Scriptures: Luke 24 v 2 - 6: "And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,"
Glory Halleluia!! Hosanna to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Immortal, invisible, God only wise!! There are actually no words to describe what was witnessed at the Tomb of Jesus. Those who went to the tomb with spices and oils to anoint His body were too late.
Did Jesus not say about the woman with the alabaster box full of expensive perfume which she broke over His head - what she has done will be told around the world. She alone would have the honour of anointing His body before His crucifixion.
All the disciples found on Resurrection morning were two angels telling them that Jesus had risen and would see them in Galilee. Mary Magdalene confirmed it. She saw Jesus alive in the garden and was not allowed to touch Him as He first had to go to His Father and take with Him the redeemed souls out of Paradise or Abraham's Bosom a place near Hell.
A few days before the believing thief on the Cross next to Jesus had bounced joyfully into Paradise, announcing that their Redeemer was on His way. They would have been overcome with happiness to at last be going home to Heaven.
Jesus took on His enemy, Satan, down there in Hell, and utterly defeated him. He removed his weapons, his keys, and reduced his mind to only be able to think on the human level. His ability to think on the divine level was gone. Jesus thrashed him for all the evil he had done. Every demon and soul in Hell saw the Devil humiliated and overcome.
Matthew 27 v 50 - 54: "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."
On His way out of the tomb all the redeemed saints of old, men of renown, came out of their graves and were seen by many in Jerusalem. What a victory for Heaven! What a victory for everyone who would believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who lived, died and lived again for all eternity.
John 20 v 6 - 9: "Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead."
We relive the moment those first disciples of Jesus experienced when they came upon the empty tomb, wondering where His Body is. The folded napkin lying apart was a powerful message to every Jewish person.
When the Master of the house leaves the dinner table with no intention of returning he throws the used napkin onto the table. If, however, he is coming back he folds the napkin neatly and the servants know not to clear the table as he is not done yet.
The disciples would have got that message without knowing when they would see Him, but Mary saw Him first in the garden not recognising Him at first but He called her name and that was enough for her. Jesus was risen from death and they were witnesses to this astounding miracle.
He is the firstborn of a new creation - those who are redeemed and ransomed, bought back from the enemy, no longer hostages, no longer dead, no longer vulnerable!! It would take time, though, for their minds to be convinced; doubts and fears to be removed; bad habits to be broken; bruises and illnesses to be healed. Jesus made us whole again. Because He was alive!!
Nothing was impossible now. The one Seed, or fragment, that was planted in Eve (her name means the Mother of All Living) and the breath of God that made Adam a Living Soul, had fulfilled His mission. O Wondrous Saviour.
Every person truly born again and a new creature in Christ KNOWS that Jesus is alive and living in their hearts. They can call on Him and hear His voice. No other god can match a personal relationship with the Living God. Jesus meets our needs and gives us hope for eternity. He is the One who John the Baptist said would baptize us in the Holy Spirit. Oh the awesome power of the flow of the Holy Spirit to cause us to be witnesses to the Lamb who was slain and is alive again.
We celebrated the victory of Jesus during Passover this week and saw how powerfully He is woven into this Jewish ceremony that has such powerful parallels for Christians.
Paul the mighty apostle to the Gentiles (non Jews) had this to say at the end of his illustrious life - That I may know Him and the power of His Resurrection! I have to agree with Paul even after the amazing spiritual adventures I have had with Jesus, my family and friends, it seems the deeper you go, the more you know, the vastness of what is still unknown draws you into the very heart of God.
If on this special day you realize that your life, or even your Christian life, needs some urgent awakening then go to the source, Jesus Christ, and ask Him to guide you into all truth. He will never ignore a request like that.
Prayer: Father in Heaven, Joy Joy Joy in Heaven and on Earth for this great moment in the history of Jesus and all mankind. The doors of Heaven are open; the gates of hell went under; Jesus holds the keys (authority) of death and hell. Let this be known in all the world Lord that Our God reigns forever. In Jesus' name. Amen.