The Holy Scriptures
Psalm 30:5 (ESV)
Weeping may tarry for a night, but joy comes with the morning.
John 20:1-18 (ESV)
Now on the first day of the week 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 the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic,“Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
Today, in Christian churches throughout the world, believers are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus The Son of God from the dead after three (3) days of being buried in a borrowed tomb. The scene, depicted in all four (4) gospels are all poignant and yet diverse in descriptions of eyewitness accounts as is customary; for we know eyewitness accounts may be the same but skewed in details based on the "one who sees and writes". In all the gospel readings (Matthew 28:1-8; Mark 16: 1-8 and Luke 24: 1-12) the scene of the resurrection of Jesus is a beautiful moment. It is most startling in reports of an earthquake account, an angel descending from heaven to roll the stone in front of the tomb from the entrance; angels speaking to women and men and reminding them "He rose from the dead, just as He said"; and Jesus appearing to speak to a woman who is weeping.
This beauty is seen, after the terrible shock of Jesus' death by crucifixion by hands of The Romans. A mangled body was put on the cross after a severe beaten with a whip made of bone and metal. There is a crown of prickly thorns placed on His Royal head and nails driven into His hands and feet. Now triumphantly, the body that was wounded, broken, and torn is brought back to life by the Power of the Living God. What a reverse of fortune! What a display of God's might power! Our God, making the greatest sacrifice of all time to redeem man from sin, gave His Only Son into the hands of sinful man to take away the sins of man.
Before the beauty, there was the darkness of mourning and weeping. Men who were His disciples were hiding (save this John) because of the fear of the events of Jesus' arrest, beating and conviction. Several other followers, some who were secret followers for fear of men like Nicomedus and Joseph of Aramathea who asked for Jesus' body to bury in his tomb...were mourning. Some precious women, like Mary Magadelene who supported Jesus' ministry, were lamenting. His poor mother Mary was in a great anguish while watching her son die on the cross. Indeed, the promised "sword had pierced her heart" that was foretold at the time of His birth had come to pass bringing deep emotional pain. Weeping was appropriate. Heart brokenness can crush you. It can mess up your spirit. It can make you doubt the meaning of life. Mourning can turn into despair.
But...look at God! His plan to restore man back to Himself was completed. Jesus had already told His disciples He would be raised back to life.Those dark days of weeping would be turned into felicity! God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day! Man's sins had been atoned for by His Son's blood shed on the cross in His death. The Light of the World has Risen! Now the time of rejoicing was about to begin.
First, came visitors to Jesus' burial ground. Some say a group of women came with spices. Then there is an account of this gospel writer John and Peter racing to the tomb upon the news of His resurrection. Then this story of Mary of Magdala, whom Jesus had healed from demonic oppression was at the tomb. Seeing the stone rolled away and the body of Jesus gone, she begins to cry. She continued to cry even after peaking a second glance into the tomb to hear two angels ask her why she is crying. Her tears do not cease to flow after the man who is standing before her asks her, "Woman why are you weeping?" and "Who are you seeking?" It wasn't until Jesus called her name, did she then recognize Her Lord and Teacher that her weeping ended with a message to go and tell the disciples that Jesus is alive. I tell you that travail and weeping was turned into rejoicing. The One who Mary loved and the God who loved this world and died for the sins of the world, was alive and well. Her night of mourning was turned to joy in the morning.
So it is with us. Psalm 30:5 says, "weeping" happens in our darkest moments...and then God, in His Mercy and in His own time, brings an unspeakable joy by His Spirit to our hearts. This is good news to us. We are encouraged by the Resurrection of Jesus to know it's "okay" to cry and weep. God is not angry with our crying. God is with us in our vale of tears. He knows how to bring light into the darkness. He knows how to turn mourning into joy. He will wipe away all tears from our eyes.
Christ the Lord is Risen! We can remember His sacrifice for our sins and rejoice in His Resurrection because He is the God that is alive in us. He will not allow us to mourn and weep indefinitely. Joy is coming! Eternal Joy is ours through Jesus Christ, God's Son.
This beauty is seen, after the terrible shock of Jesus' death by crucifixion by hands of The Romans. A mangled body was put on the cross after a severe beaten with a whip made of bone and metal. There is a crown of prickly thorns placed on His Royal head and nails driven into His hands and feet. Now triumphantly, the body that was wounded, broken, and torn is brought back to life by the Power of the Living God. What a reverse of fortune! What a display of God's might power! Our God, making the greatest sacrifice of all time to redeem man from sin, gave His Only Son into the hands of sinful man to take away the sins of man.
Before the beauty, there was the darkness of mourning and weeping. Men who were His disciples were hiding (save this John) because of the fear of the events of Jesus' arrest, beating and conviction. Several other followers, some who were secret followers for fear of men like Nicomedus and Joseph of Aramathea who asked for Jesus' body to bury in his tomb...were mourning. Some precious women, like Mary Magadelene who supported Jesus' ministry, were lamenting. His poor mother Mary was in a great anguish while watching her son die on the cross. Indeed, the promised "sword had pierced her heart" that was foretold at the time of His birth had come to pass bringing deep emotional pain. Weeping was appropriate. Heart brokenness can crush you. It can mess up your spirit. It can make you doubt the meaning of life. Mourning can turn into despair.
But...look at God! His plan to restore man back to Himself was completed. Jesus had already told His disciples He would be raised back to life.Those dark days of weeping would be turned into felicity! God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day! Man's sins had been atoned for by His Son's blood shed on the cross in His death. The Light of the World has Risen! Now the time of rejoicing was about to begin.
First, came visitors to Jesus' burial ground. Some say a group of women came with spices. Then there is an account of this gospel writer John and Peter racing to the tomb upon the news of His resurrection. Then this story of Mary of Magdala, whom Jesus had healed from demonic oppression was at the tomb. Seeing the stone rolled away and the body of Jesus gone, she begins to cry. She continued to cry even after peaking a second glance into the tomb to hear two angels ask her why she is crying. Her tears do not cease to flow after the man who is standing before her asks her, "Woman why are you weeping?" and "Who are you seeking?" It wasn't until Jesus called her name, did she then recognize Her Lord and Teacher that her weeping ended with a message to go and tell the disciples that Jesus is alive. I tell you that travail and weeping was turned into rejoicing. The One who Mary loved and the God who loved this world and died for the sins of the world, was alive and well. Her night of mourning was turned to joy in the morning.
So it is with us. Psalm 30:5 says, "weeping" happens in our darkest moments...and then God, in His Mercy and in His own time, brings an unspeakable joy by His Spirit to our hearts. This is good news to us. We are encouraged by the Resurrection of Jesus to know it's "okay" to cry and weep. God is not angry with our crying. God is with us in our vale of tears. He knows how to bring light into the darkness. He knows how to turn mourning into joy. He will wipe away all tears from our eyes.
Christ the Lord is Risen! We can remember His sacrifice for our sins and rejoice in His Resurrection because He is the God that is alive in us. He will not allow us to mourn and weep indefinitely. Joy is coming! Eternal Joy is ours through Jesus Christ, God's Son.
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