The Big Story: Jesus' Resurrection


The climax of the Big Story of the Bible is Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.  It's easy to think of these as two distinct events, but they're two parts of one event.  In it, God provided for the redemption of humanity.

"Woman, why are you crying?" is the question highlighted in John's account of the resurrection (20:1-18).  Mary Magdalene went to Jesus' tomb early on Sunday morning, and found the stone rolled away.  Assuming Jesus' body had been stolen, she ran to Peter and John, and told them what she had seen. They ran to the tomb.  John arrived first, but waited outside the entrance.  Peter, true to his impulsive nature, strode right in the tomb when he arrived.  John followed him.

As Peter looked around, he saw Jesus' burial clothes neatly arranged.  That seemed to rule out grave robbers, because they wouldn't have left them that way.  John looked around and believed.  The account doesn't say what he believed, but it's safe to say that at the very least, he believed God had done something extraordinary!

After surveying the scene, Peter and John left.  Mary, still overcome with grief, remained, weeping outside the tomb.  When she finally looked inside, she saw two angels dressed in white.  One was where Jesus' head had been, and the other where his feet were.  They're the first to ask, "Woman, why are you crying?"  

Mary responded, "They have taken my Lord away, and I don't know where they've put him!"  She was so focused on Jesus, she seems to have barely noticed that she was talking to angels!  

She did become aware that someone was standing behind her.  She assumed it was the caretaker of the garden the tomb was in.  This person asks the question again, "Woman, why are you crying?"  

Mary responded, "Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I'll go get him."  

Then the person behind her said, "Mary."  They way he said her name revealed to her that it was Jesus! 

In joy, she exclaimed, "Rabboni," and apparently tried to embrace him.  But he told her not to cling to him because he was on his way back to the Father.

The resurrection of Jesus tells us two important things.  First, Jesus was who he said he was.  In 1 Corinthians 15:8, 17-19, the apostle Paul wrote that Jesus' resurrection proved that he was the Messiah.  Without his resurrection, Jesus was just a misguided teacher.  Second, the end of the age has begin.  In 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23-24, Paul wrote that Jesus' resurrection meant that the resurrection at the end of the world had begun.  He was the firstfruit of the great resurrection harvest.

This means we overcome death through faith in the one who was resurrected.  It also means that we're to be proclaimers of the good news of Christ's resurrection!

So, Mary don't you weep!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

God's Dynamite: The Battle Within

Image
"It was on fire when I lay down on it."  Robert Fulghum wrote about reading this statement in a small town newspaper.   Smoke was billowing from a second story window.  The Fire Department arrived, broke down the front door, ran up a set of stairs, and pulled a man off a burning bed.  Later, when they asked him how he got in that predicament, he said, "It was on fire when I lay down on it." Why on earth did he do that?  We don't know, but his story reveals a human truth.  We often do self-destructive things.  We testify, "People told me not to do it, but I did it anyway."  "I knew it was wrong, but I did it." The apostle Paul wrote about our human propensity to sin and self-destructive behavior in Romans 7:14-25.  Verse 15 sums up his point, "I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do I do not do and what I hate I do."   He describes an intense inner battle.  On one side is the "flesh," his
Read more

God's Dynamite: More than Conquerors

Image
One person goes through a terrible experience and emerges from it stronger, more mature, and more loving.  Another goes through a similar experience and emerges from it weaker, less mature, and bitter.   What's the difference? I think it has to do with what's in the person's heart.  It has to do with his or her faith and perspective of life.   In Romans 8:35-39, the apostle Paul asked, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?''  Is there any person or place or experience that can remove us from Christ's loving presence?  Trouble? Hardship? Danger?  Sword? Paul could answer this question because he experienced all the above and more.  He said, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."  We conquer all these things through Christ's love for us. To be sure, we can have times when Christ's love seems far away from us. In the depths of suffering in times like these, we can won
Read more

God's Dynamite: Resurrection Transformation

Image
Easter is about more than you going to heaven.  That's part of it, but not near all!  It's about your death and resurrection. In Romans 6, Paul was answering opponents.  Those opponents said that if salvation is by God's grace through faith, then you have no motivation for righteous living and good works.  Why not sin more to get more grace? Paul answered by using the image of baptism.  He said when the pastor plunged you under water, he symbolized your death in Christ.  Through faith you died on the cross with Jesus.  Your old self was a slave to sin and rebellion against God.   Paul said when the pastor raised you up from the water, he symbolized your resurrection in Christ.  Not just in the future but in the present.  In faith, you identify with Jesus' death and his resurrection.  You're raised to a new life, free from slavery to sin. So Easter is about more than personal salvation.  It's about transformation: dying to an old life and ris
Read more