The angelic words proclaimed: "He is not here; he has risen! Then they remembered his words" Luke We trust in those who say " peace peace " when there is no peace. We trust in luck, we trust in governments and ideas and our own flawed logic when the truth of God is staring us in the face telling us we are in the wrong spot, seeking the wrong thing.
We wander around tombs of failed human wisdom when the Son of God is alive and working in our midst. To this day, no one can say with complete certainty where the angel met these women with this question. There are two spots that claim to be the place, but no one really, truly knows. There is a reason for this - Jesus wasn't there for very long.
After the women came away from the tomb rejoicing, celebrating, bringing the greatest news that has ever been brought to anyone anywhere, it simply didn't matter. Jason Soroski strives to communicate in a way that is insightful, meaningful, relevant, and mindful of the small things that we may otherwise overlook in our everyday lives. He effectively taps into his experiences as a worship pastor, classroom teacher, husband, and homeschooling father of five to relate poignant stories from real-life experiences.
Yes, perhaps it will cheer you up for a moment, for a day, for a week, for a month This phrase must enter into our hearts and we need to repeat it. Shall we repeat it three times together? Shall we make the effort? Today when we return home let us say it from the heart in silence and let us ask ourselves this question: why in life do I seek the living among the dead? It will do us good. It is not easy to be open to Jesus.
Nor is it a given that we shall accept the life of the Risen One and his presence among us. The Gospel shows us different reactions: that of the Apostle Thomas, that of Mary Magdalen and that of the two disciples of Emmaus: it does us good to compare ourselves with them. Thomas places a condition on belief, he asks to touch the evidence, the wounds; Mary Magdalene weeps, she sees him but she does not recognize him, she only realizes that it is Jesus when he calls her by name; the disciples of Emmaus, who are depressed and feeling defeated, attain an encounter with Jesus by allowing that mysterious wayfarer to accompany them.
Each one on a different path! They were seeking the living among the dead and it was the Lord himself who redirected their course. And what do I do? He is not here, but is risen. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee loved Him and followed Him faithfully. His unexpected death was a blow—so very difficult to understand. Only one last reasonable act made sense—to anoint the body of the one they loved with good-smelling spices in order to bring some sense of dignity and closure to this terrible, heartbreaking event.
This custom became their final act of kindness—their last symbol of love. They believed every word this kind, gentle man spoke while He lived. How could they have so grossly misunderstood?
It felt like a sorrowful nightmare—He had the words of life, yet now He lay dead in a cold tomb. With heavy, broken hearts, they solemnly walked along the narrow pathway to the grave. Three days prior, they witnessed the burial of Jesus; they knew where He lay.
Tears gently fell down their swollen faces, as memories of the crucifixion flooded their minds. Earlier, they gazed at His broken body and bruised flesh. Oh, how different it was now! Only a short while ago, they heard Him speak with such power and love. Could they somehow have prevented this gruesome, cruel end?
Drawing near the tomb, the women notice the huge stone—it was no longer sealing the entrance! Something was terribly wrong. Questions swirled around their minds; fear and anguish overpowered their hearts. They peered inside. Oh, no! His body was gone—someone must have stolen it! A spark of hope and unspeakable joy ignited their hearts, just like when they first believed!
Now the mysterious words Jesus spoke to them began to make sense! I enjoy preaching and have been told that I am a good preacher, but still it is always a struggle to put together a meaningful homily. SermonWriter is a wonderful tool to make this ministry better! Many thanks. A thousand sparks to inspire you — and your congregation! Click here for more information. One of my favorite illustrations in pre-marital counseling is the unity candle. You know what I mean — a candelabra with three candles.
The taper on one side represents the bride, and the taper on the other side represents the groom. In the middle is a larger candle representing their union as husband and wife. So, the question is this: Should you blow out the individual tapers after you light the unity candle, or leave them burning? You can go either way. To blow them out emphasizes their new life as husband and wife and their willingness to lose themselves in devotion to each other; to leave them burning emphasizes their new life as a couple, in addition to their individual lives and distinct personalities.
What I try to get across is that a healthy relationship is not one or the other, but a balance between the two — a balance between intimacy and separateness. So, if entertainment and recreation and family and friends are among the wrong places to look for the living, what are some of the right places where might we expect to find the risen Lord? The first place that comes to my mind is scripture. The gospels tell us of Jesus and his love.
The Old Testament gives us the background; the letters of Paul help us understand what it all means. Jesus said,. When we come together in the name of Jesus Christ to worship, to study, to fellowship, to pray, we experience a power greater than ourselves.
The sum is greater than the parts. Yet another place to find the risen Lord is in the beauty of nature.
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