Saturday, April 23, 2011

April 24, 2011 A Blessed Easter

Read John 20:11-18

John 20:16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned toward him and said in Hebrew, “Rabboni!”

A FEW days before this was the inexpressible anguish and pain our Lord was suffering on the cross. That’s all gone now! There is no pain, no sorrow, no heartache, and no emptiness! Our risen Lord has come, and he has made himself known—completely.
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad! (Psalm 14:7)
The Lord has spoken. The Lord has acted. The Lord is risen, and there is nothing that the gates of Hell can do. Satan is conquered. Death is “softened” and life reigns.
I’ll bet Mary is glad she stayed. Other women were with her (from Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts), and I’ll bet they were glad, too. Oh, how exceedingly glad they were! They went and told. The women became the first missionaries, the first emissaries to represent the risen Christ. The disciples and others probably laughed at her. Told her go home. After all, that’s what they did. If Jesus was alive, he certainly would come to them first.
Ah, Mary, your grief was enormous. Your joy even more so! No matter what anyone said to you, you knew better. You had seen the risen Lord! You knew in your heart the joy of worshiping the resurrected Jesus Christ!


Pause and Consider: the wonder of living a resurrected life.

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