You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/2973701569352515/
So… Resurrection Sunday not as bad as you thought huh? So what happens next? I always thought there should be more time between the birth and the crucifixion/resurrection of Jesus. Because what do we do with the rest of the year. Christmas and Easter are big days in the religious calendar but there are only around 4 months between the two and let’s be real, there is much to do getting ready for these big days.
Anyhow, so what’s next? Have you ever been on a road trip? I don’t do traveling well but when I travel, I like to plan, prepare, & schedule. I don’t like to fly by the seat of my pants. I want control of my destiny, boy did I sign up for the wrong vocation.
One of my favorite movies is a children’s movie – Cars. It’s all about a race car, Lightning McQueen, who gets lost on the road to a race, and he ends up in Radiator Springs on the infamous highway Route 66.
I like this movie for many reasons, and one is the great song that Rascal Flats sings – Life is A Highway, I love that song.
But here’s the summary of the story, Lightning McQueen – a race car - ends up doing time in the little town and realizes that there is more to driving, than just getting from point a to point b or winning a race. By the way, race cars don’t need headlights, lol. He also realizes that there’s more to this little town and there’s more to life than the flash of being a racing star.
Lightning McQueen is on a quest, to win the coveted Piston Cup. But something happens and he discovers along the way that the journey is as important as the destination and as important as winning the race. Over the next few days, we are going to take a look at what happened next, what happened after the resurrection.
Matthew 28:1-10 (NIV) After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Stop for just a moment and think about the ladies at the tomb. Matthew gives us a clue that they were going to do what was required of them, but in their heading to tell the brothers that Jesus had indeed risen, they were afraid and yet full of Joy.
It’s hard for us to understand because we have over 2000 years on this side of the resurrection. We have over 2000 years of Christian Faith, and study and thought about all of this. Could you imagine what they thought, could you imagine what they felt? And before they get to the Disciples before they reach the Brothers, Jesus meets them.
Did you ever stop to think why? They obviously believed the angel, they saw the guards who fainted. Why would Jesus meet them? I believe the answer is in the scripture.
His first word is greetings, shalom – peace – settle down right? His appearing probably shocked them, they were already shocked. But they were on a mission and Jesus needed to settle them down. Well, yes and no.
You see the shalom that Jesus gave was different than before, it was more than settle down and be at peace. It was a peace that only He could give them. It was a complete peace, because His work was finished and the sacrifice had been made. Now they could be made complete, in and through Him.
I love their response to His blessing of shalom. The first thing they do, is to bow and they grab His feet, and they worshiped Him. An appropriate response.
And then Jesus sends them on their way to the Brothers. to the Disciples and repeats the angel’s instructions, go – tell them to go to Galilee.
Sounds like a simple thought here, but that word go is a bit different in the original language. The word used there is not simply go over there. It’s not simply leave home and go do something. It’s a command to discipleship. It’s the same go that
Jesus will use in the Great Co-mission, just a few verses later when He appears to the rest of the Disciples. It’s not a go and do, it’s a command to disciple.
These ladies are the first evangelists, do we understand what Jesus was doing? It’s moments after the resurrection, and here is Jesus fulfilling more prophecy. He is pouring His Spirit on the sons and daughters. Jesus is sending these ladies out and having them disciple the brothers. The ladies are discipling the Disciples – in the resurrection, the Good News – the Gospel. The angel at the tomb in the garden had told them the same thing. But there is such a stronger sense that Jesus is being intentional here. It is not just mere coincidence, that He meets them in the Garden. Which is another interesting side note. This tomb, was the tomb that we read about that was nearby in a garden.
Think about this, when sin entered into this world it entered in through a garden. When the answer to sin, the solution of sin entered into this world. He exited the grave and entered into this world resurrected through a garden. He meets the ladies in the morning in the Garden on the day after the last day of the week.
The seventh day was the last day of the week. And the first day of the week, was like the first day of creation. And this first day is here to signify new life new creation. All of this is wonderful insightful thought and there is so much in just these few verses. I could write books of sermons here just about these few thoughts.
But just stop and think about this, we are His Church, His bride, and we have a job to do. We are to be going – and we’ll talk more about that tomorrow…
I know that right now not many of us are going anywhere. We might go get groceries or to a doctor if we are sick. We are only going out for the necessities, but that doesn’t change what happens after the resurrection. We need to get going spreading the Good News, however that looks.