The Resurrection

I wrote part two of the epic love story last year in 2010 and am now, because it is in season, putting it up on the blog instead of keeping it on the FB. "The Crucifixion" was written before I saw The Passion. I have no words to describe what I felt when I saw that. Shocking, I know. But anyway, if you haven't seen that movie, I would highly recommend it. It's traumatizing but so...eye-opening. Very stunning and very graphic. Anyway, I'm going to put up part 2 of the story. Of our story of redemption and life. 

"The next day [the day after Jesus' death], one of the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 'Sir,' they said, 'we remember that while he was still alive that the deciever said, 'After three days I will rise again.' So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first. 'Take a guard,' Pilate answered. 'Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.' So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting a guard." Matthew 27:62-65. So, there you have it. One large boulder over the tomb of the "deciever". Check! Pretty sure that thing was HUGE and took several men to move it. And, I mean, that probably wouldn't be a problem for the disciples because they probably could get enough man power to move it, but since there was a guard stationed there who could call for backup? Hmm, might be a significantly more difficult task of stealing the body. Something that the disciples weren't planning on doing anyway. But something that I just noticed in the passage is that the Pharisees still, STILL, called Jesus "the deciever". WHAT THE HECK. Like, was the storm, splitting tapestry, and earthquake not enough to prove that Jesus was the Son of the Living God? They were stubborn little suckers, those teachers of the law were. Jeez that just irritates me to pieces! How can they still not believe that Jesus was who He said He was? Anyway, just a little Biblical/historical angst there for ya.

"After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay...So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly, Jesus met them. 'Greetings,' he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him." Matthew 28:1-9. A few things that make me kind of laugh about this passage. First of all, I think it's funny that Matthew specifies Mary Magdalene and then just calls the other woman "the othe Mary." Ha, funny. And then Jesus says "Greetings!" to them. For some reason, that strikes me as very Star Trek-ish. I've never seen anything related to Star Trek, but I just feel like they would say something like "Greetings". Okay, so personal moment here. My grandfather died last May. He's buried in this cemetry in Henrietta, TX with, like, the majority of my mom's side of the family. I've visited the site twice. Anyway, say next time I go over there and these...beings appear and are like "Uh, Linley, your grandfather? Yeah, he actually just rose from the dead. Go tell your family." Pretty sure I'd FLIP OUT. Like, seriously? Whaaaat? The crazy part is that it would be so much more epic because, frankly, my grandfather didn't take on the sin of the world when he died. He died of a heartattack, but that's irrelevant. The fact that the women were approached by angels who scared these two Roman guards so badly that they were like dead men and told them that their savior was alive is RIDICULOUS. And then they see Him!! Mind. Blown.

So, I won't quote the next part, but basically the guards who "were like dead men" wake up and go tell their commanding officer or whoever and the lead guy is like "uhh, just say that his disciples came and stole him in the night and the governor will be satisfied and you won't get in trouble." Brilliantly concieved plan, isn't it? Gotta love those Romans! But that kind of hurt Jesus' cause because for those who didn't see Him think that his body was just stolen. Something to ponder...

"Then the eleven [Judas hung himself] disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:16-20. Dude, I love that passage. It's called The Great Commission and it should be every Christian's life verse. Jesus came back from the dead, he was DEAD, to give the disciples, to give the world, this mission. The guy who has control over the earth and the heavens gave us this mission. Crazy. And my favorite part is when Jesus says that He is "surely" with us until the "very end of the age." Don't you just love that? For me, it's such a comfort. I mean, I'm going to Kenya this summer. It's kind of freaking me out, on a bunch of different levels. But the knowledge that He will be with me when I'm across the Atlantic in a place that I've never been to before is such a relief, espeically if you're kind of a worry-wart like me. But I don't have to go to another continent for Him to be with me. Heck, I could be in my room and He's with me. You're looking for protection? You've found your shield. 

Raising from the dead isn't something light and fluffy. He was DEAD. No pulse. Flat-lined. Guarded in a tomb with a huge boulder in front of it. And yet...Well, I don't think I have to reiterate how awesome that is. In the words of one of my favorite songs, "You are stronger, you are stronger; sin is broken, You have saved me. It is written, Christ is risen. Jesus, You are Lord of all!" 
Christ died for YOU. 
Live. For. Him.