A short time before the women arrived to tend to the burial needs of their slain Messiah, a small earthquake shook the earth. An angel appeared on top of the stone covering the opening to the grave. He was white as snow. The stone was removed from Jesus’ protected tomb. The soldiers who were appointed to guard the tomb were shaken to the core. Their bodies seared with an unearthly light. They fell frozen to the ground. After the tomb was opened, the guards ran to tell their superiors what had happened.

The women reached the opening and seeing the empty tomb they became afraid. Their first thought had to be that someone had come in the night and stolen the body. The expensive jars of spices and burial herbs fell to the ground, and they began to cry. The sun was rising in the east. Shards of gold filled the sky, and a myriad of color filled the clouds. Where was Jesus? As the women entered the tomb, they saw the burial garments strewn across the stone slab where Jesus had been placed. The cloth that covered His face was folded neatly and placed at the top. The women didn’t understand what had happened. They had been there when Jesus was crucified. They saw His stricken body pour out every last drop of His blood. They watched helplessly as He died. Now He was nowhere to be found.

We have the blessing of knowing what happened on that day. Jesus had been resurrected from death. He was alive as He said He would be. Even though they had spent three years with Jesus, they couldn’t possibly have grasped the truth of this event. None of this made sense. How would you have responded?

“HE LIVES ETERNALLY AND SO WILL WE,” BY KATHY BOECHER©

Across refreshing waters pure, the sign remains in place. The glorious cross of Jesus, Christ, transcends both time and space. Instrument of execution, stained with blood, sweat and tears,  A symbol of the sinless lamb, promised throughout the years.

The sign of His suffering and pain, punishment He sustained. The spikes that invaded His flesh, the scars that would remain. Spiny thorns pierced His Holy head, the people mocked and jeered. Yet submissive the Lamb went on, His resolve never veered.

In words that He spoke from that cross, He tended to His flock, No care for His own suffering, His body now in shock. He lifted His powerful voice, invited one to hear, To join Him that day ain His realm, alive and without fear.

He prayer that God’s will would be done, He breathed His last and died. The people thought it was useless, they wondered, and they cried. Three days later He conquered death, rising again to life. He did what He said he would do, redeemed us from our strife.

The cross in itself is ugly, a symbol of our death, but the resurrection glory, assures us of new breath. Projecting our future story and how our Shepherd true. Designed this plan for everyone, no more would sin accrue.

His life for ours was given there, upon those blood-stained beams, so we could share in His kingdom, and live beyond our dreams. Peace everlasting and love will reign. Sorrow we will not feel. The cross of Christ is our refuge, through His life we are healed.

And when the cross is our vision, when fear assaults our soul. There is nothing more sufficient, than Jesus’ final goal. The empty tomb, the risen Lord, is all the proof we need. To know that we’re forgiven of all our sinful deeds.