Day 110 He is Risen Indeed!

 

4/20/2025

 

The sun comes up, and it's a new day dawning! These words may sound familiar, as they are from a song by Matt Redman called 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord):

"The sun comes up
It's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass
And whatever lies before me
Let me be singing
When the evening comes."

Seems appropriate since this is Resurrection Sunday, and Jesus has risen, and one day He will return! He will return splitting the eastern sky and placing His feet on Mount Zion. What a day that will be!

Today's story today begins where we left off in Matthew, "Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb" (Matthew 28:1). I'm sure Mary was anxious to get to the grave after Sabbath ended, but she had to wait until the new day came, day three. I wonder if she thought about Jesus' words as she was hurrying to leave -  about rising on the third day? But it's obvious that she was in a hurry to get to the grave. In other accounts in scripture the women who were with her were named as Mary, the mother of James, and Salome. As they're on the way this happened: 

"And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

But the angel answered and said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.'

So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, 'Rejoice!' So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, 'Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.'"

Matthew 1:2-9

Imagine going to the tomb, expecting to anoint the body, no doubt hurrying along, and the ground begins to shake! Still, they rushed on to the garden to find the stone rolled away from the tomb. The scripture says that an angel was sitting on the stone. That had to be a very large stone, and remember, the tomb had been sealed by Pilate, because the Pharisees were afraid the disciples would steal the body in the night. The soldiers guarding the tomb were temporarily stunned by the disruption and filled with their own fear. After all, because the Roman's seal placed on the stone had been broken, it was punishable by death, if I understand the teaching correctly. To the Pharisees, naturally, were where the soldiers fled to tell what happened, so the bribes paid by the Pharisees to the soldiers to hide the truth, really wasn't surprising. I've mentioned this in previous blogs in other years, but the movie Risen takes the audience on a journey through the eyes of a Centurion hunting for the risen Christ. In this movie the religious leaders did bribe and pay the two guards, but one man, the Centurion who was second to Pilate, in particular could not unsee what he had witnessed. It's an excellent movie, and it gives another slant on what could have happened when the truth of the empty tomb was revealed.

As hard as the religious leaders tried to cover up the truth, it is a historically proven fact that Jesus lived, died, and He rose again just as the scriptures tell. When Jesus died, and the earthquake shook the temple tearing the veil in the Holy Place, Jesus finished the work His Father had sent Him from heaven to do. The Bible also speaks of graves being opened, and the dead coming to life. The Bible does not say anything about those who walked out the of cemetery, but I imagine that was quite a shock, at the very least. Mary Magdalene was the first one to see Jesus after His resurrection, then He appeared to the disciples.  He walked on the road to Emmaus with Cleopas and another man, and scripture says that he walked and taught for 40 days until He ascended to heaven (Acts 1:1-3). These are recorded facts in historical accounts. How can anyone doubt the truth?!

The "Walk to Emmaus" is a Christian spiritual retreat developed to inspire, challenge, and equip men and women for service. It is a time of deep introspection, learning to spend time as a group, but more importantly, alone with our Savior, listening, growing, refreshed by His presence. While I have never participated in this experience, I have attended other retreats for the same personal growth experience. Several times a year while living in Northern New Mexico, I would escape to my personal "hiding place," to find refuge and refreshment, alone with Jesus. Now, in Virginia, I have found the times alone in the morning are so encouraging. I am jealous for my time alone in the presence of the one who loved me so much that He lived, He died, and He rose again for me! If I had been the only one, He would have died for me. And it is the same for each person who accepts this wonderful, blessed gift of eternal life. If you have never separated yourself, alone in His presence, don't waste another day, draw nigh to the throne room of heaven, experiencing your own walk to Emmaus. Listen to His voice and breathe in the breath of new life.