Breaking News Alert
All of us more than likely are tired of the news (Most of it bad); for the most part it likes to promote fear with the goal to create a narrative that will keep you under their control. This should be a great time for us to share some Good News! Bad news will make good news better!
Matthew 28:1-6 “Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. 3 And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. 6 He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.
The darker the night the brighter the morning; notice verse one uses the word “dawn toward the first day of the week.” Friday the movement stopped the disciples thought their Messiah was dead.
Saturday the movement was silent and Sunday a few women from the movement go to the tomb to remember and pay their respects. Friday and Saturday were dark but then came the dawn of the third day! It is always darkest before the dawn.
2 And behold, a severe earthquake occurred, for an [angel of the Lord] descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.
Why did the angel roll way the stone? The stone was not rolled away so Jesus could get out; it was rolled away so they could get in! The “stone” is an illustration; it is a metaphor for unbelief; the angel was moving it aside so they could have opportunity to know in their heart that He was alive! Our God was not trapped; Jesus was never captured or cornered; there is no “stone” to big for God that He cannot roll away. The “stone” was never holding Him in; it was keeping us out! Friday was real; Saturday was a time of waiting, but Sunday brought deliverance and hope.
H.O.P.E. Hold On Pain Ends.
18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
6 “… Come, see the place where He was lying.” 7 Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead…” Confession is contagious! The angel did not tell them to keep it a secret, he told them to share it with the disciples.
9 And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.
They encounter Jesus as they are going; I believe this encounter teaches us the progression of how to know Him Christ today.
Jesus meets them; who are these women He is willing to meet with? No matter who you are or what you have done He wants to meet you!
They hear Jesus. Verse 9 says “… and greeted them…” They heard the voice of Jesus.
They worshipped Him. “And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.
4. They obey Jesus. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.
The order of the Good News will always be, “come and see” then “go tell.”
11 Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep. 14 And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.” 15 And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.
False news is nothing new!
There are two news reports, which one are you going to focus on? Your focus will determine fear or faith; you get to decide. False news will always desire you to focus fear, so they can control the narrative.
The Good News desires you to focus on faith; it wants you to know the truth, so you can have a future.
If it were true that Jesus’ body was stolen by His disciple in the night, why would all of them be willing to die for that lie? The Good News is – He has risen just as He said.
At 59 I am learning that life is better understood by looking backward, but it can only be successfully lived by moving forward! We know the true news report; He is alive; we know how the story ends.
Here is some real breaking news.
Psalm 91:14-16“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My Name. 15 “He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. 16 “With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation.