Day 8: Death is Defeated!

 

“Where, O Death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?” (I Corinthians 15: 55 NIV84)

            When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they weren’t just cast from the Garden.  At that moment, a great divide was created between man and God, a divide that no man could cross.  It was a divide that not only separated man from God but also resulted in death.  Death is always the result of sin (Romans 6: 23a), and from that point on, there was no way for man to cross that great divide and no way for man to save himself.  Only a merciful, gracious, loving God could cross the great divide. 

            On that Easter morning, 2000 plus years ago, just after the sunrise, three women went to Jesus’ tomb.  They were there to mourn their friend, and they took spices to anoint His body. Most likely, they were still grief-stricken and stunned by Friday’s events, so now, they were doing the only thing that they could and that was to make sure that He was properly laid to rest.

            Matthew tells us that a great earthquake had occurred, and an angel rolled back the stone.  The angel’s appearance was so terrifying that the soldiers that had been sent to guard the tomb passed out.  Then, the angel spoke to the women, “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said” (Matthew 28: 6a NIV84).  I can’t even begin to imagine the emotions those ladies must have felt at that moment.  It had to be frightening to see and talk to an angel, and the thought of Jesus having risen from the dead must have been overwhelming.  Yet, these women did not hesitate.  They immediately hurried to tell the disciples, filled with joy.  They didn’t stop to question whether it was true.  They didn’t ask “How?”  They simply believed!   Jesus rewarded that belief by appearing to them a few moments later. 

            The women were privileged to be the first to see the risen Christ, but they were only the beginning.  We know that He also appeared to the disciples and the two on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24: 13 – 35), and Paul tells us that He also appeared to more than five hundred at the same time (I Corinthians 15: 6).  History tells us that all the Apostles, except possibly John, died excruciating deaths because they continued to preach the Gospel message.  John was exiled for his efforts.  Most, if not all of them, traveled to far parts of the then-known world telling people about the risen Savior.  Paul, who had once tried to kill Christians, became so confident that Christ had risen that he traveled most of his life, enduring beatings, mob attacks, prison, and ultimately, he was beheaded.  Yet, he never stopped preaching the risen Christ!

            Unfortunately, today, we have become skeptics.  We want concrete evidence before we are willing to accept the truth.  The evidence is there if we will only open our eyes.  No one but a risen Savior could have inspired His followers to do what they did.  No one but a living Christ could inspire the persecuted Church to stand firm in their faith.  No one but God could build a bridge across that great divide.  No one but God could make a way where there was no way.

            Sunday has arrived!  Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Maybe it’s time we find the faith of the women who arrived at the tomb that glorious morning.  Don’t question.  Just believe.  Christ is waiting with open arms to greet you just as He did those women on that first Easter morning.

Matthew 28: 1 – 10

Mark 16: 1 – 8

Luke 24: 1 – 44

John 20

I Corinthians 15