MY PERSPECTIVE, Gary Damron
On that first Easter Sunday, no one saw Jesus return to life. The phrase, "It's a God thing" is sometimes used loosely, but new life - that of our own babies, but especially someone coming back from the dead - is something only God can bring. God gave life to Jesus as a baby when He came to live on earth. On Resurrection Morning, He raised Jesus as our living Savior.
The new birth Jesus had spoken about to Nicodemus in John chapter 3, being "born again", became reality. Without it, none of us will see the kingdom of God (John 3:3) and His birth is through the Spirit (John 3:5). The two men's discussion concluded in verses 14-15 with Jesus saying that the Son of Man must be lifted up, and whoever believes will have eternal life.
There were a number of different responses immediately after His resurrection.
- Several disciples were doubtful, after the women who found the tomb empty hurried to tell them what the angels said (Matthew 28:8).
- John and Peter saw the empty tomb, and John wrote that he "saw and believed" but apparently didn't share that at the time (John 20:1-10).
- Two on the Emmaus Road were hoping, but lacked faith, until they felt their "hearts burn" as the resurrected Lord broke bread with them (Luke 24:13-24).
Some of the same doubts are found today, and modern skeptics have gone to great lengths to contrive reasons to dispute the resurrection.
Ironically, two groups of unlikely people may have had more basis to believe Jesus had been raised back to life, but failed for personal reasons. The authorities had made sure He was dead and buried; however, when they found the tomb empty, Jewish leaders bribed the soldiers to lie (Matthew 28:11-15). And the Roman soldiers - who normally would have been put to death for falling asleep while guarding a tomb - surely thought His resurrection was a miracle when instead, they received money from the religious leaders.
Hebrews 11:1-2 says, "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval." The writer then went through a list of Old Testament people who had passed away while faithfully serving, even when they didn't see any outcome. So faith here refers to faithfulness. Each person in Hebrews chapter 11 trusted, and took action, because their hope was expectation. Lyrics by TobyMac are, "I've lived enough life to say - He's gonna stand by what He claims."
The Heroes of Faith in Hebrews chapter 11 had a relationship with God that persuaded them to anticipate things which could not be seen. Jesus told us He would die for us - and He did. He said He would live for us - and He does. We can live each day with that same faith, and with an expectation, that God will work all things for good (Romans 8:28).
What the empty tomb did was prepare the way for the rest of the story: a risen Lord who appeared alive to hundreds of people after the resurrection. The first Easter Sunday began with grief and questions about the empty tomb, but by evening, everything gained clarity (Luke 24:33-43 and John 20:19-20). The pair who'd seen Jesus in Emmaus returned to the disciples in Jerusalem to tell their story, and found that He had also appeared to Peter. Then, suddenly, though the doors were locked, there He was. He offered them His hands and feet as evidence of the crucifixion, and took a piece of fish and ate it in their presence.
So Jesus who suffered on the cross, the One who died and was buried, came back and they saw Him, heard Him, touched Him. Death and Satan had been deprived of their victim.
John wrote, "The disciples therefore rejoined when they saw the Lord" (John 20:20). Their transgressions and failure, ignorance and neglect, were pardoned as He returned to them. He sought them out in their time of need, and again called them to serve.
Jesus was not resurrected to fulfill some kind of religious creed, but to bring abundant life. How do we access that? John recorded that Jesus said, "'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me'" (Revelation 3:20). A short word study on the term "open": in our prayers we allow entrance and share our inner self - reveal and expose to Him all our hidden secrets - give unrestricted access for Him to sweep through our life, declutter and develop it. As we stand open and unprotected before Him, He will be our guardian and defender and fill our life.
The reality of an empty tomb and new life compels each of us to make a choice: what will we do with a Jesus who is present today, after more than 2,000 years, and calls us to follow Him?
