“Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.’” (Matthew 28:1-6 NKJV)
Wow! What a magnificent day we celebrate today! Mary Magdalene and the other Mary witnessed an angel descend from heaven, roll the stone away from the tomb where Jesus had been placed Friday afternoon, and now he declared that “He is risen as He said!"And how about that picture in your mind of those tough Roman soldiers knocked down and looking like dead men? All four Gospel accounts of the resurrection paint us a little more of the picture of that glorious day that proved once and for all that Jesus was who He claimed to be. He had risen from the dead and shown without doubt that He, and He alone, has power over death! Yes, He had raised Lazarus and others from the dead previously, but now He has raised Himself also!
Do you really believe that? If you do believe that Christ died on the cross for your sins, was raised from the dead, and confess with your mouth this truth, the Bible says you will be saved. (Romans 10:9-11) If you have made that change to your life, you are now a child of God and you have been born again into the family of God.
Today we can marvel and rejoice over the Good News that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead, He has risen indeed! What He predicted He would do, He did. He has proven that He has power over death and the grave and that all who “call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21) Let us live for Him today, and for every other day He gives us to serve on this earth.
PRAY
1. Lord, help me to take time today to rejoice over what Christ has done for me on the cross by taking all my sins (past, present, and future) and nailing them to that tree.
2. Help me never to forget that Jesus bought me and paid for me at a tremendous cost, and that my is desire to live my life to serve and please Him.
3. Lord, help me to learn to love those around me that are hard to love. Help me to see them as You see them and love them because You have told me to do it with joy and thanksgiving in my heart.
