The Resurrection of Jesus
What a wonder that women, those who were typically diminished in the then known culture, were the first to witness the unprecedented events leading up to finding out that Jesus was resurrected! Heaven’s realm crashes into the natural realm as the two Marys’ hear an Angel’s heavenly proclamation of the risen Jesus. The supernatural is awakening into the natural, shifting things.
Jesus was already risen before the Angel rolled away the stone. Remember when He appeared before the disciples who were inside their home with the doors locked (John 20:19-22)? Jesus may have walked right through the stone walls of the sepulcher.
However so, these women were privileged to hear the angelic proclamation that the King of Majestic Glory had indeed risen from the dead. Then the Angel of the Lord told them to go and tell the other disciples. The Angel also quoted Jesus from Matthew 26:31-32 when He said that after He was killed, He’d rise again and meet them in Galilee. The women hastened to go to the disciples, and on the way, Jesus appeared to the women! Glory! What a beautiful exchange they shared. The women were obedient to the Angels words, and on their way were met with a glorious surprise. Its a reminder of listening to the Word of the Lord with expectancy and readiness to do His will. Many are record to have seen Jesus: Paul on the road to Damascus and after his Damascus road experience (Acts 22:16-21, 23:1, 26:16), and many saw Him when He was with His disciples for 40 days (Acts 1:3).
Testimony of Guards at the Sepulcher
The Religious leaders went through such great lengths to cover up Jesus’ resurrection by bribing the guards who watched over Jesus tomb. The guards had experienced the earth quake as the Angel of the Lord came from heaven, rolling away the stone and then sitting atop it! No doubt these guards heard the Angel speak to the women. Yet when the guards told the chief priests and religious leaders about their 1st hand experience, the chief priests and religious leaders instead wanted them to spread false information about what had happened and for added incentive, they bribed the guards with money. Because of this bribe, the guards spread a false report that the disciples stole His body away. The scripture is true when it says the love of money is the root of evil (1 Timoty 6:10). Some who heard this falsehood were persuaded by its lie.
The Disciples Meet the Resurrected Jesus
When the disciples were able to see Jesus, they worshiped Him, but many of them doubted. Blessed are those who haven’t seen Him and still believe, yet they saw Him. We may not see Him in the physical, but He will reveal Himself to us in ways that are plain. Its just a matter of us growing in our discernment.
Commissioning His disciples, Jesus sent them out. He was sent by the Father to fulfill His course, and now having been given all authority by the Father He sends out the disciples and commissions them. Jesus says that they should go into the nations and baptism people. We know baptism is powerful to someone who has repented, because it is the means by which a soul is resurrected from spiritual death into the the life giving Spirit, Holy Ghost, Who makes them new creatures. Baptism also naturally leads to teaching and discipleship.
Summary
- Be obedient
- Never doubt what God is about
- Being aware of Holy Ghost in you
- He will move in your tomb if you let him
- Expect the unexpected
- Don’t deny the undeniable
- Be fruitful and disciple
- Open your eyes to see what lies
