When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.
Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb
and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.
As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.
But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ”
Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
Mark 16:1-8 ESV
Who is Jesus?
Jesus is the way-maker to dead-ends.
Even in dark times God is at _work_.
Even in your dead-end journey of doubt and disappointments, God is still working.
So, don’t. . . . .
- Stop in your struggle.
- Detour in your disappointment.
- Fail in your frustration.
Resurrection Message:
- God has already _worked out_ what you are _worried about_.
- God has already taken steps for your _miracle_ as you take steps _toward_ Him.
- God always has the final say so, “This is not the end.”
Even if you are a follower of Christ, there are times of doubt, disbelief and times of living in what seems to be dead-ends.
but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.
Luke 24:11-12 ESV
What changes doubt, disbelief and dead-ends?
++Jesus, the resurrected Christ.
As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They have him a piece of boiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them.
Then he said to them, “”These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”Then he opened their minds to understand Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.
Luke 24:36-48 ESV
“these things”…
The disciples witnessed the worst possible pain and suffering to the very best person they would ever know.
Their conclusion…
++God is not absent in our pain or suffering because of Jesus who suffered and sacrificed Himself to conquer death and sin.
He is present in our greatest need.
The Resurrection of Jesus changes a life of “dead-ends” to a life of faith and hope.
knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
I Peter 1:18-21 ESV
- Doubt to _faith_.
- Hopelessness to _living hope_.
- Weakness to _witness_.
- Failure to _forgiveness_.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
John 11:25 ESV