Not Here!

Not Here!

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Matthew 28:6 KJV

The Context and Charge:

The disciples and the women had just had a very terrible weekend. The One they called master and teacher had just been put through the excruciating pain of crucifixion. All who knew and followed him then had all fled, and even Peter his friend denied knowing Him. He had been put in a new tomb, with its entrance sealed and a guard posted to ensure the safety of the dead body. At least, that's what the leaders of the Jews thought He was. All that could go wrong had gone wrong, but it is these terrible situations that make the story of resurrection even more weighty. 

The women came on the first day of the week to see and anoint the body. They completely forget Jesus had told them He would rise, maybe due to forgetfulness or unbelief. Whatever the reason, even the grave or tomb could not hold Him. The women got to the tomb and all that could physically limit them had been removed: the stone at the entrance, the guard posted and even the body. If the body was left there, there will be no hope of eternal life. Today's extract reflects the angel's words: this is not where Jesus belongs. He was here only for a while to fulfil purpose and to secure eternal life for all who will believe in Him. 

The Contention and Conclusion:

In the same way, all who have come to believe in the Son are not subject to the permanent nature of the grave. Physical death becomes a mere path into the life that Jesus sealed for me when he rose up from the grave. The women were asked to come in and see where the body was laid, so that there will be no confusion. We still have today a few people who argue that Jesus did not really die. At whatever point you are in life, please ask God to make his death and resurrection real to you. Ask Him to show you what his life means, so that you can walk and work right. 

The evidence of his life is all around us. Those of us who have come to know him have been shown proof and we are living testimonies to this reality. We have also been given the mandate to show and share his life with other people. Just as the angels pointed out the risen Christ, I must also point Him out to other people. Jesus is risen; nothing can hold him down. If I have his life, I have the same power. Can men see this power in and through me? May my life be a daily testament to what God has done, so that men will crave to know this God, whose time of favour has come.