Turning Point
Now after the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightening and his clothes as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. Matt. 28:1-4, NASB
We have been turning our eyes upon Jesus for 10 months. First we viewed Him as Eternal God, and then sequentially as Incarnate Christ, Ministering Servant, and Crucified Lamb. We have now come to another climatic event as we behold Jesus as our Resurrected Lord.
The world has never been the same since that early Sunday morning when the earth shook, the angel descended, and the tomb opened. It would impact the disciples on a magnitude far exceeding anything else in their relationship with Jesus. The Resurrection would propel them out of discipleship and into apostleship; out of being followers and into being aggressive leaders; out of fear and into victorious courage.
Yet nowhere in the history of Christianity do we find that event of events described. None of the New Testament writers attempt to portray the actual Resurrection. They merely treat it as a fact. The Gospels do, however, present the effects of Christ's resurrection along three lines: the empty tomb, the guard's fear, and Jesus' meeting with some of His followers.
Matthew opens up his account of the Resurrection story with Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" coming to look at Jesus' grave. That "other Mary" is Mary the mother of James and Joses (Mark 16:1; 15:47). Here we find another interesting aspect of the gospel story. While Jesus' male disciples were hiding and hunkered down in fear, these women were out in the open and visiting His tomb.
How fitting it is that these two Marys should be the first to receive news of the risen Lord. After all, they had stayed with Him as He hung upon the cross, they had followed to see where He was laid in the tomb, and now they are rewarded for their love and faithfulness.
Here is a point worth remembering. It is not always the "greatest" or the most visible in the church who are most blessed in their journey with the Lord. But it is those who are most caring and most dedicated who have the privilege of the closest walk with Him and the fullest of His blessing.
Now after the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightening and his clothes as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. Matt. 28:1-4, NASB
We have been turning our eyes upon Jesus for 10 months. First we viewed Him as Eternal God, and then sequentially as Incarnate Christ, Ministering Servant, and Crucified Lamb. We have now come to another climatic event as we behold Jesus as our Resurrected Lord.
The world has never been the same since that early Sunday morning when the earth shook, the angel descended, and the tomb opened. It would impact the disciples on a magnitude far exceeding anything else in their relationship with Jesus. The Resurrection would propel them out of discipleship and into apostleship; out of being followers and into being aggressive leaders; out of fear and into victorious courage.
Yet nowhere in the history of Christianity do we find that event of events described. None of the New Testament writers attempt to portray the actual Resurrection. They merely treat it as a fact. The Gospels do, however, present the effects of Christ's resurrection along three lines: the empty tomb, the guard's fear, and Jesus' meeting with some of His followers.
Matthew opens up his account of the Resurrection story with Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" coming to look at Jesus' grave. That "other Mary" is Mary the mother of James and Joses (Mark 16:1; 15:47). Here we find another interesting aspect of the gospel story. While Jesus' male disciples were hiding and hunkered down in fear, these women were out in the open and visiting His tomb.
How fitting it is that these two Marys should be the first to receive news of the risen Lord. After all, they had stayed with Him as He hung upon the cross, they had followed to see where He was laid in the tomb, and now they are rewarded for their love and faithfulness.
Here is a point worth remembering. It is not always the "greatest" or the most visible in the church who are most blessed in their journey with the Lord. But it is those who are most caring and most dedicated who have the privilege of the closest walk with Him and the fullest of His blessing.
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