During the first week of Easter (circa 30 AD) showed so much promise for the young Christians. They got to personally know the King of the Universe. So many of them believed that Christ was entering the city to free them from the terrible Roman occupation. They thought that Christ was ready to start His kingdom on earth.
Enter Good Friday. His trial, the unmerciful beatings, the humiliation and ultimate death on the cross. In a span of less than a week that all changed. One of Jesus’ closest brothers, Simon Peter, denied Him three times. Judas Iscariot was personally responsible for betraying Jesus, then he hung himself. All the disciples ran for their lives, except John and the Mary’s.
Christ’s entire flock must have been in total disbelief. No prophet of old had ever done the things He did. His love transcended the rich and the poor. He fed thousands with a few loaves and fish. He raised Lazarus from the dead. He calmed storms, both physical and personal ones. Even demons that He exorcised proclaimed Him the Son of God.
I could imagine that the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter had to be longest day of their lives. The pain would have be unimaginable. Then dawn broke on Sunday morning…
Luke 24:1-6 explains what happens next, "Now on the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the aromatic spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood beside them in dazzling attire. The women were terribly frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has been raised!"
All their pain, all their suffering ended at that moment. Overwhelming fear turned to ecstasy. He did it. HE DID IT!
The following hours Christ appeared to His brothers and sisters in many different ways. I'm sure many were excited (beyond belief) that He was alive again.
What does means? His resurrection CRUSHED death. His resurrection SMASHED the chains of slavery to sin. His resurrection CHANGED the world forever.
Go forward believing that we can live our lives knowing that no power, no one person and no force can separate us from God. Trust with 100% confidence that Christ is willing to walk the walk with us. He will never abandon us. He will follow us to the ends of the earth and be with us to the end of time.
Now with Christ's death and resurrection, the end of our life's marathon will culminate with a permanent home in paradise we call...Heaven.
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