|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
He is risen by Jean-Louis Coraboeuf "Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us? But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away – for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples – and Peter – that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you" (Mark 16:1-7). The resurrection of Jesus is foundational, this is why His opponents had His tomb guarded (Matthew 27:62-27) and silenced the soldiers to have people believe that His disciples had stolen His body on the third day (Matthew 28:11-15). In fact, the apostle Paul says, "if Christ is not risen, our preaching is vain, and your faith is also vain" (1 Corinthians 15:14). Jesus had to be raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures and appear in the flesh to more than five hundred witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:4-6). His resurrection was the ultimate "sign of Jonah" given to the world (Luke 11:29), that is the proof that He is really the Son of God (Romans 1:4). At the time Yom Kippur, the high priest under the First Covenant had to go into the Holy of holies (or Most Holy place) once a year to offer sacrifices for his own sins and for those of the Hebrew people (Hebrews 9:7). If he came out alive, it was a sign showing that the sacrifice had been accepted by God. Jesus offered His body as a living sacrifice to bear the sins of man (Hebrews 9:28) and His resurrection is a sign that His sacrifice has been accepted by God since He is now seated at the Father's right hand (Hebrews 10:12). He has become the High Priest of the House of God (Hebrews 10:21) and the only Way that leads to God the Father. Jesus appeared to His disciples with His glorified body and ate fish and honey (Luke 24:39-43). He is the first raised from the dead (Acts 26:23), and if we have been baptised into Jesus Christ, we have also been baptised into His death so that we may be like Him at the time of our resurrection (Romans 6:3-5). This resurrection will then be the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:23) which will put on incorruptibility and immortality (1 Corinthians 15:51-54). This will be like the body of Jesus when He presented Himself to His disciples after His resurrection. Blessed are those who will be a part in this first resurrection for they will reign with Christ for a thousand years and will not know the second death (Revelation 20:4-6). |