What a journey this week has been. We have celebrated with Jesus as he entered the city of Jerusalem a week ago, we felt the heart and compassion he has for his Father as he taught in the temple courts, we were reminded of the humanness of Jesus as he cried out to God, “Not my will, but Yours be done”, and we experienced the agony of the betrayal, denial, aloneness, suffering and ultimate death of Jesus on the Cross. He told those close to him about the temple being rebuilt in three days. He shared that where he was going, they could not go. He basically prepared them for what was to occur, yet it was still hard to believe that he was dead...until this!
John 20:1-18
20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
The prophecy has been fulfilled. Jesus is alive. The stone was rolled away and he appeared to Mary Magdalene. Can you imagine being in her place? I am sure she was truly freaking out. JESUS WAS ALIVE! HE WAS NOT IN THE GRAVE! HE ROSE FROM THE GRAVE.
As remarkable as this story is to hear year after year, and for me to tell it year after year, it never gets old. It is the greatest story of history. It is true and it has the power to save!
RESPONSE
As you have journeyed to Easter, what has been the most memorable moment that you have learned and you can apply to your life? As you rest on the Easter story today, how will you worship the risen Savior? Voice a prayer to him - just you and him! Tell him how you feel towards him and commit your life to him today!
Watch this video. We are singing this song this weekend in worship. Happy Easter everyone!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huFra1mnIVE
No comments:
Post a Comment