He is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Jesus said He would be resurrected from the dead, and it actually came to pass! I’m not sure how many people historians would say lived previously to Jesus…estimates would probably vary widely. But I’m pretty sure they would all agree that death had claimed each and every one of them (minus Enoch and Elijah), and that none had returned. But the grave could not hold Jesus. The resurrected Jesus met His disciples, and they most appropriately fell down at His feet and worshipped Him! And upon the 11 disciples meeting Him in Galilee, Jesus, with all authority, commissioned them with the familiar words of The Great Commission. Go. Make disciples. Baptize. Teach them to observe my commandments. It’s no small task, but thankfully, they wouldn’t be alone as they did it. Jesus assured them that He would always be with them, and He is, to this very day, with His disciples as they take His Good News to the nations!
Reflect
Matthew makes sure to point out that even some of Jesus’ 11 disciples, upon seeing Him in the flesh, still doubted (28:16). What doubts do you have about the Christian faith? Jesus commanded “doubting” Thomas to literally press his fingers into Jesus’ nail-scarred hands and pierced side, encouraging Thomas to “not disbelieve, but believe (John 20:27).” Press into Jesus with those doubts, praying as you do, “I believe; help my unbelief (Mark 9:24),” and confessing Jesus as “my LORD and my God! (John 20:28).”
Connect
When you think about the Resurrected Christ, and that one day you’ll see Him with your very own eyes, what thoughts run through your mind? This wonderful knowledge was enough to make Job’s heart faint within him. How about yours?
For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!
Job 19:25-27
– Rev. John McCombs