Good Monday my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Today is April 1st, and at least in some parts of the world this is “April Fools Day”. Have you ever been tricked by an “April’s Fools Day” prank? Now I know this is a bit far-fetched, but today, the day after Easter, I wonder how many people, 2000 years ago, would have thought the report of Jesus’ resurrection was simply an “April’s Fools” prank because it was so preposterous, so outrageous?
As you and I look around our world today, I invite us to look closely and ask ourselves these two questions:
1. What in my society reflects some influence of the TRUTH of the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
2. What in my society functions as though the resurrection of Jesus Christ is simply an “April Fools” hoax?
You might want to even discuss those two questions with some friends today to see what their opinions are?
I think it’s safe to say at least some people in Jerusalem, on this Monday after that Passover/Easter weekend, were totally oblivious to what we celebrate occurred there, 2000 years ago, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Matthew tells us the tomb guards had reported what had shocked them to near death that early morning as an angel appeared and rolled back the tombstone while an earthquake happened. Matthew writes: “The guards were so afraid of the angel they shook and became like dead men!” (Matt. 28:4)
Some of the guards ran into Jerusalem and reported what they had experienced to those who had hired them to guard a dead man’s tomb. That resulted in an urgent meeting of high ranking religious officials and they devised a plan that the guards should declare that ‘His disciples came during the night and stole the body while we were asleep.” (Matt. 28:13)
Of course the only way the guards were willing to make such a shameful admission was that they were paid a large sum of money. Today, we’d call that ‘hush money’, wouldn’t we? Even though it was several years after the resurrection that Matthew wrote his Gospel, his closing statement on this issue is: “This story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.” (Matt. 28:15) So, for many people who believed the guards’ story, it appears this idea of the ‘resurrection of Jesus Christ’ was nothing more than an “April Fools” type prank.
The disciple John tells us that he and Peter were awakened from their sleep that early Sunday morning by a frantic Mary Magdalene who claimed she had already been to the garden tomb and it was empty! Rousing themselves from sleep, both men ran to the tomb. She was right! In fact both Peter and John went INTO the tomb and found the grave clothes in which the body of Jesus had been wrapped, but that’s all.
While they believed Mary’s report, the body of Jesus was certainly missing, John reports that as they stood in that empty tomb: “They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.” (John 20:9) As they walked away from the tomb, I wonder if Peter and John, two disciples who had been closer to Jesus than the others, were thinking it might be an “April Fools” type prank?
Matthew tells us the women, who had been the first at the tomb that early Sunday morning, had two convincing encounters. First with an angel who had rolled the stone away (Matt. 28:1-7) and then as they were running from the empty tomb back to Jerusalem, they encountered the risen Jesus Himself! (Matt. 28:8-10) And then later that morning Mary Magdalene had her own convincing, personal encounter with the risen Jesus in the garden near the tomb. (John 20:11-18)
There was no doubt. These women had SEEN Jesus die on the cross that Friday afternoon. They’d seen His dead, wrapped body placed in the tomb. And now they’d seen the resurrected Jesus on Sunday morning. They’d touched Him, they’d heard Him speak to them, even calling them by name! There was not a shred of doubt in their minds and for the rest of their lives they joyfully, confidently proclaimed the truth which they had experienced!
Both Gospel writers Luke and John tell us 10 of the disciples were together that Sunday evening when suddenly, the resurrected Jesus came into the room and invited them to examine His nail scarred hands. Jesus even asked them for something to eat! (Luke 24:26-45; John 19:25).
Seeing is believing and so those 10 disciples were convinced the resurrection of Jesus was no rumor, no prank, it was a fact. They saw Him, they spoke with Him, they touched His healed body! It was impossible, it was unexplainable, but it was true, and while similar to what they had seen with Lazarus, Jesus was not only resurrected, but His badly beaten and shredded body was healed and restored!
But the disciple Thomas was not with them that Easter Sunday evening, so when he heard this report from his fellow disciples and perhaps the women, he thought it was an “April Fools prank”.
Thomas said “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe it.” (John 20:25) For Thomas a report from friends was not enough. It would not even be enough for Thomas to SEE the risen Jesus. Thomas wanted TOUCH proof!
And so my friends, on this Monday after Easter, what is the resurrection of Jesus for you? A rumor? An “April Fools” prank? Or a historical fact, which like many other historical facts, you cannot verify because you were not an eyewitness, but you believe the accounts of those who were eyewitnesses? But believed historical facts can be simply that, can’t it? Believed historical facts that have no significance or influence on your life today.
Or is it more? Is the resurrection of Jesus Christ a historical fact, and that truth that has changed your life, because He is alive today and He is your Savior and you’ve already spoken with Him today and you’ll live this day seeking to honor the risen Jesus Christ as your eternal King?
Do you see how what you do with the resurrection of Jesus story can have a dramatic impact on how you live this Monday, 2000 year later? Will it, for you and me? How?
Here’s a powerful song, written almost 100 years ago, that challenges us to live what we believe today. . . will we?
Today’s Scripture: John 20:1-25.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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