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Matthew 28; Mark 16 and Luke 24 In story form.
It was a beautiful Sunday. The two Mary's, Mary Magdalene and her friend Mary, decided to visit the grave of a friend, mentor, teacher, and beloved one that had been laid in a tomb just 3 days before.
As they approached the tomb they saw two guards who had been posted to watch the tomb and protect it from grave robbers. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, the two Mary's grabbed hold of each other, and stood frozen in fear. The great quake had been caused by a being, like none they'd seen before, his contenance was like lightening and his raiment as white as snow. The earth shook as he rolled a huge stone from the front of the tomb that the Mary's had come to visit. And the angel just sat down on it while the two guards, shaking badly from fear, passed out cold and looked as though they'd died.
The angel said to the women, "Don't be afraid. I know that you came looking for Jesus who was crucified, but you won't find Him here because He's risen. Come on in the tomb and see for yourself. Then go quickly and tell all Jesus friends that He is risen from the dead. Jesus has already gone into Galilee as we speak, He left before you arrived. You will find Him there, and I've completed my mission and given you the message."
They looked in the tomb and found the body of Jesus Christ was gone and two beings stood there in shining raiment and the two women were afraid and bowed their heads. The beings asked, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but is risen! Have you forgotten what He told you? 'The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.'" And the women remembered the words Jesus had said.
The two Mary's rushed away, talking a mile a minute, full of awe and wonder, rejoicing. They couldn't wait to tell this tale to all Jesus' friends. And on the way they bumped into Jesus, "Hello!" He called. And the two women ran to Him and knelt at His feet holding Him and worshipping Him. And Jesus, laughed and said, "Don't be so surprised, go and tell all my friends to meet me in Galilee."
Mary Magdalene, along with Joanna, Mary, the mother of James and other women that they'd brought along, rushed in where the friends were gathered and in mourning, "Jesus is alive, I've seen Him and talked to Him!" However, they didn't believe her.
Peter, however, rushed to the tomb to see for himself and found nothing but the linen clothes.
Meantime, Jesus appeared to two other of his friends in another form as they were walking toward the country. On their way to a village called Emmaus. Jesus walked along with them visiting and when that sat down to eat dinner Jesus took bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to them and their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus, just as he vanished out of their site. And they, also rushed to tell the rest, who didn't believe them either.
So, Jesus appeared, right in front of the eleven of his friends who refused to believe, as they sat eating.
They were terrified and frightened thinking they were seeing a ghost. And Jesus scolded them, for their unbelief and hardness of heart. "What are you afraid of, why do your hearts not recognize me? Look at my hands and feet, see, it is me. Touch me and see I am flesh and bone not a bloodless phantom!"
And Jesus said to them, "All authority has been given to me over the heavens and the earth. Go and teach all nations that repentance and remission of sin should be preach in My Name among all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witness to these things. Preach the good news, baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These are the words I spoke to you, while I was with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me." He revealed the future to them that they might understand what scriptures He was talking about. "I will send the promise of my Father on you, but wait in the city of Jerusalem until you have received the power from on high. These signs will follow those who believe: In My Name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues, they will be ammune to poison, it will not hurt them, they will lay hands on the sick and the sick will recover. Teach them to observe all the things that I've commanded you to observe and remember I am with you always even to the end of the world."
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ will rise first; Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so will we ever be with the Lord. So, comfort one another with these words. 1 Thess. 4:16, 17, 18.
"Surely I come Quickly." Amen. Even so come Lord Jesus. |
