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Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024 Beyond Belief – He Is Risen! Scripture: Luke 24:1-11 (NIV) – “On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: “The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”’ Then they remembered his words. When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.” Message: Why is it that so often in the Bible we find God and Jesus breaking cultural rules, using outsiders as Their messengers? And why, in our daily lives, are we so quick to forget that we are redeemed? On the first Easter morning, God chose women as His messengers to deliver the “Good News” to the apostles who were in a state of shock at the events of Good Friday and thought the women were talking nonsense. Why does Thomas get the bad rap as “the doubter”, when, in Luke, all of the apostles failed to understand and believe the unexpected women messengers declaring “He is Risen”? When we struggle with doubt, we are in good company as throughout the Bible there are many, many references to doubters, even during the Great Commission: Matthew 28:17 (NIV) – “When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.” God knows and understands the human condition of doubt, yet He loves us so much that His one and only Son gave His life to redeem our sins. Prayer: Father, on this Holy Easter morning, we praise and glorify Your name, knowing that Your Son Jesus died and is risen for our sake. Be with us and guide us at all times, and especially in times of doubt. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief (Mark 9:24b). In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. David Vatcher - 1 of 2 |
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