Happy Easter
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
HE IS RISEN....
As this beautiful Sunday dawned, the sun came up over the mountain with beautiful blue skies and a mild breeze, the birds are singing excitedly as if they are delivering the message today that Jesus Christ has risen from the tomb just as he said he would..He has risen restoring all faith in mankind that he IS our savior, He lives for us, He is in each of us!!! No greater gift could have been given, no greater love than this. I pray this day that if you do not have a relationship with our Savior and our Father in heaven,....that you will look for him, that you will cry out to him and that you will accept him into your heart never to fear death again. With his sacrifice we are promised eternal life, we are promised paradise where all our earthly suffering will be no more. We are promised love, we are promised protection, we are promised a guide to lead us every step of the way, even when we step off of the path and into the thorns, we are promised a hand to get us back on track....Please if you have not taken Him into your heart....let today be the day.
When I was growing up I had no idea what the significance of Easter Sunday, only that it was a day that my dad would get out and hide bunches of eggs, a lot of plastic ones that had goodies inside, that when we woke up there would be a little nest of goodies and a little gift at each of our places on the dining table! It was not until I was grown that I learned the true meaning of Easter, I did not know about Good Friday, I did not know about the three days in the tomb, I did not know about the resurrection...You can only imagine the "awe" I felt when I finally learned what it was all about. I deem Easter as my favorite holiday now, it super cedes Christmas by far...this is the very beginning of our being, the forgiveness of all of our sins, the promise that we can live for all time an eternity if only we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and try our best to live as he would have us live. No better gift has ever been given with the exception of Christ's birth....no better gift will ever be given, for HE died so we can live....Praising his Holy name over and over again. This is what LOVE is all about my friends, no purer act of LOVE is there anywhere. Father God we thank you for the sacrifice of your only son, we praise his name as our Savior and I am living my life fashioned by his LOVE so that I can stand beside both of you one day and give my thanks personally.
I can only imagine what that day will be like....
Gospel narratives
Mark
Just after sunrise on the day after the Sabbath three women, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, come to anoint Jesus' body, wondering how they can roll the rock away from the tomb; but they find the rock already rolled aside and a young man in white inside; he tells them that Jesus is risen, and that they should tell Peter and the disciples that he will meet them in Galilee, "just as he told you." The women run away and tell no-one.[Mark 16]
Matthew
Just after sunrise on the day after the Sabbath two women, Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary," came to look at the tomb. Accompanied by an earthquake, an angel comes down from Heaven and rolls the rock aside from the tomb. The angel tells them not to be afraid, but to tell the disciples that Jesus is risen and will meet them in Galilee. The women are joyful and set out to tell the disciples the good news, but Jesus appears and tells them not to be afraid, and tells them that he is risen and that they should tell the disciples that they will see him in Galilee. The disciples go to Galilee, where they see Jesus.
The soldiers guarding the tomb are terrified by the angel, and inform the chief priests; the priests and elders bribe them to spread a lie that the disciples have stolen the body, "[a]nd this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day."[Matthew 27:61-28:3]
Luke
Just after sunrise on the day after the Sabbath a number of women (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James) come to anoint Jesus' body. They find the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Suddenly two men stand beside them. The men tell them Jesus is risen. The women tell the disciples, but the disciples do not believe them, except for Peter who runs to the tomb. Peter finds the grave-clothes in the empty tomb and goes away, wondering.
The same day Jesus appears to two of his followers on the road to Emmaus. They fail to recognise him until he breaks bread and gives thanks, and he then vanishes. The two go at once to Jerusalem where they find the disciples exclaiming over Jesus' appearance to Peter. As they tell their story Jesus appears to them all. They are afraid, but he invites them to touch his body, eats with them, and explains the prophecies which are fulfilled in him.[Luke 24]
Acts
(The Acts of the Apostles is presented as a continuation of the Gospel of Luke.) Jesus appeared to the Apostles for forty days, giving many proofs that he was alive, and instructing them not to leave Jerusalem until they were baptised with the Holy Spirit.[Acts 1]
John
Early on the day after the Sabbath, before sunrise, Mary Magdalene visits the tomb and finds the stone rolled away. She tells Peter and "the beloved disciple," who run to the tomb and find the grave-clothes, then go home. Mary sees two angels and then Jesus, whom she does not recognise. Jesus tells her to tell the disciples that he is ascending to the Father, and Mary tells the disciples she has seen the Lord.
That evening Jesus appears among them, despite locked doors, and gives them power over sin and forgiveness of sin. A week later he appears to doubting Thomas, who has not believed, but when Thomas is instructed to touch the wounds of Jesus he says, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus replies: "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."[John 20]
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