But on the first day of the week...

at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise."

-Luke 24:1-6a

But on the first day...to understand this "but" it helps to look at the text of Luke's Gospel, which is where the above is quoted from, in order to appreciate just how much of an intrusion this "but" is.

"It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.

On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment."

-Luke 23:54-56

His body had been wrapped in linen and laid in the tomb and the women prepared the spices needed, according to custom, for burial. On the Sabbath they rested, little did they know their Sabbath would burst forth from the rock the very next day. This "but," this seemingly harmless transition in literature, has earth shaking consequence. Scripture says he is dead, "but on the first day of the week..."

His enemies saw that he had died and wanted to guard the tomb where his body lay to keep the disciples from taking it out and claiming he was alive, "but on the first day of the week..."

The people of the world today will sneer, laugh, scoff, chuckle, turn their nose, and avert their eyes, "but on the first day of the week..."

Satan, sin, and death claimed victory the second he died then on Saturday when he preached to the souls in Hell claiming Lordship over even there they knew this was no good for them but could they have anticipated the words "but on the first day of the week..."

All of creation groans in anguish and pain as we see the death and destruction brought forth by earthquakes, other natural disasters, senseless crimes against God's creatures, abuse of his servants, distrust of his Word, indifference to his promises, "BUT ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK..."

...wrapped in linen, as he was in his cradle, and laid in a tomb no man had entered and no one had resided previously, like his mother Mary, Christ came forth from the grave, like no one had done before, and angels announced this new birth, like they had at its first, except this was different because it was the first day.

It is the first day, the new day, the first day of the new creation, ALLELUIA. NOTHING and NOBODY can take the joy of this celebration away from you. Christ is risen, he is risen indeed, Alleluia!