He is not here, but has risen. Luke 24:6 ESV

When Jesus resurrected from the dead no one was anticipating him to do so. In fact, some, when going to the tomb after the Sabbath, were doing so to finish the burial process and discussed among themselves who would roll the stone out of the way. (Mark 16;1-3) Having seen the stone rolled away and been told by an angel that He had risen, they ran back to a place where the others were hiding in fear, to tell them that He had risen. Had those in hiding believed in the resurrection they would have been at the tomb waiting… not hiding. Even after being told by those who had seen Jesus, Thomas said, “Unless I see in His hands the marks of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” John 20:23 ESV Truth is, according to Mark 16:14, the elven didn’t believe at first that He had risen and Jesus rebuked them for their hardness of heart and unbelief. Unbelief is so dangerous, for it is the very means by which Satan will take many captive, to the peril of their life/soul. It is imperative to believe concerning the resurrection, for it is what the Christian’s entire life is based upon. Without the resurrection it would have been proven that Jesus was simply a man and not the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29 As I teach and am convinced: “What you believe will determine how you live.”

CONFUSION AT FIRST: ……… JOHN 20:1-18
Those who had followed Jesus in life were overwhelmed in the reality of his death and did not understand that he had risen. Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and another desciple whom Jesus loved and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” John 20:1 ESV I do not believe any of us today, if living in that moment, would have understood that Jesus had resurrected from the dead. If we had seen him beaten, crucified, and die, our thoughts, as theirs, would have been, “He is gone”. We, as they, would have believed the only explanation was — someone stole his body. But this confusion only lasted for a while, for Jesus would not have us……

LOOKING FOR LIFE IN THE WRONG PLACES:
While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, WHY DO YOU SEEK THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD? Luke 4-5 ESV If you believe you can look in a graveyard for answers you are looking in the wrong place. This is why we should not look in our own hearts for answers, but in the One who can make the dead heart alive with understanding. While there was confusion at first, the understanding of the resurrection changed everything. They ceased to hide and began to thrive in proclaiming the gospel of the good news….. JESUS IS ALIVE!!!!!! They didn’t preach it in the graveyard but in the world. They did so because they believed not only what they had heard but what they had seen. We today have not seen Jesus in the flesh as he once walked, so where does that place us in this gospel?

BLESSED:
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” John 20:29 ESV Christians, by faith, believe the Bible is true, and that it is … His-story and the future all in one book. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 ESV Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God. He lived a sinless life, making him the perfect lamb of God to be sacrificed for the punishment of our sins. He died, was buried, and rose again on the third day, conquering sin, death, and the grave. He returned to his Father and is coming again, breaking open the grave of every believer and catching up those who remain in the air to live with him forever. We will one day join with the angels to praise and worship him forever in our eternal home that he promises to prepare for us. GLORY!!!!

APPLICATION:
Live on purpose for God and give evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in your life/heart. 1 John 2:1-6

Because of His Grace ~ Pastor David