Holy Week Pt 8.. He Is Risen...

Wow.. The past week has flown by. The Women have made preparations to take spices and prepare Jesus' body. Remember the Sabbath was about to start and the women had to wait till the first day of the week.

I'll bet the women took their time walking to the burial place. I know I wouldn't have been in any hurry to get there. All that blood and now they needed to bath their Master's body along with the other preparations using spices. No, I don't think they hurried to the tomb. I bet they walked a little slowly.  

I can't imagine their shock at finding the stone rolled away. they knew it had been there. Some of them were there when Joesph of Arimathia had placed the body in the tomb. They had seen the Stone rolled in place. I'm sure in the early morning they were hoping at least one of the Soldiers posted there could move the stone for them. 

*Luke 23:55-56

55As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where his body was placed. 56Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law.

Luke 24:1-12 NIV

The Resurrection

1But very early on Sunday morning^a the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 3So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.

5The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7that the Son of Man^b must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

8Then they remembered that he had said this. 9So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. 11But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it.12However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.

I Can't imagine their shock as they saw that stone rolled away. I can just see Mary running inside. I'll bet their first thoughts were that someone had taken Their Lord in the night. How could they do such a thing.. But then 2 men suddenly appeared and asked why they were looking for the living among the dead "He isn't here! He is risen from the dead !...   

Could it be true? Really True, Jesus had risen from the dead. I'm sure they immediately remembered all the times Jesus has eluded to it. They hadn't really understood it then, but now, oh my, could it really be true..  

I love that these ladies Rushed back to the upper room. I bet a couple of them had all they could do to keep from running back. They told the disciples and they scoffed. They didn't believe it. Those poor women were so grief stricken that they were imagining things. Peter Jumped up and ran to the tomb to look for himself. He peeked inside and saw the empty linen wrappings. He walked back to that upper room wondering what had happened.. 

What had happened? Was it just the crazy talk Of some hysterical women. The body was gone. The stone had been moved. Peter did see it for himself. So what had happened. What if the women were right? What if Jesus had risen from the dead?  He had called the dead to life. They had seen him do it. Lazarus had walked out of his tomb still wrapped in the burial cloths. How was it possible. He was dead. Really dead. 

They would soon see Jesus for themselves. They would talk to Him. See his hands and feet, and know it was really their King. 

Jesus Appears to the Disciples  Luke 24: 35-49

35Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. 36And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 37But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!

38“Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? 39Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” 40As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.

41Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he ate it as they watched.

44Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations,^f beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48You are witnesses of all these things.

49“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

 Those things that Jesus had said came flooding back to the disciples. Jesus not only appeared to them, but to others also. He had finished the work His father God had given Him. He had paid the price. He had taken on the sin of the world. He had taken the wrath of His Father and bore it so that when we believed on Him and repented of our sin, We would no longer be condemned. 

The amazing thing about all this was that Jesus didn't die for just those who had gone before Him or for just those of that time. The promise of Salvation and Redemption was planned for all people who would come after Him. All of Mankind for all time. 

My prayer this Easter is that you know the freedom of that Salvation. That you have repented of your Sin, and that you've asked Christ to come into your life and be Lord/Boss over you. If you have never done this. You can do it right now right where you are. Yes, even reading this Blog post. Just talk right to God. just like you'd talk to a dear friend. Acknowledge your sin. Ask God to forgive you. Believe that Jesus died to take the punishment for you and your sin. that He rose again to conquer death and the grave. Tell God you want Jesus to come be the Lord of your life.  This sounds simple and may even sound a bit foolish to you. You may not even understand how all this works. You don't have to. just do it. Then find a Bible Believing Church. Tell folks what you've done. If you've been part of a Church go speak to your Pastor. Get involved in Bible study. Learn what God says in His word and how you can apply it to your everyday life.  

I'm praying for you. The Message of Holy Week is one of Amazing Grace, and Unfailing Love. Don't miss it.. Declare it with me Every day of your Life.. 

He is Risen...  

Mom, Easter, and Forgiveness..

Dear Reader,

First I want to extend Easter greetings to you.. today I'm thinking about a love that I can not even comprehend.. A Savior that gave all He had for me, and chose to do it..

I want to share something with you. Some of you know I was adopted at the age of 2. My adoptive mother was mentally ill and was very abusive. The last time I saw her I was 15. The last time I had spoken to her was in 1986. Ours was never a close or good relationship. I won't go into it all here just know it was not good..

I've spent years praying for God to help me find forgiveness for the awful mental and physical abuse that my brother and I suffered at her hands.. to be honest her attitude and personality never changed over the years. I can say I was glad when I didn't hear from her after my Dad (adoptive father) passed away in 1986. They divorced when I was 9 and I lived with dad.. Mom would call every 2 or 3 years to tell me what a horrible child I had been and how horrible I was as an adult. She would also tell me how I would regret not seeing her or speaking with her. I didn't regret it for one moment.

This past summer I kept thinking about her. I knew she would be abt. 80 and wondered what her life had been like over the last 23 yrs. our last conversation she had told me she was saved. I doubted it. God kept telling me to find her. I finally gave in and looked. Through the Internet I found an old address and through that address I found her and her sister..

 she had suffered several years of health problems, strokes, and dementia. She had been living with her sister for abt. 20 yrs. Sister emailed me and we exchanged info. I sent cards to Mom and emails. I sent Pictures of our family, and updates. Sister told me she had lost most of her memory, but she knew who I was and wanted to talk to me. I will tell you when I heard she wanted to speak to me I was flung back in time. I was terrified of her as a child, and I was still terrified of her as an adult. The thought of speaking to her, even on the phone, left me shaking and nauseated. No way.  I had done what God asked, I had found her, and that was good enough. I wasn't going to put myself through that, and I certainly wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of berating me again. 

God made it very clear I was to talk to her. God and I discussed it several times and at great length. I finally gave in and made the call. 

Mom and I spoke for about 5 min..I knew she was no longer the monster that haunted my dreams.. she was a frail, sick, old women, who needed peace, forgiveness, compassion, comfort, and Love..

I learned a few things during that call. first.. I learned with the memory loss I would never hear her apologize or beg for my forgiveness. I don't mind saying that the idea of that ticked me off. I wanted her to beg for my forgiveness so I could say no, or did I ?

 From the beginning. I knew that God had given me what I had asked for, Forgiveness.. I didn't have any anger or hate. I didn't want revenge. I did feel, pity, compassion, forgiveness, and love; not love in the sense that mothers and daughters should have, but love non the less.

I came to realize this was God's gift to me. You see He wanted me to know that my forgiveness toward her was what I needed; not an apology from her.That one 5 minute call was the last time we spoke. We both knew in our hearts that it would be. I was fine with that. There was no need for more words. I can't even describe it to you, but it was done..

Mom died yesterday morning. She is finally at peace. Home with her Savior and mentally stable. Something she never had in this life. She is no longer tortured by her childhood, or the problems and pain that changed her.

I want to tell you that forgiveness is real. It's a possibility. No matter what has happened God will give you His forgiveness to give to another, but remember it's for you not the one who hurt you. God's love and forgiveness is what had changed my life in 1982. It changed my hate filled heart into a compassionate one. God showed me how He saw me; full of meanness and hate. Twisted by sin and bad choices, But saved and redeemed through His love and compassion. Changed through His forgiveness. Forever changed through the love of Jesus Christ. I could now give to my mother what had been give to me. Forgiveness. 

I can say that I look forward to the day when mom and I will meet in heaven.. I will finally meet the mother that a little girl wanted and needed so many year ago. I'll meet the woman that God created perfect in His love. I'll be perfect too, and we'll know each other. that's cool. That's what Easter is really all about..

I continue to be amazed by God and His love for me.. I love that He continues to work with me and keeps forming me into the woman He wants me to be.
May God teach you the benefits of forgiving others, and may God Bless you always.

"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."
John 11:25-26