“CHRIST IS RISEN!” and the good news—He did it for you and me. As we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus the Christ, we find the Good News! That’s what the word Gospel means: Good News! Jesus brings good news! The Bible has been on top of the Best Seller List since they started making a list, and the Bible is filled with Good News! Good News which lifts you up, transforms your life, and makes life worth the living!
When was the last time the Holy Spirit came over you while you watched the news on CNN, FOX, or MSNBC? What if you turned on one of those news stations and heard the following: NEWS ALERT—some apostles and some women gave eyewitness reports of a stone being rolled to the side and an empty grave, or; NEWS ALERT—Jesus broke temple protocol this morning by tearing down the veil and offering admittance into the holy-ofholies.
DOUBTERS BEWARE: This might be the best kept 2000-year-old secret of all time: If His followers stole His body, they could say, “See, we told you the grave couldn’t keep Him, He rose as He said He would” . . . but if the Romans stole the body, they could come out later with His body and say, “See, just an ordinary man, He couldn’t even escape us.” Do you know anyone who can keep a secret for a week— let alone 2000 years?
I love the cover-up and the policy of appeasement in the guard’s report found in Matthew 28:11-15: “ 11 now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed;” Sleeping on duty would have resulted in death.
A Sunday School teacher had just finished telling her third graders about how Jesus was crucified and placed in a tomb—with a great stone sealing the opening. Then, wanting to share the excitement of the resurrection, she asked: “And what do you think were Jesus first words when He came out of that tomb?” A little girl in the back of the room shot her arm into the air and leaped to her feet and shouted excitedly, “I know, I know!”“Good” said the teacher, “Tell us, what did he say.” Extending her arms high into the air she said: “TA-DA!” Easter is a great “TA DA” celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Mark 16:6:“ 6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.” Where do we look for Him? Why are we always looking for Him in places where we know He won’t be? It is interesting to note that John only records four post-resurrection appearances by our Lord, and yet there were actually 513 people—including Mary Magdalene recorded in the Bible who saw Him after He rose from the grave. They are accounted for in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.
But I wonder, on this coming Easter Sunday, have you seen the risen Christ, or are you still looking for Him in other places? Maybe I should ask, “Why are you looking in Here? Why are you still looking for Him in an empty grave? Praise God He didn't Stay Dead—“Ta Da” He is Risen.
Always in His Service, Pastor Ron Fellowship Church of the Nazarene