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The ResurrectionMatthew 28:1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, (Sunday) Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (James’s Mother – Mark 16) came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; (Perhaps an aftershock from the earthquake during the Crucifixion?) for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.
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CHUCK SMITH - The angel rolled back the stone from the door of the tomb, not to let Jesus out, but to allow the disciples to see inside.
THE ANGEL3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. (Lying outside of an empty tomb)
SMITH - The guards were so frightened by the angel that they pretended to be dead.
The fierceness of the angel must have been terrifying…
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An entire detachment of soldiers pretending to be dead… Jesus said He could have called 72000 of them to help Him off of the cross, BUT, He DIDN’T WANT off of the cross…
THE MARYS5 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 RISEN6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. (You really should!)
I have done this a few times in my life too…..o I have come up with a really good plan…o My plan makes sense to me… IT was a good – solid
– reasonable plan…
Something like: God gives me the money FIRST to proceed – AND then I go forth for Him…
OR… My plan is pretty easily accomplished… So I go forward for the Lord… Kind of hoping He will catch on and join me…
o But then an angel has to meet me and whisper into my heart: “I know what you’re doing… You’re expecting the Lord to be here… But He is NOT here… You should have listened to what HE SAID!”
AS HE SAID…
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God bless these well-meaning Ladies… They planned to come and put extra embalming spices on Jesus’s body… (Luke 24)
BUT… What did Jesus say?o In Matthew 20:17-19, Mark 10:32-34, & in
Luke 18:31-34 Jesus promised that He would be crucified but rise from the dead on the third day…
SO… Where was the crowd of believers waiting outside of the tomb on the third day? Why weren’t they chanting:
AS… HE… SAID!AS… HE… SAID!AS… HE… SAID!
Well, we shouldn’t be too hard on them because sometimes we forget too that Jesus said:
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU."
Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
John 14:1-3 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
We could go on and on with these precious promises, couldn’t we?
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HERE ARE SOME THINGS JESUS DID NOT EVER SAY:
AND SO…. The angel tells them…7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; (HQ) there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." 8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.
JESUS MET THEM9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met
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them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, (HQ) and there they will see Me."
From the other gospels we know that Jesus was sending a message to His Disciples… Including Peter…
“I FORGIVE YOU… Come and meet with Me…”
The Report of the Guard11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city (as prophesied dozens of times – see bibleprobe.com/365messianicprophecies.htm) and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. (The truth!)
THE LIE12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, (Bribe) 13 saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.' 14 And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure."
The Elders KNEW that Pilate would be very upset with this news… So they fashion a lie… btw – Falling asleep on duty was a capital offense.
15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. (It still is…)
TODAY’s Rabbis teach that the resurrection of Jesus Christ can be explained in one of three ways: Stolen, Swoon, or SO WHAT? (http://jewsforjesus.org/publications/issues/v11-n06/didhe)o The Disciples stole His body while dozens of
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soldiers looked on…o Or that after being scourged, beaten, and
crucified… Jesus woke up and pushed the thousand pound stone out of the way… walked for miles… and faked the whole thing. He was only in a swoon.
o OR… SO WHAT if He DID rise from the dead? Plenty of people did according to the story…
The Great Commission16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. (WHO?)
“Jesus' willingness to accommodate Thomas' unbelief is a reminder that God can handle our doubt. And that the rationalist doesn't need to see, touch, or run a lab test in order to believe in the resurrected Christ. Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me” (Jn 20:29) This is not a plea to accept what goes against reason, but it is an invitation to discover a faith that goes beyond it. The example of Thomas is for the stubborn skeptic in us all.” ― Pastor David D. Flowers
SO… It comes to this…18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
The Great Commission by Louis Gander
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I have no time that I can spend,and have no pain that I can mend.
I have no notion I can be,yet have this image I can see.
I feel a sorrow I can't share,and feel a pain I cannot bear.I feel a breeze I cannot clutch,
so can I feel the Master's touch?
I swallow food I do not grow,and swallow facts I do not know.
I swallow pills I do not taste,yet swallow words which are a waste.
I hear a thunder I can't make,and hear a wind I cannot shake.I hear a silence - not by choice.
Do I hear His caring voice?
I know the people I can't fudge,and know the facts I cannot judge.I know the shepherd, not the herds,
but do I know my Saviors words?
I see a rainbow I can't chase,and see a light I cannot race.I see a world I cannot reach,
yet see His love that I might teach.
I love desserts I can't consume,and love the rose that might not bloom.
I love the world I do not know,but God so loved so should I go?
I know the things I cannot touch,and jobs I have don't matter much.I know the scriptures - sea to sea,My God knows me, but do I, He?
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©2008 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
