Resurrection Day, Past and Future

 

On the first day of the week we gather, with millions upon millions of family members from all around the globe.

Imagine that. The largest family reunion in the history of the world, on the first day of every week. 

You see, something Spectacular happened on the first day of the week, about 2,000 years ago, and so, we’ve been gathering like this, ever since.

Today, we celebrate the anniversary, of that Spectacular event.

Welcome to the Family Reunion.

Mary Magdaline John 20:11-18; Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10

About 2,000 years ago, it was early, it was dark, she was scared.

He was dead. Publicly crucified. The best attested event in ancient history.

Everybody knows it. She had no doubt about it.

The Man who delivered her from seven demons, was dead.

Would the demons return?

She didn’t know. It didn’t matter. She had to get to Him.

She who’s forgiven much, loves much.

Despite the fear, the darkness, the dread, she makes her way to the tomb.

Where’s the soldiers? They were there. I saw them. I hoped they’d help me move the stone.

Where’s the stone?

Where’s the Lord?

She runs, tells Peter and John. They run back, look and leave.

Mary stays.

She who’s forgiven much, loves much.

She peeks in the tomb. Sees a couple angels; they ask why she’s crying.

She answers, then turns around and sees Jesus; she thinks He’s the gardener.

He asks: “Why are you weeping? Who are you seeking?” John 20:15.

He still asks.

Why weep for the temporal, when the Eternal is right in front of you?

He shows her, that He knows her, by simply uttering her name: Mary.

With that, clarity comes, fear flees.

That has got to be the most comforting sound in the universe, to hear, Love, whisper your name. God is Love. 1 John 4:7.

So then, the most terrifying sound must be to hear Him say, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.”  Matt. 7:23.

Who’d have ever thought that Jesus would choose Mary of all people, to be the first one He appears to after His Resurrection.  

Mary Magdalene, from Magdala, a city on the southwest shores of the Sea of Galilee, a place known for prostitution.

Mary, the woman, not so long ago possessed by demons. And Jesus chooses her, to be the first missionary of His Resurrection.

He tells her, “Go tell My brethren.” John 20:17.

By the way, this is a powerful law of first mention moment. This is the first time He calls them, “Brethren.”

You see, now that He’s paid in full (tetelestai) the penalty of sin and death; now the 4,000 year old divorce decree, can be torn asunder. Evidenced by the veil in the temple being torn asunder from top to bottom.

Now the family can be reunited.

Now, He calls them, brethren. 

Now you see why we love family reunions—we get it from our Father.

He entrusts Mary with this marvelous family mission.

That’s just like Jesus. 

He finds the saddest person in the room, sits down beside them, encourages them, let’s them know He sees them, knows them, loves them. He calls them by name; and then, He carries them to the front of the class.

Ladies First John 20:11-18; Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10

Mary was the first one, but not the only one.

Jesus was busy and made five appearances that glorious Resurrection Day.

The first two appearances were to women. Which is just one, of the countless evidences of the authenticity and accuracy of the Divinely inspired, Word of God. Because, if Scripture were by the design of man, they never would’ve used women as the first heralds of His Resurrection because the testimony of women wasn’t considered credible.

Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, and then a small group of women that had also gone early to the tomb (another Mary, Salome, Joanna and some unnamed others).

They didn’t have modern communications, like television, telegram, telephones, so the best way to spread the news quickly was… tell-a-woman. 

Just kidding. Okay, moving on, quickly.

After appearing to the women, He appears to the men.

Emmaus Road, Luke 24:13-35; 1 Cor. 15:5

We’re told Jesus met with Peter, but that’s all we’re told. We don’t know where, or what was said.

Then, we travel about seven miles from Jerusalem on the Emmaus road, and drop in on His conversation with a couple men.

They were walking and talking and sad. Jesus walked up, “What’s up? Why are you so sad?”

They didn’t recognize Him.

One of them, Cleopas, said, “Are You kidding? Are You the only one in all Jerusalem who doesn’t know what’s been going on there the last few days. Have You been living under a rock or what? Luke 24:18.

Well, yeah, as a matter of fact. “What things?”

Then they, told Jesus about Jesus, not knowing it was Jesus.

He was a Prophet, mighty in Word and deed. But they killed Him. We were hoping He was the One, to redeem us.

Notice, their words are past-tense. He was, we were, He was… but now, it’s over.

Then, to top it off they tell Him that, today is the third day, and some women said His body was missing and that angels had told them He was alive.

Jesus said to them, “O foolish ones, slow to believe in all the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Luke 24:25-27.

Don’t you wish that was recorded for us to read? Someday, I pray, we can watch an instant reply.

God had prepared for them in His Word, over 300 prophecies about the Messiah. Every single one was fulfilled in the Man, Christ Jesus.

Do you know what the odds are of that happening to just eight prophecies?

Cover the state of Texas 1.5’ deep in silver dollars. One of those are painted red. Blindfolded, with one pick, choose the red silver dollar.

Jesus is indeed, the Christ, the Son of God, exactly as it is written of Him. 

They didn’t recognize Him in the flesh, with their natural eyes, but His Words lit a fire, and caused their hearts to burn.

“Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32.

Are we hungry for His Word, so when we’re in it, we light up? Or, are we so full of the world, that like a kid full of junk food we fall asleep at the table and do a face plant into the spaghetti?

After breaking open the Word to them, Jesus broke bread with them, and their eyes were opened. They knew it was Him, and just like that, He was gone. Luke 24:31.

But He wasn’t gone for long. He still had one more appearance to make before Resurrection Day was done.

The Disciples, less Thomas; John 20:19-25.

Later that day, back in Jerusalem, the disciples were gathered; all but Thomas.

Then, just like that, Jesus appeared in the room, even though the doors were shut and locked.  

He showed them the wounds in His hands, His side. He didn’t hide His scars, He exposed them.

When they saw the scars, they knew it was Him.

Fear and sorrow fled.

The writings of old came alive like front page news. Like the one from Isaiah written about 700 years prior.

“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:4-6.

Jesus chose to keep, to wear, His scars, not in shame, but honor.

The only manmade thing in heaven, are the scars on Jesus; the ones we gave Him. He kept them, He wears them, as a badge of honor, in honor of His great, amazing, unending, Love, for us.

Scars may identify us, but they do not define us.

We all have scars. Own them, do not be owned by them.

That was the fifth and final appearance of Jesus recorded on Resurrection Day, but He wasn’t done.

Post Resurrection Appearances

A week later, He showed up to show Thomas his scars, and turn him from a doubter to a shouter, “My Lord and My God,” John 20:28. 

A bold uncompromising declaration of the Deity of Jesus.

His seventh appearance was to seven disciples on a fishing trip in the Sea of Galilee. He showed up on shore with breakfast and a question. For them, for us.

Do you agapaó Me? Do you love Me?

After a love language lesson, He told Peter, and us, in three simple words how to fulfill our God given mission: You, follow Me.

Then, He appeared to over 500 at one time. This debunks any claims that His closest followers were simply hallucinating from grief. 1 Cor. 15:6

He appeared to his half-brother James. 1 Cor. 15:7

Ascension Day

Then finally, the day of His ascension came, and He appeared again to His disciples. He told them in a little while, you’ll be baptized with the Holy Spirit; endued with Power; and you’ll be My witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and Sebring Florida, Ottumwa IA, Mankato, St Peter, New Prague, MN.  Bucksport ME. Manistee Mich. Nashville TN, AL, KY, OH, IN, IL, TX, OK, WI… all the way to the uttermost parts of the earth.

Acts 1:9-11; Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, ¹¹ who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.

HE’S COMING BACK!

Okay, there you have it. An overview of the appearances of Christ from Resurrection to Ascension.

Why it matters

For 40 days He appeared to them time and again, showing many infallible, undeniable, irrefutable proofs of His resurrection. Acts 1:3.

These are documented and recorded from different people, at different times, from different angles.

That paints a pretty good picture for us to see what happened, but more importantly, these things have been written in such a way to add infallible proofs, to the credibility and historical accuracy of the writings.

You see, God knew that over the ages, the enemy would try to snuff out His Light.  

Multiple scholars, scientists, archaeologists, historians, brilliant minds, have scoured the Scriptures, with an agenda to disprove it.

However, those who follow the undeniable proofs where they lead, come to the same conclusion, the secular, and Scriptural, data is overwhelmingly conclusive.

Jesus died on a Roman cross, was raised to life on the third day and is indeed exactly who the Bible says He is.

Those who stay the course, find the Bible historically, archeologically, geographically, scientifically, medically… completely, accurate.

This journey has led many to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

See:

The Case for Christ, movie based on true story and book by, once atheist, journalist, Lee Strobel.

Evidence that Demands a Verdict, book by ex-skeptic, Josh McDowell.

God has preserved for us a mountain of undeniable evidence. If just the ancient New Testament manuscripts were stacked one on top of the other, it would be a mile high. No other writings, on any other subject, even comes close.

If not for Resurrection Day, we wouldn’t be having the world’s largest family reunion on the first day of every week. We wouldn’t be gathering at all. There’d be no Christianity. 

If Christ be not risen, our faith would fall like a house of cards. 1 Cor. 15:14.

But Christ is risen indeed! 1 Cor. 15:20.

Big Bubba knew it and that made all the difference. Once upon a time, he was wild, and mean, but Jesus found him, and changed him. That’s the most convincing evidence of all—a changed life.

Big Bubba became a new man. Instead of wild and mean, he was mild and keen. He married, started a family, never missed a Sunday. They always sat right there, on the front row. He even preached now and then, while studying to go into the ministry.

But then… the devil showed up. That’s what he does. Wherever there’s Light, he tries snuffing it out.

The preacher didn’t know what to say as he looked over the pulpit, across the caskets, toward Bubba, sitting there on the front row, just like he always did with his wife and kids.

Only this time, Bubba sat, alone.

The devil, and his demons, have a way of doing that to families.

“If Christ be not risen…” The preacher tried to start his message from 1 Cor. 15, but got choked up. Bubba was more than just a man in his Church, he’d become his best friend. So, the only words the preacher could find were pouring from his eyes.

The only sounds in the Church, were sobs and sniffles.

It was like a black cloud filled the place, so thick it was hard to breath.

If Christ be not risen… the preacher tried again. But the tentacles of sorrow squeezed his throat as it slowly choked the life out of everyone in that little Church family.

But then, Bubba stood, turned to the people and simply said:

“But He is risen.” 1 Corinthians 15:20.

The black cloud lifted.

He wiped his eyes, looked toward heaven, and smiled.

The tentacles of sorrow were severed.

“And so, I know, I will see my family, again.”

The Lord, and His Resurrection, have a way of doing that to families. 

Our Resurrection Day

Today, we gather to celebrate that spectacular day, His Resurrection, but we not only look back, at His Resurrection, we also look forward to ours.

You see Jesus met Mary, and the women, Peter, and the guys on the road, in the room, on the shore, on the mount; He did all that, so you could meet Him too.

He was resurrected, so you can be too.

Because what He wants more than anything. What we need more than anything, is to be part of His family. 

One day, perhaps today, in the twinkling of an eye, we who are in Christ, those who are part of His family (relationship not religion), will be resurrected to the Greatest Family Reunion in HIStory.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up (rise up) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

One day, not so long ago we witnessed a Resurrection Day.

They said, if you want to see her, you better come quick.

We flew to Minnesota that bitterly cold day in early March.

Then, the family gathered by her bedside. We prayed. We said our goodbyes. We told her it was okay to go. We told her we’d be okay. Then, we waited… and waited, seventeen days came and went.

We didn’t know what she was waiting for. Every breath was labor—like pulling a chain through mud. Why was she holding on so long?

But then one day; He shows her, that He knows her, by simply uttering her name: Mary.

That has got to be the most comforting sound in the universe, to hear, Love, whisper your name. God is Love. 1 John 4:7.

With that, clarity comes, she leaves.

That day, was the first day of spring.

One last message from Jesus and Roxy’s mom, Mary.

This is not the end, it’s just the beginning.

 

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Resurrection, and ours.

We pray for our eyes to be open, to see Your appearing. Our hearts to burn at hearing Your Word.

We pray You’ll reach through us to invite others to Your Family Reunion.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

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 This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you to sow.

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