He is not here – He has risen
Listen to devotion here –
http://www.bridge-of-life.co.uk/He%20is%20not%20here%20-%20He%20is%20risen.mp3
Celebration Easter.
For most people Easter is a time to go on holiday for a couple of weeks, in order to throw off the dark clouds and cold days of winter, and enjoy the spring sunshine. This year due to the ongoing restrictions from the Coronavirus pandemic that will not take place, it will mean a time of rest but not a time of pleasure.
When you think of the Easter story, what or where does your mind turn to, is it the suffering Jesus endured on the cross or the triumphant resurrection, or maybe both. I am reminded of the hymn writer’s words -
What led the Son of God. To leave His throne on high,
To shed His precious blood. To suffer and to die?
‘Twas love, unbounded love for us. Led Him to die and suffer thus.
The apostle reminds us in Romans 5:7-8 - 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Many folk around the globe have suffered the loss of a loved one through Covid 19. Most of those folk have had to experience unbearable frustration and sadness because they have not been able to visit their loved one in hospital and be with them at the end of their life.
I think of Mary the mother of Jesus, she knowing her son had lived such a perfect, selfless pure life to see Him being betrayed by Judas one of His own followers and captured, then for the authorities to seek false accusers, to be so badly treated at His trial and to suffer such an awful agonising death.
We recall what the bible tells us about Jesus’s mother Mary at the Crucifixion in John 19:25-27 - 25Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. Jesus in spite of all he was going through, thought of all His mother was suffering and made provision for her. What Jesus suffered on the cross made provision for all mankind if they are willing to acknowledge what happened on the cross.
Yet we could also ask ourselves, why did not God his Father not intervene, God allowed it to happen. Knowing Gods love for His son was so great; God endured seeing His beloved son go through all that suffering. But in all that Jesus endured it was for you and I that God allowed Jesus to suffer. What Jesus did on that cross portrayed His love for mankind.
The hymn writer has penned these words to the hymn – There is a Green hill far away
There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin,
He only could unlock the gate of Heaven and let us in.
One of the first things Jesus said on the cross is recorded in Luke 23:33-34 - 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. This is the key to Jesus releasing mankind from sin, it is forgiveness. That is the first step we have to make to become a follower of Jesus and to know we have Eternal life, we have to ask Jesus for forgiveness for all our past sins.
We read in Luke 23:33-43 - 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the Jews.
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
The message of the Gospel, the good news of eternal life is well illustrated by what transpired while Jesus was on the cross. We have just read there were two other criminals hanging on a cross either side of Jesus. The one criminal was unrepentant, but the other criminal realised he had done wrong. He was willing to acknowledge he had sinned. Jesus while suffering an agonising death forgave him, assuring him of a home in heaven. As recorded in Luke 23:42-43 - 42 Then he (the criminal), said “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Just like those two criminals, we have the choice as to whether we choose life or Eternal isolation in Hell. We read in 2 Peter 3:9 - 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
The reason why Jesus suffered such persecution, torcher and death was prophesied in Isaiah 53:3-7 - 3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. 4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
The best news of all, is that the death of Jesus on the cross and His burial is not the end of the story. The bible says in Psalm 30:5 - weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Let us see what happened three days after Jesus was crucified, we read in Matthew 28:1-10 - 1After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Let’s read about that triumphant event in the words written by the Hymn writer Robert Lowry
Low in the grave He lay— Jesus my Saviour!
Waiting the coming day— Jesus my Lord!
Death cannot keep his prey—Jesus, my Saviour!
He tore the bars away—Jesus my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose. With a mighty triumph o’er His foes
He arose a Victor from the dark domain. And He lives forever with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!
You can listen by clicking here - Low in the grave he lay - English hymn - Bing video
Let us hear what the apostle Paul says about the resurrection of Jesus in 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 - 50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.
I would now like us to cast our minds back to those hours Jesus spent with his disciples in the upper room just prior to His death. John’s gospel gives us the most vivid picture of what transpired in the upper room, John tells us what Jesus said to the disciples, preparing them for what was soon to happen. In conclusion Jesus prayed for them, they then sang a hymn before going to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus earnestly prayed to His father before being taken captive.
During that time in the Upper Room Jesus took bread and broke it and also poured wine into a cup and offered both to the disciples in Matthew 26:26-30 we read - 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
The apostle Paul encourages all Gods people to participate in this special remembrance in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 we read - 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. .
Please note what the apostle said until he comes, Jesus is coming back to take His church home where we will celebrate another supper an even greater celebration as recorded by John in Revelation 19:6-9 - 6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) 9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
My friends are you a follower of Jesus, are you looking for that great event when you will meet the Lord face to face and celebrate the Great Supper of the Lamb, I trust you are.
A little while back we were watching a well-liked program on the BBC called “The Repair Shop”. Folk can bring along to the repair shop treasured items for repair. In this particular program a Romanian lady named Margaret brought in a cross that had been broken in half. It was not you’re usual all metal cross, it was amassed with beautiful ornate blue and purple jewels.
Margaret explained how Germany had invaded Romanian when her father was sixteen years of age, so he fled to Russia and joined the Russian army. He got shot twice, once through the mouth with the bullet coming out through the side of his face, then another bullet hit the cross Margaret was holding in her hand which her father had been keeping in his tunic pocket, this cross saved his life. What a wonderful illustration of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. The work Jesus did on the cross is able to save your life if you invite him into your life. If you carry the message of the cross in your heart, knowing that Jesus has died for you and knowing that Jesus has forgiven you for all your sins, you can know that the story of the cross where Jesus was nailed was the means of saving your life.
In closing let us listen to the words of the song written by Graham Kendrick
For this purpose Christ was revealed. To destroy all the works Of the Evil One
Christ in us has overcome. So with gladness we sing. And welcome His kingdom in
In the name of Jesus we stand. By the power of His blood. We now claim this ground
Satan has no authority here. Powers of darkness must flee. For Christ has the victory
Over sin He has conquered (Men). Hallelujah, He has conquered (Women)
Over death victorious (Men). Hallelujah, victorious (Women)
Over sickness He has triumphed (Men). Hallelujah, He has triumphed (Women)
Jesus reigns over all! (All)
You can listen to this song by clicking here - For This Purpose - by Graham Kendrick - Bing video
