Friday, July 29, 2011
If Only We Were There
Matthew 28:1-7
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. (Matthew 28:1)
*******
These women left when it was dark.
They arrived at the tomb just at the breaking of dawn.
They loved the Lord.
They came out of sympathy.
They didn’t come to see the resurrection.
They came to see the grave.
It was an act of compassion.
It was an act of sympathy.
*******
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. (Matthew 28:2)
*******
This was the second earthquake.
There was an earthquake when Christ died.
*******
It was a great earthquake caused by an angel of the Lord descended from heaven.
It was caused by the arrival of an angel to open the tomb.
The angel came and moved the stone to let the women in so that they could see that the Lord Jesus Christ was already gone.
He was risen!
*******
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. (Matthew 28:3-4)
*******
It was the holy angel.
His face was glowing.
His garment was white as snow.
And the guards experienced a personal shock.
They went into temporary coma.
They were knocked literally unconscious out of terror.
*******
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. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." (Matthew 28:5-7)
*******
The soldiers had reason to fear when the Lord Jesus Christ arose.
But not the women.
*******
They came out of devotion.
Their faith was weak.
Their understanding was feeble.
But the Lord God was gracious.
He recognized their love and He responded in grace.
And he said, "I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said."
*******
The Lord Jesus Christ was risen.
He’s alive.
This was exactly what He said He would do on the third day.
*******
Then the angel said, "Come, see the place where the Lord lay."
The angel then concluded with a command, "And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead."
*******
Why were those women the first to see the angel and the living Christ?
Because they were there.
They were there and so they saw it.
If anybody else would have been there, they would have seen it.
*******
If only we are like those women.
What we lack in faith, we make up for in devotion.
What we lack in understanding, we make up for in loyalty.
And God will turn our weakness into strength because we were there.
We are faithful enough and loyal enough to be where God is...
And where He is moving...
And where He is working...
*******
If only we were there.
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. (Matthew 28:1)
*******
These women left when it was dark.
They arrived at the tomb just at the breaking of dawn.
They loved the Lord.
They came out of sympathy.
They didn’t come to see the resurrection.
They came to see the grave.
It was an act of compassion.
It was an act of sympathy.
*******
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. (Matthew 28:2)
*******
This was the second earthquake.
There was an earthquake when Christ died.
*******
It was a great earthquake caused by an angel of the Lord descended from heaven.
It was caused by the arrival of an angel to open the tomb.
The angel came and moved the stone to let the women in so that they could see that the Lord Jesus Christ was already gone.
He was risen!
*******
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. (Matthew 28:3-4)
*******
It was the holy angel.
His face was glowing.
His garment was white as snow.
And the guards experienced a personal shock.
They went into temporary coma.
They were knocked literally unconscious out of terror.
*******
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. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." (Matthew 28:5-7)
*******
The soldiers had reason to fear when the Lord Jesus Christ arose.
But not the women.
*******
They came out of devotion.
Their faith was weak.
Their understanding was feeble.
But the Lord God was gracious.
He recognized their love and He responded in grace.
And he said, "I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said."
*******
The Lord Jesus Christ was risen.
He’s alive.
This was exactly what He said He would do on the third day.
*******
Then the angel said, "Come, see the place where the Lord lay."
The angel then concluded with a command, "And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead."
*******
Why were those women the first to see the angel and the living Christ?
Because they were there.
They were there and so they saw it.
If anybody else would have been there, they would have seen it.
*******
If only we are like those women.
What we lack in faith, we make up for in devotion.
What we lack in understanding, we make up for in loyalty.
And God will turn our weakness into strength because we were there.
We are faithful enough and loyal enough to be where God is...
And where He is moving...
And where He is working...
*******
If only we were there.
3:49 AM
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