◄ The Power of His Resurrection (Easter Reflections - (12) ►

Then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead.
Matthew 28:7

And He said to them, "do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, Who was crucified. He has risen; He is not here. See the place where they laid Him." Mark 16:6

Message of Grace

What a glad errand of good tidings of great joy was carried by the angels. What an amazing message they delivered on that glorious morning. What a precious ministry for them to thus roll away the stone away and proclaim, 'Don’t be afraid, Jesus is ALIVE!!' What a thrill to proclaim to Mary, Who Stood Weeping He‘s Alive. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the empty tomb publishes abroad His wonderful name. The empty tomb tells us the Gospel that Christ died and was buried. The empty tomb proclaims that death had no hold over Him for He is alive!

Message of Victory

As He shouted 'FINISHED' and gave up the ghost – His spirit and soul departed and his body lay cold in the grave. The empty grave speaks of the power of His resurrection. The empty grave announces the final victory, death defeated! His finished work on the cross procured pardon of sins. The wages of sin and death paid in full. His finished work of resurrection power broke the power of sin and death, for all those that are alive in-Christ. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 1Corinthians 15:26 – for at His resurrection death was indeed defeated. Hallelujah !!

Message of Hope

But also – that all who sleep in Jesus shall rise. Praise His wonderful Name. "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trump of God – and the dead in Christ will rise first'.  1Thessalonians 4:16.  "Fear Not", they were told, "go your way and tell His disciples, and Peter". Why? – why was this one apostle singled out above the rest? Why? – why was Peter named and none of the others that walked with Him?

Message of Grace

Had Peter been the most loyal and faithful?  Had he done a special 'something' to deserve such a mark of distinction?  Oh no! Peter had fallen. The last words that dropped from his lips were bitter, brutal, cursing words of denial. His last aggressive words swore, a dissenting to know His Lord and Master. Though all the disciples left Him and fled the actions of this one – the actions of Peter, surpassed the others in thought, word and deed – and he was overwhelmed with grief at the death of Him Whom he loved so very dearly.

Message to Peter

Grief was made bitter by the enduring remembrance of his own, base denial. A dishonest rebuttal of his precious Friend, at the end of His precious life.. "and the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord". That last look from his Saviour and Lord, broke the heart of this headstrong man and he went out a weeping, broken, penitent man. But those who have fallen the hardest are those that the Saviour seeks out. He comes alongside them, with the tenderest compassion and deepest love. Go your way and tell ……. tell Peter. 

Message to Mary

And with what equal tender gentleness did He approach the grieving Mary.. .a distressed woman, bereft of Her Lord, and carrying intense grief. She who had been released from seven demons. She who ministered to Him in utter devotion since that glorious release; she who longed to hear the voice of the One she loved. "Jesus saith unto her.. 'Mary'". It is with equal compassion, like tenderness and similar grace that He speaks to us.

Message to All

Our risen Lord remembers your name and mine. They are engraved in the nail-prints on the palms of His hands. It is with comparable understanding and precious love that He still reaches out His nail-pierced hands to you, and to me. He knows the secret hurts and pains; the hopes and the fears. He cares about the longings and disappointments of every trembling heart. He sees the bitter regrets and deep lamentation, and a sense of unworthiness. He understands that we grieve over our stained and bloodied souls.

Message of Love

He knows your name, and He remembers that You are but dust.. and yet He loves you with an everlasting love. He chose you from before the foundation of the world. You are His highly favoured heir. You are His glorious, chosen bride. You are the love of His life and the desire of His heart. Make sure you know Him, "That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death".

Eternal Salvation

Just as we, rejoice to be blood-bought believers.. just as we are privileged recipients of the power of His resurrection.. so, too, we should rejoice to participate in the fellowship of His sufferings – in humbleness of spirit and thankfulness of heart. For through the combined work of His death and resurrection He has saved us – spirit, soul and body.

Amazing Privilege

What an amazing privilege, we have to share in His sufferings.  What an awesome dispensation to have His resurrection power inside of us.  What an astonishing truth to discover that the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us, "But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by His Spirit that dwelleth in you". Romans 9:11

Coming Glory

"I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the !!! !! ! !! !!! G L O R Y !!! !! ! !! !!! which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18