Hope is Rising

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples. Matthew 28:8

 It was Sunday morning
 When Mary and Mary Magdalene
 Went to the tomb of Jesus
 To finish the burial routine.
  
 The stone had been moved
 And this was surprising,
 For the body was gone;
 Hope started rising!
 
 The angel told them,
 “Do not fear!
 He has risen!
 He is not here!”
 
 The women hurried from the tomb
 On the way formalizing
 What to say to the disciples,
 As hope in them was rising!
 
 Peter and John could not believe
 What the women had said.
 “Jesus isn't in the tomb?
 But we saw Him dead!”
 
 They rushed to see for themselves
 And then realizing,
 Their Rabbi's words had come true,
 They felt hope arising!
 
 The resurrection of Jesus
 is a glorious miracle of God!
 He was dead, buried and risen to life
 To save us though we're flawed.
 
 Jesus commissioned His disciples
 To preach without compromising;
 Now we also share to the world
 In Jesus hope is rising! 

Easter Sunday! It’s such a joyful day for us when we celebrate our resurrected Lord! But for the first followers of Jesus, it was a sad day, because they were still mourning His death. Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene headed to the tomb to finish the burial procedure. I can only imagine what they were thinking. Perhaps they talked about things Jesus taught them, remembered the good times they shared, and all the miracles He had done. At the tomb, fully expecting to see Jesus’s body there, they would pay their last respects.

But they were shocked to see the stone had been rolled away. When they went inside the tomb they discovered Jesus was not there! Sitting where His body should have been was an angel. They were frightened, but he told them to not be afraid. He told them that Jesus was not there because He had risen just like He said He would. Then they remembered His words, and hope started rising in their hearts.

The angel told them to go tell the disciples that Jesus had risen from the dead, and He would meet them in Galilee. They hurried off shaken but filled with joy. When they told the disciples what they saw, they couldn’t believe what they were hearing. It sounded ridiculous to them! (But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Luke 24:11) Miracles are hard to believe because there isn’t a logical explanation. I most likely would have reacted the same way-wanting to believe, but logic getting in the way. So Peter and John decided they would need to see for themselves what the women were talking about.

Peter and John ran to the tomb and looked inside. The women were right! Jesus was gone! All that was lying there were the strips of linen that the body had been wrapped in. They stood there confused. Had Jesus really risen from the dead or did someone steal His body? But if someone took His body, where is it now and why did they move it? As they were walking to a village called Emmaus, a stranger joined them and asked what they were talking about. (As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing Him. Luke 24:15, 16) They explained everything that had happened and invited the stranger for dinner. After taking the bread and blessing it, Jesus showed the disciples who He really was. Then, before they had a chance to say anything, Jesus disappeared from their sight! They suddenly realized it was true; Jesus had risen indeed! Hope was rising in their hearts, and they rushed to tell the rest of the disciples. I’m sure they felt much like the women did. They couldn’t wait to spread the news that Jesus is alive! Aren’t there times when you just can’t help but talk about what Jesus has revealed to you?

Jesus appeared several more times to the disciples. During the last time, He told the disciples to spread the gospel to everyone. (He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Mark 16:15) They did just that, and because of the letters in the New Testament we know about Jesus! Through the ages, believers have been telling about the miracles of God and the saving grace of Jesus. They have kept the hope of Christ alive, and now it’s our turn. How will you share Jesus to others?

Lord, thank You for the miracle of the resurrection! May I show Your message of hope through my words and actions. Let me be a mirror reflecting the light and love of Jesus to the world around me. May they experience hope rising in their hearts. Amen