“After Jesus drank he said, “It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and died.”
John 19:30 NIRV
Finished. Dead. The End.
Think of the disappointment Jesus’ followers felt at that moment. The man who once stood among them performing countless miracles and wonders, often leaving them speechless, was dead. Jesus’ body was removed from the cross, wrapped in linen, and placed in a tomb. All hope was lost. Or was it? Read on for the rest of the story.
The Tomb Was Empty
On the third day, once the Sabbath had ended, three women from Galilee headed to the tomb where Jesus was buried to anoint His body. This took place early on Sunday morning. When they arrived at the tomb, they saw that the stone had been rolled away from its entrance. My daughter would say they were shook!
“but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body.”
Mark 16:6 NLT
Double-Takes Abound
In the days to come, Jesus would appear to His disciples and select others. They were shook too! They thought their eyes were playing tricks on them. Before His death, Jesus had given the disciples advance notice of His death and resurrection, but it was beyond their comprehension. They heard the rest of the story, but couldn’t grasp it.
“because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.””
Mark 9:31 NIV
Death Has Been Defeated
Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sin, but the story of our redemption wasn’t yet complete. Death did not have the last word. God raised Jesus from the dead and He is now seated at the right hand of His Father in Heaven. He lives! And because He lives, we, too, can look forward to spending eternity with our Heavenly Father. The redemption story is penned in a love that knows no bounds.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 3:16-17 NLT
Victory is ours, if we choose to believe.
“But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:57 NLT
That, in a nutshell, is the rest of the story.
Right now, I can just hear my father-in-law singing his favorite hymn. Care to sing along? Let these words speak to your heart.
Victory in Jesus
1. I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from Glory
How He gave His life on Calvary, to save a wretch like me.
I heard about his groaning, of his precious blood’s atoning,
Then I repented of my sins, and won the Victory.
CHORUS
Oh, Victory in Jesus, my Savior forever
He sought me and he bought me with His redeeming blood
He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him
He plunged me to Victory, beneath the cleansing flood.
2. I heard about His healing, of His cleansing power revealing.
How He made the lame to walk again and caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, “Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit.”,
And some how Jesus came and brought to me the Victory.
CHORUS
3. I heard about a mansion He has built for me in glory,
And I heard about the streets of gold beyond the crystal sea;
About the angels singing, and the old redemption story,
And some sweet day I’ll sing up there the song of Victory!
CHORUS
Sports may have been cancelled due to the Coronavirus, but Easter certainly hasn’t been. If you haven’t already, taste the victory that comes with a personal relationship with Jesus. It’ll be the sweetest one you’ve ever experienced!
