He's Still Risen.

“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.”  – John 20:11-12

Nope, He’s not in the tomb.  The Garden Tomb just outside of the old city of Jerusalem is believed to be the burial tomb of Jesus Christ.  If you haven’t been there, it is literally a stone’s throw from Golgotha, the hill on which crucifixions were held in first century Jerusalem.  There are no grave stones stating “Here lies Jesus Christ” or “Jesus of Nazareth, Born to Mary, Died by Crucifixion” – no, nothing of the sort.  We have the biblical description of the hill on which Jesus was crucified (John 19:17) as looking like a “skull”, with eye sockets and a nose socket hollowed out of the stone.  Looking upon the traditional site of “Gordon’s Golgotha” one can easily see the perspective referenced in John 19:17.  Further in John’s gospel we find the description of Jesus burial tomb.  In John 19:41, it states: “At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.”  This indicates that the tomb and the crucifixion hill were close to each other.  The archeological find in the 19^th century of this tomb (known as the Garden Tomb) has been excavated to also find a garden area and a wine press dating back to the first century.  According to the scriptures (John 19:38), Joseph of Arimathea owned the tomb by which Jesus would be buried.  By historical records, Joseph was a wealthy man of the time, which goes in line with the owner of this “Garden Tomb” having a garden and wine press.  For this was not something in first century Jerusalem that was of commoners, but only the wealthy. 

It has been argued time and time again as people have sought to prove that Christ has risen, and other’s have sought to prove that He has not.  For you see, the entire Christian faith hinges on this one belief – “Jesus Christ rose from the dead and is seated at the right hand of God.”  His burial place is not critical to the Christian though.  Sure, it is a place of reflection and deepening thought, and I highly suggest that if you have the opportunity to visit Israel, please find time to visit the Garden Tomb, as well as many other sights affiliated with His life.  But, more importantly, I ask you to see Jesus Christ right where you are in life.  For it is not in seeing His tomb, or the place of His birth, or Golgotha that draw us to the Messiah.  It is so much more.

In John 20:12, we see Mary Magdalene, glancing into the empty tomb on that first resurrection Sunday.  It says she “saw” 2 angels in white sitting there.  In the original Greek, the term in this scripture is;  “theōrei”, means to observe, not to physically see.  An example would be, when you look at a newly married couple, you might say, “I can see they love each other.”   You don’t actually see it, but based on their actions and their emotions you can sense it.  Mary’s response is one of action though.  What she had encountered was beyond the realm of her understanding, but she knew that Jesus had spoken to her.  She immediately went to the disciples and told them.

We all have this same gift.  We do not physically need to see Jesus Christ standing amongst us in order to know that He is with us, guiding us and instructing us in life.  This message that “He is Risen” rings just as true today as it did 1,984 years ago.  Not because the Garden Tomb does not have a body inside, or because it is within walking distance to Golgotha, but because He said it was so.  If we believe the Holy Bible to be God’s Holy word, truthful and complete in it’s entirety than the words of John 20 and John 21 are the foundations of our faith.  We believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and is alive in our hearts today, just as much as He was in the hearts of Mary and the other disciples back then. 

Prayer:
Heavenly Father
Thank You for Your continued pouring out of love upon the hearts of mankind.  Despite our ability to reject You, and turn from You, Your grace has always been there for each of us to grab a hold of.  Let us not be caught up in the parade of proving Your love, but rather to live in it and let it overwhelm us right where we are.  You have promised to  return and draw us home one day and in that day we will see the Son seated by Your side.  All proof will be null and void at that time, for we will be living in it.  What a glorious day.  In Your name we pray – Amen


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©Sondove Enterprises, 2011

Passion Week: It Just Takes Faith

"..."Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! " - Luke 24:5b-6

Happy Easter - He is Risen

The Garden Tomb - Thomas Kincade

"These are the days that make grown men cry." I don't recall where I heard that, or when but wow it so much represents the last week for me. I don't know, perhaps I am becoming an sentimental old man, or perhaps I have come to the stage in my life where I can appreciate all that God has done for me.

The Easter story is one that most people have heard at one point or another in their life. There is always that point when a child looks up at Mom and Dad and wants to know what Easter is about. Some parents will say, "It's a celebration of Spring." others may say, "It is a Pagan holiday for the Moon Goddess and the Sun God Baal and their son Tammuz." These are nothing but distractions brought on by Satan through man to confuse the real purpose for the celebration. Don't allow these to distract you from the fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and has defeated evil. Satan rejoiced 1,981 years ago, for 2 days. Since the third day, when Christ rose from the grave, he has been on the attack to confuse, distract and mislead you, me and every other person in history.

There is authentically documented proof of several New Testament writings from Paul and others that clearly state the events of Christ's resurrection. Paul's letters to the city of Corinth (53 to 57 AD) as well as his letters to the church of Galatia (48 to 57 AD). At the time of the crucifixion, burial and resurrection Paul (known as Saul from Tarsus) was a studied Pharisee. He spent many years after the resurrection over-seeing the arrest of "Believers" and even killing some. Yet, through a personal face to face experience with Jesus Christ, became the most prolific and profound apostle for the Son of God. His writings clearly articulate the love, grace and redemptive power of Christ's death and resurrection.

Paul, spent the remainder of his life professing his faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, Messiah and Savior of the all man-kind. Imprisoned, beaten, tried and tortured for his beliefs and his writings, he kept going for more than 30 years. A studied Jew, a Roman citizen, and the most prolific Christian missionary of all time. What made this man continue to profess the gospel of Jesus Christ all the way to his death? He traveld by foot of by ship all around the Mediterranean Sea spreading the Good News. This is just one example of a man who took on the will of God and did everything in his capability to live it and spread it to all the corners of the earth.

As you celebrate the hope, the joy and the grace of our Savior on this "Resurrection Sunday" ask yourself this one question:

"What am I going to do today, tomorrow and for the rest of my life to spread the Good News?"

After you've eaten the jelly beans and the chocolate and watched the Final Four, there is no more important thing for you to do today.

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©Sondove Enterprises, 2011