Thank You, Jesus, for the ‘instead’
“And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.”
(The Acts of the Apostles 4: 33 NASB)
Some people struggle to get past John 3: 16. They read of the LOVE of GOD but struggle to receive the GRACE JESUS offers.
This year, Easter Sunday will arrive on the last day of March. On the first day of March, we experienced some stormy weather and wind, so the weather watchers say, “In like a lion & out like a lamb.” I beg to differ, to re-word the statement this season of Lent.
You & I were born into this turbulent world, but praise God, we can leave WITH THE LAMB’S BLOOD COVERING OUR SINS!
This miracle is only possible because of the Resurrection of Jesus!
Go with me into God’s Holy Word to that early-dark, Sunday morning when the women went to the tomb.
“Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came,
(The Gospel According to John 19: 39-42 NASB)
[See John 3 for the narrative of Nicodemus’ conversion story]
bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight.
So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices,
as is the burial custom of the Jews.
Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb
in which no one had yet been laid.
Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby,
they laid Jesus there.”
There’s so much to unpack here—
- Nicodemus was a wealthy man, a ruling member of the elite religious group, the Pharisees, but secretly, Nicodemus was a believer.
- Yes, this man was a Christian, but he struggled in his day-to-day life to be a bold witness. So, he met with Jesus at night, under the cover of darkness.
- Despite the reason, Nicodemus was present with the women, THAT FRIDAY NIGHT, when they arrived at the tomb to prepare the body of Jesus for burial before the Sabbath arrived.
- Maybe the women brought him because he could carry the weight of the embalming spices.
- Maybe the women allowed him to come along because he paid the price required to buy the spices.
- They arrive THAT FRIDAY to wrap the body of Jesus.
- They bind the DEAD BODY of JESUS in linen, & they place the burial spices inside the wrappings “as is the burial custom of the Jews.”
- Then they leave, walking away from the new burial tomb there in the garden, the tomb that was carved out of the rock, the place near the crucifixion site.
“Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb.”
(The Gospel According to John 20: 1 NASB)
There’s so much to unpack here—
- Friday & Saturday have passed.
- The day was Sunday “the first day of the week . . .”
- The woman came again to the tomb, but this time, she arrived in the early-dark of THAT MORNING when JESUS RESURRECTED from the tomb!
- Yet, when she arrived at the tomb where the soldiers had laid Jesus’ DEAD body, Mary had to be perplexed because just days earlier, after Mary and the others prepared the body, the soldiers had rolled the stone in place, but now Mary “saw the stone already taken away from the tomb.”
- Instead of finding the soldiers standing guard at the burial tomb, blocking the path.
- Instead of seeing a closed tomb, Mary “saw the stone already taken away from the tomb.”
- Instead of finding a closed tomb, the opening stood wide open!
- Instead of finding the dead body of Jesus, Mary saw His earthly body was missing.
- Instead of standing there silently in fright, the woman ran to tell the disciples!
Thank You, JESUS, for the ‘instead’ Only You Can Provide!
“giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, . . .”
- Does this describe us: you & me?
- Does this describe every Believer walking the face of the earth?
We have a testimony!
We have a witness!
We have received Jesus!
We have the Savior’s blood covering our sins!
So why are we silent? Why are we not daily testifying? What are we waiting for?
Good Friday is coming!
This is the Season of Lent: of fasting & praying & preparing our hearts.
Easter Sunday is coming!
Resurrection Sunday is coming!
- May we become faithful in what the Lord has called us to do.
- May we willingly give our testimony to all who will listen.
- May we tell the world about ”the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, . . .”
The Lord’s work surrounds us. &
He allows us to become an active participant.
- May we drop our silence to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel.
TRULY—
Without the stone rolled away, we lose everything!
Without the stone rolled away, we lose the resurrection power of Jesus!
May we boldly tell ALL who will listen.
JESUS is the ONE WHO OFFERS SALVATION!
- HE offers HIS Mercy to all who will turn from their sins!
- HE offers HIS Amazing Grace to all who will turn to HIM in belief!
- HE offers HIS Eternal Peace to all who will turn to HIM in acceptance!
JESUS offers HIS Resurrection Power!