Gracious and Loving God we come unto you today and ask that you humble our hearts and minds to hear your word, and I pray the words I speak do you honor and Glorify your name, and as we continually seek you to give us guidance in every aspect of our lives by your loving will, in these things we pray in the name of our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.
At a local hospital, there was a young lady that was distraught but outwardly showed strong. Inside she seemed to be beyond her capacity to sustain herself in a circumstance that I know many of us could relate if not imagine clearly. Day after day, Doctors and nurses came in and out to discuss prognosis, giving strategies and suggestions and all of it seem to be like a blur to her. I could just imagine her thoughts was racing of disbelief of the doctor’s diagnosis.
After about a week of this, she came in the same room as what was now a routine as if magically she appeared before the bedside only to find it empty, fresh sheets neatly folded and ready for a new patient. Her heart sank, her emotions stricken with horror and unimaginable shock, she screamed and was absolutely beyond herself.
Weeping and crying she could not hear her name being called from across the room. Then after the third time, she turned towards the direction of the voice and what did she find! Her husband in a different bed near the window that unknown to her during the night her husband showed improvement and the hospital staff moved him to have a better view of the blue sky to start his day!
Needless to say, her heart almost leaped out of her chest with joy! What a very wonderful and joyous reunion from such a traumatic event for that couple, would you say?
Websters dictionary defines Joy as a ‘Great pleasure of happiness’, so here is described as happiness is the goal. If you think about it carefully, happiness is something that is very special but sometimes hard to reach. Finding joy in the middle of a trial or circumstance is hard to be sure, but is very much achievable.
The joy of this lady and her husband is something to admire. Something I find interesting with the women making their way to the tomb of Jesus, they mentally was preparing themselves for a scene of potential gruesome sight that I’m sure they have seen or experienced before from other friends or family members they buried.
I often wonder just how surprised they really was in coming to the tomb only to find it empty!
Vacant!
Coming to the tomb, the women was NOT expecting the tomb to be empty. Even the religious leaders and disciples had the same behavior. I wonder why? I often thought, how could these women even think on moving a large several ton stone, let alone get past the guards to do it!
Up to this point, the walking, breathing Christ they journeyed with many miles and several years has come down to another body they saw laid in a tomb. All of this I’m sure was running in their minds.
But just think, how awesome of a feeling it was to hear the words of a angel “Why do you seek the living among the dead! He is not here but risen!”
No where in this passage shows that joy was removed but rather emplaced with reassurance from the Father, give us comfort.
In the Italian Alps there is a location where on a trail lays the ‘stations of the cross’ mimicking what Jesus went through in his life upon his final days much like what Jerusalem tourist experience.
Near the location of the cross there was a trail that was covered in rough thicket of shrubs and that seemed not to have been traveled in quite a while.
The forbidden trail ended upon a replica of an empty tomb that has seemed to be all but forgotten with signs of neglect.
You see, the trail that was traveled most up to the cross was clear and well taken care of, but to the tomb, well it was not!
It appears the empty tomb did not have a significance to these tourists which is a real sign that what we are missing here is everyone has gone as far as to the cross but there they stopped! Not looking beyond the cross to find ‘real’ joy of what God has done for us.
Without the empty tomb, we have no Hope!
When we are asked to take things on faith we step out on to a limb so to speak. We go beyond ourselves as we should because we alone can do ‘nothing’!
Remember my friends, faith is NOT blind, but it is only valid as the truthfulness of the subject!
Ask yourself this question: “If you was ice fishing on a frozen lake, would you rather have a little bit of faith ice fishing on 4 feet of ice, or have a lot of faith with 1 inch of ice.”
The object of this question is to understand the object of faith must be worthy of their faith, or the amount of faith will not matter!
Instead of totally rejecting the idea that Jesus was truly Risen, Thomas stepped that up a notch to even question God’s own miracle. But notice here something very important that Jesus did, he did NOT rebuke Thomas’s doubt, he ‘answered it’.
And Thomas finally said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Joy of the resurrection is actually one of the most important things you can experience!
I AM SAVED! Say that with me!
I AM REDEEMED! Say that with me!
I HAVE HOPE! Say that with me!
He Is Alive, the tomb is empty, and we as his children should rejoice always! When someone ask’s you “how do you know he’s alive?” Just tell them, “Because he lives in me!”
We should have REAL JOY. Not just on Easter, but every single day. We have a future, and a hope that God promises and always, always keeps his promises. The Bible is full of them, not to mention, well, look around here! How many examples do you know or hear and even experienced for yourself?
Inclosing here is an excerpt from a Presbyterian Minister Richard Phillips said this quote I found to be enlightening “Because he lives forever, there will never be a time when this great priest cannot show forth his blood that was shed for you, when his prayers will not pour forth effectual blessing upon your life. When you die and are presented before Gods throne, he will be there, pointing to the wounds he earned upon the cross, charging your debt to the account he has already paid. His priesthood is eternal, never ending, securing eternal life to give you.” I couldn’t say it any better.
Happy Resurrection Sunday my friends, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.