Early Sunday morning I sat in a quiet place and reread the resurrection account in each of the four gospel records. It is amazing how the Holy Spirit continues to open familiar texts again and again to us. I recently heard a friend say that if you want to stay in love with Jesus read the gospel records regularly. It is true. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John continue to give us a fresh glimpse of our wonderful Savior.
When you read through multiple corresponding Scriptures you gain what Dr. Frank Sells used to call “general impressions.” As I walked through the parallel accounts this time one of the general impressions I came away with was what happened after the resurrection. You see, after the resurrection the adventure really began…
For the first followers of Christ the fact of the resurrection was just the beginning. His resurrection demanded a response and directed them to a responsibility.
Their response? Worship.
All who saw the risen Lord were led to worship. Could I challenge you to set aside time just to worship Him? True followers of Christ celebrate the resurrection every day!
Their responsibility? Witness.
This was what impressed me greatly – in each account those who witnessed His resurrection ran to tell someone else! That’s just not the kind of thing you keep to yourself! Witnesses witness.
Christ’s emphasis for those to whom He appeared during those forty days was simple: “Go.”
- To the women…go tell the disciples.
- To Mary Magdalene…go tell the brethren.
- To the disciples…go tell the nations.
- To Peter…go feed the sheep.
- To all who receive the Holy Spirit…go tell the world.
The only ones that He did not explicitly send somewhere were the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. But, He didn’t have to! They immediately got up and ran back to Jerusalem to report the good news. How can we be stale, still, and stagnant when we have seen the miracle of Christ?
Everybody told somebody.
If you have an encounter with the resurrected Christ you want others to know Him too. In these days following the Easter celebration we have an opportunity to express to many that the resurrection is more than a historical event or a holiday on the calendar. His resurrection leads to our responsibility. We must tell everyone we can that Jesus lives and that He wants to live in them.
“And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:46-48).
Scott, I believe that when Jesus raised the bread to bless it, the Emmaus disciples saw the prints of the nails in his hands and then recognized that he was the LORD, and then they ran the 7.5 miles back to Jerusalem, in the dark, to tell the disciples what they had experienced. “How their hearts did burn,” as he explained the prophesies that he had fulfilled from the old testament. (still true today) Those truths are what ANCHORS our faith today. No wonder that they were willing to die for their faith.
He is “ALIVE” and He is coming back for us, soon!
I have often wondered when exactly they knew. Perhaps it was when they saw the hands or perhaps it was when He began to pray, “Father…” No one ever prayed like Him!