THE RESURRECTION
After giving His life for us on the cross, Jesus was buried in a tomb and a huge stone was rolled in place of its entrance.
But early Sunday morning, on the third day, there was an earthquake and the ground shook and the tomb was opened. Jesus was alive again!!!!
The soldiers guarding the tomb ran in great fear.
Jesus rose from the grave showing that the power of death that has plagued mankind from the very first sin, was finally broken. This event was called the resurrection.
Jesus proved that He was God, perfect and victorious through His love and sacrifice for us.
To learn more about the resurrection click here.
READ SCRIPTURE
JOHN 20:1-20, NIV – THE EMPTY TOMB
1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.
4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.
6 Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there,
7 as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.
8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.
9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
JESUS APPEARS TO MARY MAGDALENE
10 Then the disciples went back to their homes,
11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb
12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15 “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
JESUS APPEARS TO HIS DISCIPLES
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
JOHN 11:25, NIV
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
LIVE IT
Do you realize that the same Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you? ROMANS 8:11
Are you dealing with any challenge that takes more power than it took to raise Jesus from the dead?
How should this truth motivate you in trusting God with your problems today?
PRAYER
“Jesus you said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;’ (JOHN 11:25).
You conquered sin and death through Your Resurrection and also ensured that I will one day rise to new life after I die. Thank You, Oh God, for this is the greatest gift I could ever receive. May You help me to live in light of this joyful reality today! In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen”
