EASTER SUNDAY: The First Day of the Week

Scripture:

Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’” (Lk.24:1-3, 5-7)

Meditation: Glorify the Son: Risen Savior Jesus Christ!

Early in the morning, the first day, before dawn Jesus rose from the dead. The angel from heaven descended and rolled back the tomb stone and there was a great earthquake. The guards shook for fear became like a dead men. The first people who made discovery of Risen Savior were women, Mary, Mary Magdalene.(Matt.28:1-4) They ran back to disciples and told about the missing body of Christ. Peter and John (whose name was not mentioned in John the gospel due to authorship humility) ran back to empty tomb (Jn.20:3,4). They both were amazed and went back home.

Then Jesus the risen Savior appeared to Mary Magdalene and spoke her about His ascension.
Two followers of Jesus who walked with Him on the road way to Emmaus that same evening, Jesus spoke to them and ate with them. Now one of those two followers name was Simon. (Lk.24:13-34).

This first day at evening while disciples were assembled, when door were shut, Jesus appeared in their midst, saying “Peace be with you.” (Jn.20:19).

Then after eight days when Thomas was presented Jesus came in the midst while door were shut again (Jn.20:26)

Now this is the third time Jesus showed Himself after His resurrection at the Sea of Tiberias to His disciples. This time Jesus ate breakfast (fish menu) with His disciples. (Jn.21:1, 10-12).

Jesus ascended to Heaven on the Mount of Olive before many followers and proven that He is the Risen Savior. Two angels who stood by the crowd confirmed that Jesus would come again just as it was. (Lk.24:50,51; Acts 1:9-12).

The sign of Jonah is the theme for this resurrection Sunday. Jesus said, "This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” (Lk.11:29). Exactly! Our generation today is wicked before God and there is no fear of God. For this generation, Jesus would give the same sign again, if we ask for a sign from Him. The sign of Jonah? Three days and three nights in the bally of fish? That is the greatest sign of Jesus to this generation, the death, burial and resurrection of the Son of God. Why is the greatest sign? Because there is no one in the history of mankind that has victory over the death, but Jesus does. Jesus said that even the wicked generation of Nineveh was repented by Jonah’s preaching, here is greater than Jonah. (Matt.12:41). Which is Jesus refers to Himself as greater than Jonah.

God sent Jonah, for His love upon the people, to the Ninevites before His judgment come upon them. The same manner, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ for the love that He has upon us, to this world.(Jn.3:16,17). If this world could repent from their sins, God would have saved it from the Judgment just like Nineveh. Scripture confirms this; “For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.” (Lk.11:30)

Application:

Jesus said to Martha when Lazarus the brother was died, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believers in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believers in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? The same question that Jesus will ask to you and me, ‘Do you believe?’ It is the matter of faith that determines the destiny of a person. Jesus requires your trust in Him absolutely.

No matter how great His atoning work was if you refuse to accept it for you. Jesus was kind enough to teach the doubtful Thomas who said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” (Jn.20:25). Jesus appeared to Thomas and other disciples saying, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving but believing.” Then Jesus added, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (Jn.20:27,29) Indeed, we are blessed.

Very important command that Jesus left to us that is the great commission; “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mk.16:15). Therefore, we are called to preach the gospel, are we preaching?

Jesus explains to us the passion of Christ as; “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.” (Lk.24:46-48). Till Jesus Christ coming again! Amen!