and live with him; that will cause me to rejoice. This must be
brought home to our hearts, and we must not merely hear it with the ears
of our body nor merely confess it with our mouth."

Lenker, John Nicholas, translator. Sermons of Martin Luther, vol. 2 pp. 203, 204. By Martin Luther, n.d.