HE IS RISEN

Which person, alive or dead, would you choose to talk to over dinner, and why?

I will go for Mary Magdalene. She especially understood the power and reality of evil, and so her joy in Christ’s victory over sin, suffering, and death must have run deep. It would be an honor to see her example of faith, love, and worship up close.

The Bible tell us that Mary Magdalene was possessed by seven demons (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2). Apparently this woman had been possessed by evil until the day she came face-to-Face with Jesus Christ and He set her free.

Then she watched her Lord and Savior suffer, battered and bleeding, carrying His cross up a hill where He would be brutally executed. She saw His lifeblood drip onto the very ground He had spoken into existence. After Christ had taken His last breath, she followed Nicodemus and Joseph Arimathea as they carried Jesus’ body to a garden tomb. Early the next morning, when it was still dark, she went back to that tomb, and the stone had been rolled away. Mary ran to Peter and John and told them that Christ’s body was missing. The two men went and saw it for themselves: the tomb was empty! After Peter and John left, Mary looked inside the tomb a second time and saw two angels. They asked her, “Dear woman, why are you crying?” (John 20:13).

In light of all that had happened the previous two days and really, throughout much of her life, that question might have seemed odd. Mary could have given a long list of reasons to be crying. And if Jesus’ body had still been there on that Easter Sunday morning, then we all would have a reason to cry.

But Jesus wasn’t there! He was, and is ALIVE!

Many people have studied the lives of great leaders, but only those of us whose allegiance is to Jesus Christ alone serve a risen, victorious Savior.

He conquered sin and death, and we who call Him Savior and Lord will do the same. Like Mary, we now have reason to rejoice instead of cry. Whatever you are facing right now, remember the empty tomb: Jesus is alive, and because of that, we win!

Our Lord is not in the tomb. HE is alive! Praise the Lord!