Tag Archives: Easter

I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore

“I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” – Jesus (Rev. 1:18)

Happy Easter!

Raised

“He who was delivered over because of our wrongdoings, and was raised because of our justification.” – Rom. 4:25

Every day is lived in the shadow of the cross and the hope of the empty tomb.

Holy Week: Resurrection Sunday – The Empty Tomb

“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.'” – Matt. 28:5-6

Today’s events in history are the linchpin of the Christian Faith. Everything hinges on this day.

The women (women (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Salome, and Mary the mother of James) go to the tomb of Jesus only to find it empty.

Jesus appears to the first of over 500 people that He would visit before His ascension.

Without the Resurrection, we have nothing: it’s not the tomb that is empty, it would be our faith that is EMPTY!

“And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise.  For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the mostpitiable.” –  1 Cor. 15:14-19

Sunday’s events are recorded in Matthew 28:1-13, Mark 16:1-14, Luke 24:1-49, and John 20:1-23.

Holy Week: Saturday – His Body in the Tomb

“After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.” – John 19:38-42

Holy Saturday is the somber day of reflection where Jesus’s physical body lay in the tomb.

Jesus’s enemies, the chief priests and Pharisees visit Pilate asking him to fortify the tomb, which he does.

Jesus’s followers have scattered and spent the day in profound grief, shock, and fear (John 20:19).

However, Sanhedrin members Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus boldly come forward to take care of their Savior. It’s noted that Nicodemus brings an exorbitant amount of burial spices (100lbs!), proving his conversion.

The Light has gone out and the world is darker more than ever in its absence.

However, Sunday is just around the sunset and the world would never be the same!

Saturday’s events are recorded in Matthew 27:62-66, Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56, and John 19:40.

Holy Week: Good Friday – The Crucifixion, Death, & Burial of Jesus

“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” – Matt. 27:46

Holy Week: Good Friday – The Crucifixion, Death, & Burial of Jesus.

This is the most brutal day in history. At 3pm, Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah of Humankind, the Son of God – gave up His spirit.

“‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last.” – Luke 23:46

The sun goes dark, the veil is torn, the earth quakes, the rocks split, the graves open.

“So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’” – Matt. 27:54

Friday’s events are recorded in Matthew 27:1-62, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 22:63-23:56, and John 18:28-19:37.

Holy Week: Thursday – Passover and Last Supper

“Then He said to them, ‘With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’” – Luke 22:15-16

Holy Week: Thursday – Passover and Last Supper

Today in history, Jesus (the actual Passover Lamb), participates in the Passover. He washes the disciples’ feet, institutes the Lord’s Supper, has the Upper Room Discourse, prays in the garden, and is betrayed (both by Judas and later Peter) and is arrested.

What a tragic day for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

As you pray this morning, remember our Messiah’s final earthly days. They were full of humility (both to His Father’s will and also to His disciples) and compassion.

Thursday’s events are recorded in Matthew 26:17–75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke 22:7-62, and John 13:1-38.

Holy Week: Tuesday – The Olivet Discourse

“Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” – Matt. 24:3-8

This day during Holy Week Jesus gives what is called, The Olivet Discourse.

In His masterful teaching, Jesus speaks about the signs of His coming and the end of the age. He foretells of wars, famines, and earthquakes. Jesus also mentions something all too familiar to us today: pestilence.

Jesus then gives these wonderfully comforting words: “See that you are not troubled.”

During this time of great pestilence, remember Christ‘s wise words: be not troubled. Trust in Him!

This day can be found at: Matthew 21:23–24:51, Mark 11:20–13:37, Luke 20:1–21:36, and John 12:20–38.

And Peter

Mark 16:7
Mark 16:7

Two of the sweetest and tender words in the Bible are “and Peter.” What’s so loving about those words? It is actually a special message. It is a special message meant to comfort Peter.

In typical Peter fashion, he had been the first to defend his loyalty and the first to discard it. He boasted the loudest (I would die first!) and fell the hardest (3 times?). If Peter was anything, he was consistent, wasn’t he? The man always did it big. He won big (walking on water!) and He lost big (really, 3 times, man?!).

So, of all the Apostles, Peter was probably the most ashamed of abandoning Christ at the last moments. He didn’t just run away – he cursed Jesus’s name! Jesus knew this about His servant. Jesus knew Peter was probably beating himself up something terrible. So, He had the angel give a extra message to Peter.

“But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.'” – Mark 16:7

I’m sure this message brought tears of relief to the eyes of Peter.

Go tell His people… AND Peter.

Especially Peter.

Make sure Peter knows.

Tell Peter in particular!

Jesus knows our strengths and our weaknesses. He knows when you have dropped the ball and are beating yourself up about it. He doesn’t like that. He just wants you to come back to Him. Just as He made sure to send this special message to Peter, Jesus has a special message for you too. He has a special message meant to comfort you.

Read Mark 16:7 and replace Peter’s name with your own.

“But go, tell His disciples and ______”

May God’s Love be with you

Ref: Kerry Shook’s Easter message, 2014