2 His Resurrection - a personal and historical fact
There is also no doubt that Jesus Christ came alive again after being placed,
dead, in the tomb. Here is Matthew's account of one encounter with the
risen Christ:
Matthew chapter 28 :
1. Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary went out to the tomb.
2. Suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord
came down from heaven and rolled aside the stone and sat on it.
3. His face shone like lightning and his clothing was a brilliant white.
4. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and fell into a dead faint.
5. Then the angel spoke to the women. "Don't be frightened!" he said.
"I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified,
6. but he isn't here! For he has come back to life again, just as he said
he would. Come in and see where his body was lying.
7. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the
dead, and that he is going to Galilee to meet them there.
That is my message to them."
8. The women ran from the tomb, badly frightened, but also filled with
joy, and rushed to find the disciples to give them the angel's message.
9. And as they were running, suddenly Jesus was there in front of them!
"Good morning!" he said. And they fell to the ground before him, holding
his feet and worshiping him.
10. Then Jesus said to them, "Don't be frightened! Go tell my brothers
to leave at once for Galilee, to meet me there."
LB |
This is no encounter with a ghost. And though it is awe-inspiring
and a bit scary, it certainly made the women very joyful. It is possible
to know that Jesus Christ is the only Man to have died and to have come
back to life, and to remain alive without dying again - as the rest of
us humans must all do.
Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for the sin of humanity. In other
words, Jesus, the One who never committed sin, took on the death penalty
for you and me, so that when we believe in Him our sin could be cleansed
and we can have a relationship with God. The sinless died in place of
the sinner!
That's love!
You can pray the following prayer out loud to God whenever you shut
yourself in with Him. He is just waiting to hear from you:
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus Christ, Your Son, to die
by crucifixion in my place. I want to believe in Him and in You. Help
my unbelief today and give me a sign of Your great mercy,
in the name
of Jesus,
Amen. |
makes a way for me to know Him personally,
where there was no possibility of that before!
makes Him the Living One who died,
who is now alive forever,
never to die again!
means that in God's heaven right now,
the MAN, Christ Jesus is representing me,
and praying for me all the time!
