Jesus Has Risen - Matthew 28:1-10
Jesus Has Risen
28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Reflection:
Just as these two Mary's had given Jesus a decent burial, perhaps with some hope that Jesus' words would come true. They arrive early on the day after the Sabbath (Sunday). Upon the angel's arrival from heaven, there was a violent earthquake and the stone was rolled away. It was the first day of the week. In Genesis, God began to create on the first Day, and this was the first day of the New Creation in Christ. Jesus, the pre-existent Word, was with God in the beginning co-creating with the Father. But now a new day had dawn.
The same women who buried Jesus were here again, perhaps out of respect, or more likely because they had heard Jesus say so something about be raised on the third day. On Saturday he had rested, but the Father had put the hounds of hell to rest once and for all. And the first heralds of the Good News were angels of light, since the angel of death had been defeated. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians, "Death has been swallowed up in victory and is no more. Death has lost its sting." As Martin Luther says, "On that day Jesus defeated sin, death and the power of the devil."
So the women afraid, yet filled with joy, go to run to tell the disciples and they are met by the Risen Lord himself. The first of his many resurrection appearances is to these two Mary's. How ironic that the first evangelists, the first ones to being the good news, would be women. It's this kind of irony that makes the bible so believe-able. For who would invented this kind of story in this kind of culture, where women who are the first messengers of the Good News.
What can we take away from this classic scene? I love how Matthew says that "the women came looking for Jesus." Jesus had promised something and they came looking for it. Though improbable they held out hope against hope that somehow the man, who healed the lame and the blind, might truly be the One. And God revealed himself through Christ to them personally. And when they saw him they clasped his feet and worshipped him. When we encounter the Risen Lord we want to bow down and worship Him. All of our worship is a response to God's revelation of Himself, as we seek him in Spirit and in Truth.
Today is the 4th of July, the day we celebrate our country's independence. We give thanks to those who sought and died for freedom. It is also good for us to remember the One who purchased for us freedom from sin, death and the power of the devil. As you watch fireworks tonight, you will probably see a great finale. And Jesus has promised an even better finale, when He comes back in great and promised glory to take those who have worshipped him as the Risen Lord back to heaven with him forever. Amen.
28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Reflection:
Just as these two Mary's had given Jesus a decent burial, perhaps with some hope that Jesus' words would come true. They arrive early on the day after the Sabbath (Sunday). Upon the angel's arrival from heaven, there was a violent earthquake and the stone was rolled away. It was the first day of the week. In Genesis, God began to create on the first Day, and this was the first day of the New Creation in Christ. Jesus, the pre-existent Word, was with God in the beginning co-creating with the Father. But now a new day had dawn.
The same women who buried Jesus were here again, perhaps out of respect, or more likely because they had heard Jesus say so something about be raised on the third day. On Saturday he had rested, but the Father had put the hounds of hell to rest once and for all. And the first heralds of the Good News were angels of light, since the angel of death had been defeated. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians, "Death has been swallowed up in victory and is no more. Death has lost its sting." As Martin Luther says, "On that day Jesus defeated sin, death and the power of the devil."
So the women afraid, yet filled with joy, go to run to tell the disciples and they are met by the Risen Lord himself. The first of his many resurrection appearances is to these two Mary's. How ironic that the first evangelists, the first ones to being the good news, would be women. It's this kind of irony that makes the bible so believe-able. For who would invented this kind of story in this kind of culture, where women who are the first messengers of the Good News.
What can we take away from this classic scene? I love how Matthew says that "the women came looking for Jesus." Jesus had promised something and they came looking for it. Though improbable they held out hope against hope that somehow the man, who healed the lame and the blind, might truly be the One. And God revealed himself through Christ to them personally. And when they saw him they clasped his feet and worshipped him. When we encounter the Risen Lord we want to bow down and worship Him. All of our worship is a response to God's revelation of Himself, as we seek him in Spirit and in Truth.
Today is the 4th of July, the day we celebrate our country's independence. We give thanks to those who sought and died for freedom. It is also good for us to remember the One who purchased for us freedom from sin, death and the power of the devil. As you watch fireworks tonight, you will probably see a great finale. And Jesus has promised an even better finale, when He comes back in great and promised glory to take those who have worshipped him as the Risen Lord back to heaven with him forever. Amen.
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