The Power of his Resurrection

Matthew 27:50 “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.  28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. 8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.”

We can’t help but know there is a God when we look around us. Some may look at all the bad in the world and blame God, but we must take a look at ourselves first. The bad we see in the world is within us too. That’s why we find ourselves in need. When we look at the design of creation, we take many things for granted. With all the people living in the world right now, why is all the oxygen not used up in the air we breathe? There is no such thing as “Mother Nature” but there is a pattern to nature, and behind it is God. We can’t help but admit that. There is also more to us than a body. We have a living soul. We know when something is wrong, and the more we try to balance it out ourselves the worse it gets. That’s why Jesus came.

His birth was a miracle. He was conceived in the womb of a virgin named Mary by the Holy Ghost. His father is none other than God himself. His very life showed who he was. His suffering was horrible. His death was sure. He was laid in a tomb. Some think it was the weakness of God that allowed this happen. Why wasn’t he born into a wealthy family? He didn’t even have a place to call his own during the years of his ministry. He provided for others but not himself. It was all the plan of God.

He had a mission. He bore witness of himself. He knew what was wrong with all of us. Only one thing could help. It took the higest power that is for him to be conceived. Divine power brought him to this earth. Divine power kept him alive in dangerous times. He encountered Satan himself. He enountered demons of hell when those who were possessed with them came to him for help. When a man with palsey was brought to Jesus and healed by him, the people were more amazed that he took up his bed and walked than they were that Jesus forgave his sins. When the woman taken in adultery was brought to Jesus, he stooped and wrote on the ground. Jesus said that he that was without sin could cast the first stone. Those holding stones walked away one by one. When Jesus asked her where he accusers were, she found none. He didn’t condemn her either; rather he told her to go and sin no more. Only God could do all these things.

Jesus was nailed to a cross. He suffered to the death. He was sacrificed in our place. He hung there for six hours, till our sins were all upon him. Instead of our blood, it was his. When all our sins were borne upon him, he cried with a loud voice and died. There was power in his death, in his blood. There was power in the cross that held all our sins. Matthew says that when Jesus died there was a great earthquake. The veil in the temple was torn. All Jerusalem shook. His death shook the world. Sin has shaken you. Due to the power of of the cross, when you believe in Jesus yours sins can be forgiven.

Jesus’ body was buried in a tomb, and it was closed up. On the first day of the week the women made their way to the tomb. They wondered how they would get it open so they could anoint the body of Jesus. The guards couldn’t help them. They had fainted. The very creation of God shook again with the power of his resurrection. How could anyone as mangled as Jesus was come back to life? It was now the third day since he died. Tissue breakdown had begun. Those raised from the dead in the Bible were raised by Jesus, but he was the one now dead. Nobody was alive to raise him. Hope was gone…..BUT the ground began to shake. The stone rolled away to reveal only grave clothes that remained.

In John 10:18 Jesus said “no man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” In John 2 Jesus said “destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” He was talking about his body. Jesus woke. He sat up and came through those grave clothes. He was no longer the sacrifice; he was the Savior. He was alive. He had the keys to death, hell, and the grave. He brought out the release of our sins. The stone wasn’t moved so he could get out. Jesus had already made a door the atheist can’t shut. When he opened it, it was to let us know that we have a Savior. We have the opportunity to go to heaven and miss hell. We can have eternal life through the open tomb! Jesus passed from death unto life, and we can too. The power of the resurrection is still here!

Philippians 3:10 says “that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” Do you want to know him? Your salvation is possible. Life everlasting with him is yours if you take him in the power of his resurrection.