S -
Matthew 28:1-10 (NIV): "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. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is
going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told
you." 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. Then Jesus said
to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee;
there they will see me."
O - Why
didn't the early disciples try to "recover" the cross? Why didn’t they try to protect and lay claim
to possessing the empty tomb for proof, history and as a place of worship? Religious folks tried all that hundreds
of years later but the thought
apparently never crossed the minds of those who were eye witnesses to all
this. Why? In fact, this
oversight was true for the generations of believers which followed for
quite some time. I don't think it was a
short range view based on some perception of Jesus returning so quickly it
wouldn't matter. A week, a year, a
decade, a century and the significance of the cross and the empty tomb doesn't
increase … it's incalculable from the very beginning. So why this glaring
inactivity or even failure? The reason
lies in the very nature of God's will on earth. His will is for ongoing
relationship with the humans he created.
Jesus is the point, the life, the way, the truth. His significance in NOT found in the cross or
the tomb … it is in who he is. These are
symptoms of his love, greatness, life, power, mercy, tenderness, brilliance and
goodness. The reason to leave the cross
and tomb unclaimed is because Jesus has claimed all who will come to him … not
to his cross or tomb or even words … but to him. He saves us not the cross, the tomb or the
words. They are his … he does not belong
to them; and they are only reflections of his awesome person.
A - I
would like the cross and the empty and even the words to console me when I
can't seem to get Jesus to act or move in my desperate moments the way I want
him to and think he should. I think on
better days I would just settle for them and go on my way … but they aren't
life and can't give me life. Jesus
wants all the world and all of me … not a crowd of admirers but of brothers and
sisters … not my religious self but my whole self in ongoing relationship/connection. I am very grateful for the words, the cross
and the empty tomb … but they testify of him and I must come to him for
life. Thank God they didn't capture the
cross and possess the empty tomb! I must be on my guard against the yeast of
the Pharisees … who used the words of Scripture but changed and refused the
meaning.
P - Lord
whom death could hold,
Thank you for your love, your
will, your purpose and your methods … brilliant, varied and at times heart
stopping and even heart crushing. I am
grateful that you want me … even at my worst.
Lord, I am relying on you and your awesome brilliance, limitless power
and extreme goodness. Thank you for
letting me belong to you by choice, though I am already yours by right. Thank for including everyone in your death
without asking for their agreement.
Thank you for dignifying us in giving us the choice to join you in your
irrepressible life. Lord, according to
grace and because of love, I choose you back!
Steve
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