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Cause for Celebration

Matthew 20:11-18 Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her.“Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?”
She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”
“Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”). “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 
Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message. (NLT)
    I love this passage of scripture because it so nicely defines what Easter is all about-- a celebration of our King. Today is the day we stop to celebrate our Lord! He has conquered this world. He is no longer on that cross enduring suffering, as some may have you believe. He is in Heaven at the right hand of the Father!

    There is a time to remember the cross and all that Jesus went through to pay the price of our sins, and there is a time to celebrate He's overcome it! If He hadn't, we wouldn't be here. His dying wasn't as much the miraculous part as His resurrection was. Jesus defied death and took back the ground Satan stole, for those who would choose Life.

    Jesus questioned Mary as to why she was crying, confirming that the resurrection is not a cause for tears, but for celebration. Celebrate King Jesus today, rejoicing in all His majesty.

1 Corinthians 15:55 Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? (HCSB)

 Romans 8:34 Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. (HCSB)

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