Typically on Easter, my focus is on celebrating Jesus' victory over death and our salvation that resulted from it. This year, however, I have been struck by the darkness before the resurrection. Now more than ever I identify with what the disciples experienced in the wake of Jesus' death. Although Jesus had prophesied many times about His resurrection, when the time finally came for His death on a cross the disciples had forgotten all about what He said.
I can imagine exactly how His followers felt. The waves of fear, sadness, confusion, and hopelessness hitting their hearts all at once like a tsunami. I'm sure they were doubting their faith and wondering if the last three years of their lives had been a waste. Asking each other, how could we have gotten it so wrong? What will happen to us? How can we go back to our lives as they were?
With the difficulties I personally am facing in this season of life, I too find myself doubting God. Questioning His goodness and His plans for me. Letting those same emotions overwhelm my heart. Reading through the gospels and seeing how many times Jesus foretold His own death and resurrection and pointed back to the prophesies in the Old Testament telling of the same, it is easy to scoff at the disciples. How could they have forgotten such a crucial detail of Jesus' message? Why did His words at the last supper not pop into their minds when He was captured?
But if we're honest with ourselves-- we do the same things. We let our hearts be troubled when the Bible tells us not to. We doubt His plans when we know His plans are always good. We ask, where are you, God? when His word tells us He will never leave us nor forsake us. We are as foolish as the disciples in the face of difficulties. We surrender to fear and circumstances all while we have been given the tools to fight.
I challenge you this Easter to put whatever you are facing up against the real and true resurrection power of Jesus. Cast your fear aside and use the weapons He has given you to fight. Remember that no matter the darkness you are in now, God's light always promises to shine through-- the resurrection is coming! Let us not be known as a people who admit defeat in the face of life's hardships, but as those who stand and fight with a power much greater than our own.
Luke 24:1-12
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground.
“Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. “He is not here, but He has been resurrected! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’?” And they remembered His words.
Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them were telling the apostles these things. But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. When he stooped to look in, he saw only the linen cloths. So he went home, amazed at what had happened. (HCSB)
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (ESV)
Jeremiah 23:29 Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (ESV)
Ephesians 6:13-17 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (NIV)
Deuteronomy 31:8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (NIV)
John 14:1 Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. (ESV)
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”(NIV)
I can imagine exactly how His followers felt. The waves of fear, sadness, confusion, and hopelessness hitting their hearts all at once like a tsunami. I'm sure they were doubting their faith and wondering if the last three years of their lives had been a waste. Asking each other, how could we have gotten it so wrong? What will happen to us? How can we go back to our lives as they were?
With the difficulties I personally am facing in this season of life, I too find myself doubting God. Questioning His goodness and His plans for me. Letting those same emotions overwhelm my heart. Reading through the gospels and seeing how many times Jesus foretold His own death and resurrection and pointed back to the prophesies in the Old Testament telling of the same, it is easy to scoff at the disciples. How could they have forgotten such a crucial detail of Jesus' message? Why did His words at the last supper not pop into their minds when He was captured?
But if we're honest with ourselves-- we do the same things. We let our hearts be troubled when the Bible tells us not to. We doubt His plans when we know His plans are always good. We ask, where are you, God? when His word tells us He will never leave us nor forsake us. We are as foolish as the disciples in the face of difficulties. We surrender to fear and circumstances all while we have been given the tools to fight.
I challenge you this Easter to put whatever you are facing up against the real and true resurrection power of Jesus. Cast your fear aside and use the weapons He has given you to fight. Remember that no matter the darkness you are in now, God's light always promises to shine through-- the resurrection is coming! Let us not be known as a people who admit defeat in the face of life's hardships, but as those who stand and fight with a power much greater than our own.
Luke 24:1-12
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground.
“Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. “He is not here, but He has been resurrected! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’?” And they remembered His words.
Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them were telling the apostles these things. But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. When he stooped to look in, he saw only the linen cloths. So he went home, amazed at what had happened. (HCSB)
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (ESV)
Jeremiah 23:29 Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (ESV)
Ephesians 6:13-17 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (NIV)
Deuteronomy 31:8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (NIV)
John 14:1 Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. (ESV)
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”(NIV)
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