RISEN

“Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 

And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

And they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified and on the third day rise again. And they remembered his words” Luke 24: 1-8

The greatest day in human history or the history of the universe.

I can’t imagine the sorrow of Mary as she witnessed his death, this fulfilled what was spoken to when she had presented him as a baby at the temple.

” And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

Then he took him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

Lord, now lettest thy servant depart (die) in peace, according to thy word:

For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

And Joseph and his mother marvelled at these things which were spoken of him,

And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his Mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against.

Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also that the thoughts of many may be revealed,” Luke 2:25-35

Jesus was sent to not only redeem Israel but to bring salvation to us, the Gentiles, which basically covers all other groups of people.

He brought salvation to the entire world, all that will accept him.

I think of Mary’s sorrow as a sword truly pierced through her heart at his death.

I think of all who loved him and all of us who love him now and the crucifixion story breaks our hearts into at what he suffered and that he suffered that for us.

And I think of the angels, the host of heaven, that love and adore him, how they must have sorrowed as he left heaven, not to even imagine seeing him tormented and murdered by mortal men.

As he told the disciple who tried to defend him at his arrest, he could ask God for twelve thousand angels to be sent, but all of these things had to come to pass, so that we could be reconciled back to him forever.

I have never read how they felt but knowing that they rejoice at the salvation of just one of us, I can only imagine the joy and the praise that rang out on that glorious morning.

The joy of Mary and the disciples, the joy of all who have ever believed, the joy of the angels and the knowledge that death had been defeated and the grave had no more power.

In one glorious moment he changed it all.

May his blessing be yours today, Have a wonderful Joyous Easter!

NBJ 2024/ Rev. N. Brown Johnson