Matthew 28: 1-10 NLT The Resurrection Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. 2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shock with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. 5 Then the angel spoke to the women. "Don't be afraid." he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead , just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” 8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. 9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.” There is so much going on in our passage today; an angel, the earthquake, guards, women, the declaration, and the first physical appearance of Jesus.
I want to point out the relationship between the earthquake, the stone, and the angel. The quake would seem reasonable to move the stone away, but we cannot ignore the timing. It was " just as [Jesus] said would happen ." And Matthew makes it clear, "Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it." The word for tells us it was because of the angel that the earth quaked. That wasn't the only thing that shook either. It was also the knees of the soldiers and the women. It says the soldiers fainted. The angel said to the women said- do not fear, He has risen, tell the disciples to meet Him in Galilee. Jesus tells the two Marys the same thing. Frightened but also filled with great joy, how is this possible? It sounds like a contradiction, but it may have been a response to two different things- what they knew and what they didn't know. They not only knew that Jesus was alive because the angel told them, Jesus Himself in the flesh appeared to them. We know it was in the flesh because it says, "they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. Jesus also visited Thomas, one of Jesus' other disciples, after the resurrection because he did not believe He rose from the dead. He also touched Him. Thomas put his fingers in His wounds and his hand in His side! After this, Jesus told him, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me." Do you believe? If you are, remember Jesus' words and know you are blessed. If you do not yet believe, ask Jesus to help you. After all, NO ONE will believe apart from the work of the Holy Spirit. This is Good News! Have a great day, Loved Ones, and God bless you real good!
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