Could they REALLY believe it?
“Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week,
(The Gospel According to Matthew 28: 1-8 NASB)
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave.
And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred,
for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven
and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.
And his appearance was like lightning,
and his clothing as white as snow.
The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women,
“Do not be afraid;
for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.
He is not here,
for He has risen,
just as He said.
Come, see the place where He was lying.
Go quickly and tell his disciples that He has risen from the dead;
and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him;
behold, I have told you.”
And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy
and ran to report it to His disciples.”
The night must have seemed excruciatingly long as the believers waited.
- Jesus had told them He would be crucified.
- Jesus had told them He would be buried.
- Jesus had also told them He would rise again.
Could they REALLY believe it?
People they knew did NOT just rise from the dead.
Sure, they had seen Lazarus come from the tomb when Jesus called him by name and told him to come forth, but Jesus had called upon the Father in prayer as He stood in front of the tomb.
Would God raise their beloved Jesus just as He had raised Lazarus?
- An earthquake.
- An angel of the Lord coming down from heaven.
- A massively large stone covering the tomb opening—rolled away from the tomb.
- An angel sitting there, right in front of them, on the stone, that had just yesterday sealed Jesus’ tomb, where His dead body had been placed.
The women had seen all that occurred at the crucifixion.
- They had seen the broken and bruised and bloody body of Jesus.
- They had seen their Lord hanged upon the cross.
- They had stood by weeping.
- And then they had waited as the Sabbath slowly passed.
As the women walked toward the tomb that morning, conversing, wondering who would help them move the stone so they could enter the tomb to prepare Jesus’ body for proper burial.
Would the guards assist them with the stone?
Would the guards even allow them to complete the task they came to do?
- How crazy would it be to hear the angel of the Lord speaking!
- How crazy would it be to see the angel of the Lord!
- How crazy would it be to watch the Roman soldiers guarding the tomb fall like dead men!
- How crazy would it be to hear the angel of the Lord say—
“Do not be afraid;
(The Gospel According to Matthew 28: 5b-6 NASB)
for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.
He is not here,
for He has risen,
just as He said.
Come, see the place where He was lying.”
- Jesus Christ the Messiah—Did just what He promised!
- Jesus Christ the Messiah—Did with His grave as He promised!
- Jesus Christ the Messiah—Did die & rise again, just as he promised He would!
- Jesus Christ the Messiah—Did die & Did rise to new life!
- Jesus Christ the Messiah—DID EMPTY THE GRAVE—JUST AS HE PROMISES TO DO FOR YOU & ME—IF WE BELIEVE & ACCEPT HIM INTO OUR HEARTS!
Could they REALLY believe it?
YES! They could! &
YES! So Can We!
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
(2 Corinthians 9: 8-15 NASB)
as it is written,
“HE SCATTERED ABROAD,
HE GAVE TO THE POOR,
HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENDURES FOREVER.”
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness;
you will be enriched in everything for all liberality,
which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.
For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.
Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ
and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all,
while they also, by prayer on your behalf,
yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
God Gives Most!
- We who have accepted Jesus into our hearts &
- We who have believed in His resurrection from the dead &
- We who have confessed our sins committed against God—
- We have much to proclaim!
- We have so much to share with the lost surrounding us!
“Go quickly and tell his disciples that He has risen from the dead;
(The Gospel According to Matthew 28: 7-8 NASB)
and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him;
behold, I have told you.”
And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy
and ran to report it to His disciples.”