Our Resurrection Hope

 

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10 (ESV)

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. ² And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. ⁴ And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. ⁵ But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” ⁸ So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

Devotion:

            We are fast approaching Ash Wednesday and the start of our Lenten observance. I will be writing about the resurrection from now until Easter Sunday on April 17^th. There is such a rich treasury of New Testament material that concerns the resurrection from the writings of Paul to the four Gospels we will not run out of material. We begin by examining Matthew’s gospel today.

            Matthew’s resurrection scene features to women named Mary. As they headed out after the sabbath to mourn over and tend to the body of Jesus in the tomb where they had seen him placed (Matthew 27:61) on Friday. The women approach the tomb probably wondering how they were going to move the great stone that had been rolled across the entrance of Friday they are greeted by a literally ground shaking sight. As an angel of the Lord descends upon the tomb and the tomb is unsealed, as Jesus has already risen from his grave.

            The angel tells the two Mary’s the good news that Jesus is not there he has risen from the dead. According to Matthew’s account this fills the women with joy, and they run off to tell his disciples. As they go on their way Jesus himself appears to them. This is his first post-resurrection appearance. It is significant that Matthew has Jesus appearing first to the women because women’s testimony in that culture was not considered to be equal to that of a man. In other words, Matthew was not making this up, because no one would believe that these two women had seem Jesus until they saw him for themselves.

            In this passage we see an improbable God in the person of Jesus doing the extraordinary and wonderful thing, being raised from the dead. Everyone knows that dead people stay dead. For all of time the death rate has been one death per person. Jesus defies that unbreakable law and leaves us speechless with wonder. Who can really believe it actually happened this way? God has not only been born into a human body he now has brought that same human body to heaven where he sits with the Father enthroned for all eternity. Living for all eternity to save those he calls his own. Let us pray our thanksgiving to the Lord.

Prayer:

            Thank you, Lord. We praise you because you have done the impossible for us because you loved us so much. Help us to love you in return with all of our heart, mind, and soul. May we never cease to be amazed at your loving kindness toward us. Help us Lord, to worship you at all times and always be amazed by you for all you have done for us. Amen.