Jesus is Risen – Like He Said

 Acts 10:34-43; John 20:1-18

Throughout the ministry of Jesus on earth he told his disciples that he must die but would rise again in three days. Peter in his sermon in Acts tells about how all the prophets testified about him and the salvation he would bring.

Yet at the Sunday after the crucifixion his disciples and Mary seem to forget this or never really got it shown by how Mary goes to the tomb to anoint Christ’s body and is surprised to see the stone rolled away. She tells the disciples so Peter and John run to the grave and discover that Christ’s body is no longer there. Instead of this confirming Christ’s words of a resurrection after three days, Mary thinks someone has moved the body and asks, whom she thinks is the gardener, where they have laid Him. This is no gardener but the resurrected Christ – brought back to life but not quite ascended to the Father as He tells Mary not to touch Him. Mary then becomes the first witness of the resurrection and the first messenger to bring what will appropriately be referred to as the “Good News.”

Later when Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts he will tell how all the prophets said that who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of their sins through His name. Paul in I Corinthians talks about how Christ was raised on the third day according to the scriptures.

Peter preaching to many of the Jewish faith is saying, “He is the one the prophets prophesized about. He is the promised Messiah! This creates an “Ah Ha” moment in the crowd as many believe and understand that Jesus was the fulfillment of the promise.

How many times do we doubt that God will come through and help us through our difficulties? We forget the scriptures of how God’s love is always with us – the Psalms calling God our hiding place, our refuge, and our deliverer. We need to remember, not only on Easter, but all year long that the power of God told of throughout scripture that raised Christ from the dead will be with us in time of need.

God keeps God’s promises. Jesus is risen – like He said.

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