The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He was lying. Matt 28:5-6
I can only imagine the mix of emotions those lovely women encountered that morning at Jesus’ tomb. Fear, grief, exhaustion from mourning the loss of their Lord, and the feeling of hopes deferred would be among them. The memories that must have flooded their hearts of time spent with Jesus over the last three years, adding to their already overwhelming sadness. Did they spend the Sabbath in profound silence while they pictured in their minds Jesus preaching to the masses, the healings of those who could not be helped by the best of doctors, the feedings of the thousands, the sound of His voice when He prayed and perhaps the one on one conversations they had with Him?
The Sabbath was now over and a new morning dawned. When the women came to that tomb they expected to pay their respects to the dead body of Jesus. But no, they would be met by an angel of the Lord with a message to these faithful few that would be nothing short of radical and redeeming.
He is risen, just as He said! The resurrection of Jesus is one of the central truths of the gospel (1Cor 15:1-8) Let’s remember the importance to us who believe in Him. It proves He is God’s Son (John 10:17-18: Rom 1:4). It guarantees the sufficiency of His redemptive death (Rom 6:4; 1Cor 15:17). It validates the truth of Scripture (Ps 16:10; Luke 24:44-47; Acts 2:31). It is the foundation for Christ’s giving the Holy Spirit and spiritual life to His people (John 20:22; Rom 5:10; 1Cor 15:45). It verifies His heavenly ministry of intercession for the believer (Heb 7:23-28). It is the believer’s blessed assurance of a future eternal inheritance (1Pet 1:3-4) and the promise that we too will be resurrected when the Lord returns (1Thess 4:14). The resurrection of Christ provides us with His presence and power over sin in our everyday experience (Rom 6:4-10 Gal 2:20; Eph 1:18-20).
As we celebrate these truths we are made aware of another fact in our everyday experience. We live in a world that is constantly seeking more! More hope, more joy, more peace, and more purpose. Every day we are faced with brokenness, pain and promises unfulfilled. There is often the nagging reality that something is terribly wrong. But for God’s people, our reality surpasses what we see and experience on the human level.
In Jesus we have hope. Rom 5:1-2 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.”
In Jesus we have peace. John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
In Jesus we have joy. 1Pet 1:8-9 “And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”
In Jesus, we have a purpose. 2Thess 1:11-12 “To this end we also pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
In those beautiful and sublime words “He is risen, just as He said”, oceans of truth are now ours in our risen Lord!