Table Rock State Park, Branson, Missouri
“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here; He is Risen! ~ Luke 24:5b-6a
Luke 16:31 records Jesus saying, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”
How true this was!
The guards posted at the tomb went to the chief priests and told them what happened – that there was an earthquake brought about by the appearance of an angel of the Lord who rolled away the great stone sealing the tomb and sat upon it, that his appearance “was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow”, and the guards were so terrified, they fell as dead men before him. And yet, the chief priests (who were well-versed in Messianic prophecy) refused to believe Jesus was the promised Messiah. They paid the guards to keep their mouths shut about their experience and to circulate a lie instead – that they had fallen asleep and the disciples came and stole the body. It’s actually pretty surprising that the soldiers would do this because at that time, a soldier found in dereliction of duty was slain. Sleeping while on guard was not an option for them.
And so began the various appearances of a risen Jesus. I’m not getting into who all these people were, but I encourage you to look them up. 😊
- Mary Magdalene
- Mary the mother of James, Salome, and Joanna
- Peter
- Two men on the road to Emmaus
- Ten of the Eleven (no Thomas, and of course, Judas is now dead)
- The Eleven (Thomas now present)
- Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, John, and two other disciples who aren’t named
- The Eleven after they walked to Galilee as instructed
- Over 500 people on one occasion, all at the same time
- Jesus’s half-brother James
- And weeks or months later, after Jesus’s final ascension, Saul/Paul
Why show Himself? Because we are weak in our faith. Because it’s often easier for us to believe He was never dead, but instead stolen from the tomb and nursed back to health. Because, even though the Twelve lived and learned and followed Him for three years, they still struggled to believe He’d been resurrected. Because, even though He’d appeared to them in the same room, they still didn’t truly believe in His resurrection.
Because Jesus’s absolute death and resurrection is essential to our faith. Because, as Paul stated in I Corinthians 15:14, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”
Why? Because if we are to have eternal life, we must also be resurrected from the dead. Because if we are to have eternal life with Jesus, we must believe He Is the One and Only Son of God and that He suffered and died to pay the penalty for our sins. As Paul tells us in I Corinthians 15:3-5 and following, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.”
Hallelujah!! HE IS RISEN!! HE IS RISEN INDEED!!
We actually partook of three worship services today. We joined the live-stream from our home church in Ohio at 8:00am, then dressed and attended the Friendly Baptist Church (with a pastor named Monty Dunn, which just so happens to be my maiden name 😊), and we watched the NASCAR service on FOX TV before Blaine’s race started. It was the first time in 30 years that NASCAR had a race on Easter Sunday. Some of the drivers (and their wives!), etc. weren’t happy about it, but then there’s the opportunity to reach many unsaved people . . .
And with that, on national TV, Christ was brought to the masses. Chris Tomlin provided worship music, and Pastor and well-known author, Max Lucado gave the message. They were very free with bringing the Good News of Jesus, His death, Resurrection and our need for Salvation in a simple no-nonsense presentation (well, there were some smiling moments) – on NATIONAL TV! It was very good!
We had ham, twice-baked potatoes and Pennsylvania Dutch green beans for our Easter dinner.
And that was our Easter.
We missed the large family gathering we used to have to celebrate. ☹ But were very blessed with all the worship we participated in today.
HE IS RISEN!!!! . . . . . . . .
And you respond . . . . .
I heard you loud and clear!