He is RISEN!

This week’s passage: Matthew 28

Is it the end, or the beginning?

Are you one of those who can’t help but sneak a peek at the last chapter of a book to see how things work out? Well, you are in luck because today we are going to do just that. Since this is Passion Week I would like to “interrupt our scheduled program” to take a glance at the biggest news of all time. The writings by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John compile what they learned from the women who went to the tomb of Jesus after the Sabbath, expecting to find His body and prepare it for burial.

They went to honor Him

The group of women included Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and others who had traveled with Jesus during the three years He preached. The heartbreak they must have felt! They had seen His love for people, witnessed the miracles, and believed He was the Messiah. But now He was dead, I can imagine the brutal events that had taken place just three days prior would be the only thing playing in their minds. It seems they had forgotten in the moment that He had warned them of these events, and that maybe they should not have expected to find Him there, in the tomb.

“for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.”"(Mark 9:31 ESV)

Matthew tells us in chapter 27:55-56 that these women had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministered to Him, and were at scene of His crucifixion. Now they are the first to come to the tomb and although they arrive in heartache – they will leave with “great joy”! (I love that even in their despair, they couldn’t stop ministering to Jesus).

Matthew goes on to say there was a great earthquake when the women arrive at the tomb and they see an angel descend from heaven and roll the stone away, all four writers focus on the message shared by the angel, who announces to the women that they are looking for one who is no longer there.

“But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.” (Matthew 28:5-8 ESV)

NOW they are starting to understand! Now they are running with a renewed reverence for God and “great joy” in their hearts to tell the disciples what they have learned. I can picture them as they come out of the tomb, crying, bewildered, maybe tripping over each other in their haste. They are beginning to understand what He has done for them, and they fully BELIEVE that they will see Him again. They have been redeemed, and they have been given the command to go and share the gospel (HE IS RISEN!) What happens when they have come to this realization? Jesus comes to them! He meets them along the way helping them to regain their composure and their purpose.

“And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”"(Matthew 28:9-10 ESV)

Amazing! They are rewarded with their deepest desire, to see Christ. Mark tells us that Mary Magdalene first thought that Jesus was the gardener and asked him if he had moved Jesus’s body. She is not condemned by Jesus for her moment of confusion and doubt, He lovingly reveals the truth to her.

This is what Jesus does for us now, when we see Him for who He is, we fall apart because we finally understand how much sin has controlled our lives, and that we deserve nothing, but He gives us everlasting life.  He immediately begins a work in us to prepare our hearts and minds for an eternity in His kingdom! The women at the tomb had walked and lived with Christ – they saw firsthand who He was. We were not given that blessing, but Jesus says we are even more blessed to be among those who did not see but believe anyway.

“Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”"(John 20:29 ESV)

Will you set aside the tradition of easter rabbits and sparkly eggs for a moment this week to understand the Resurrection of Christ more clearly? Do your children and grandchildren understand the Resurrection - or the bunny? Traditions can taint our view of the truth; it is our job to stay faithful to Christ by understanding the difference.  My hope is that seeing just a glimpse of how the life of Jesus as a man ended, will renew your appetite for digging into the Word, learning how Jesus lived, loved, and taught as we return to our walk through the study of Matthew next week.

As this weekend approaches I pray that you will remember (or discover) what God sacrificed to redeem you. That you will go out with “great joy”, ready for God to use you for His glory the way He called upon those women who were so dedicated that they were the first to gather, the first to seek Him that day.