The Power of A Risen Savior

Story: Here we see Mary Magdalene and the other Mary have gone to the tomb where Jesus was buried, scripture says ‘to look at it.’ Mark details that the women were going to the Tomb to anoint Jesus’ body with spices, either way, we know that they went to the place where Jesus was buried. When they arrived, a violent earthquake occured when an angel of the Lord appeared and rolled the stone away and sat on it. Remember, Pilate had already ordered that the guards were to be placed in front of the stone to keep the Disciples from “stealing Jesus’ body to stage a hoax Resurrection.”

The Scripture says that the guards were so afraid that they shook and became as dead men. But, the women were still there. They were experiencing the same supernatural and divine intervention as the guards, but from different perspectives.

Even though Pilate bit the bait from the Pharisees “Fake News” about the Disciples staging a resurrection, it still wasn’t the slightest bit of a deterrent from Gods Plan. The Power of God was strong enough to Resurrect Jesus from the Dead, despite Pilate’s provisions. It was strong enough to cause an earthquake, stop the guards in their tracks with fear, yet instruct and give comforting news to the sisters at the very same time. Power. But what kind of power?

The Power to Reach All

It’s no accident that God chooses some of the least likely individuals to do important things. The overlooked, underprivileged, no class, slow-class, low class, upper class, educated, uneducated, wealthy, poor, timid and sick are easily found to be involved in Gods Plan. Even those who are culturally discredited. It was not customary for women to be seen as credible witnesses in first century Jewish culture. Given this fact, would it not make more sense to ensure that the Disciples receive this good news of Jesus’ resurrection from someone considered to be a credible witness? Perhaps, but the Power of God did more than just raise Jesus from the dead. It restored credibility to those who were considered unlikely. Once the angel of the Lord invited the women into the tomb to seethe place where Jesus used to lay, they were immediately credible witnesses. They went from not being allowed to testify, to charged with helping to carry out The Great Commission. The purpose for Jesus dying on the cross was for the remission of sins for all (forgiveness/pay the debt). The Blood Shed on the cross was and is enough to reach all and Jesus gave his life Once for ALL TIME. Because God’s power reaches ALL, culture, laws, trends, poverty, wealth, sickness, health, kingdoms, presidents, reputation, nothing can stand in the way of God reaching the unlikely and making them credible.

The Power to Redeem All

Through the Resurrection power, we see a complete contrast from another encounter in the past. In the Garden of Eden, it’s no secret that Eve played a critical part in participating in sin and receiving the sanctions that sin carries with it. From this, the need for a Savior is evident, as sin separated us from God. When given instruction in the Garden of Eden, disobedience was the chosen course of action from Eve. However, when given instruction from the angel of the Lord after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we see obedience from these women. Through their obedience, these women play an important role, not just spreading the news about the Resurrection of Jesus, but actually bearing witness to the empty tomb and later, the Risen Savior. This is redemption. It no longer mattered that sin was ushered into the world in the Garden of Eden, we now had a Risen Savior with ALL POWER. We see a change taking place at this time. For these women, There is a shift from not only the duties of setting the tables, but now a duty of setting the scene for the Disciples hiding out in the room. These women were now qualified by the Power of The Risen Savior to bear witness to the resurrected body of Christ.

We serve a God who never overlooks those that society deem as 2nd class or an afterthought. Even America, tries to help those who may be disadvantaged or underprivileged, but America can’t even beat Gods’ giving.

Jesus’ short-lived Resurrection tour allowed him to encounter some of these disadvantaged 2nd class people.

Jesus encountered the scary-cat Disciples in Galilee. They were distraught, in grief, and in fear of their lives after the burial of Jesus and didn’t know what to do next. Because they were known as followers of Christ, they were witnesses as well. However, before any such Witness Protection Program even existed, there was the Power of The Risen Savior. The Power to restore the fellowship among the Disciples, so that Jesus could tell them about the Comforter that was still to come; The Power to remove all doubts from the Disciples, including Thomas who wanted to lean on his own understanding and logic and not trusting in the Lord.

Jesus also encountered the women on their way to tell the Disciples their testimony. Before the National Organization of Women was created in 1966, there was the Power of the Risen Savior. That Power was strong enough to transcend Jewish cultural barriers, allowing them to bear witness to the Disciples as credible eyewitnesses to the Resurrected and Risen Savior.

Aren’t you glad that we have a Risen Savior with all power in His hands?