Reactions to the Resurrection

When was the last time you saw something, an event, that gave you a real jolt? Something like a natural disaster caused by an uncontrollable flood. Or being bewildered by a snow or ice storm. Or watching, and seeing the effects, of an F3 tornado that leaves you on your knees crying.

The effect of witnessing overwhelming events is dynamic. You know it was too amazing to be fake and too shocking to be a show. It was so intense it changed you from being a spectator to a participant. You know it was real and relevant.

Christianity is occasionally viewed by some folks as being fake, a show, or irrelevant to life. Maybe some well-intended groups have created that sense of uselessness.

There are 3 people in the New Testament I want to tell you about that had the same kind of experience you have had. They experienced an event that gave them a jolt, that filled them with awe, that shocked them. They recognized it was real and relevant.

The event that changed their lives could change yours, too.

INTRO

THE event these 3 people witnessed began early on a special Sunday morning about daylight.

The first person I share with you is Mary Magdalene. She had been a follower of Jesus for most of the 3 years. She loved him greatly. But the religious powers of the day had conspired and were able to have him executed in a most heinous way. She watched him breathe his last. She watched as Joseph and Nicodemus placed his body in a borrowed tomb 3 days earlier.

Mary and some other ladies went to the tomb. They discovered the tomb was open and empty. The others ladies ran to tell Jesus’ disciples, but Mary stayed behind, maybe just in pile, crying. Totally drained. Nothing more left her gas tank.

THEN IT HAPPENED.

John recorded, (John 20) (14)  … she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.  (15)  Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”  (16)  Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).  (17)  Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”  (18)  Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

How would you have reacted? What would you have expected? Would you ever think you would have a conversation with a man you buried 3 days ago?

She blurted out his title: teacher. And then what did she do?

Well, Jesus had to tell her to NOT CLING to him. She was holding on to him. She had glued herself to him. It is almost like she was taking HIM hostage against his will. She was just reacting. But she was reacting to something so unusual, so VERY REAL. She was holding a LIVING Jesus, not a dead one.

And what he told her was VERY RELEVANT. It gave her a way to participate in THE event. He told her to go tell the others. It was something she needed to do. It was full of purpose, need, and joy.

Next, I want to tell you about Peter. He, like Mary, had been very much involved in Jesus’ life from the very beginning. He had witnessed other amazing things (Matt 17:1-5). He had walked on water himself (Matt 14:29). But he also was the one who DENIED knowing Jesus 3 times. Three days ago, he went off and cried the hardest he had ever cried.

Peter heard Mary and the other ladies saying that Jesus was ALIVE.

Luke wrote it down like this, (LUKE 24) (10)  Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles,  (11)  but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.  (12)  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.

Peter did not think these ladies were just putting on a show. He believed in Jesus enough to consider a resurrection from the dead as a possibility. So, he ran, along with John, to the tomb.

John later wrote about THE event. (JOHN 20) (6)  Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He SAW the linen cloths lying there,  (7)  and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.  (8)  Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;  

Both accounts show how Peter SAW the clothes, and WHERE they were, and HOW one was folded. Peter’s response was to study what he was looking at. It did not make sense to him. It would not have made sense to us either. Yes, Peter did go back toward his home, but Luke said he was WONDERING about it. He was examining the facts. We might say he was being a “detective” in his approach.

But here is what is certain about Peter reaction. He was reacting to THE event, a real resurrection. The body was NOT where it was supposed to be. The body was NO LONGER WRAPPED in clothes. Someone ALIVE had taken time to FOLD the face cloth. Peter had no doubt about THESE FACTS. The ONLY conclusion he was forming was that Jesus MUST be ALIVE, that THE RESURRECTION must have happened.

And now, I want to tell you about Thomas’ reaction. He, like the other two, had spent so much time with Jesus. He was someone that demanded more relevant information that the others.

Mary had witnessed Jesus herself. Peter had intensely observed and studied the tomb. Then, that evening, Jesus materialized in a locked room with 10 of the apostles. Thomas was not there. All the others now knew for certain that THE RESURRECTION had occurred. No mistake; Jesus is alive.

But Thomas, needing to observe for HIMSELF the facts. John wrote, John 20:24-29  Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.  (25)  So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “UNLESS I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will NEVER believe.”  Thomas CHOSE to not believe. But his disbelief was conditional.

Eight days later, the RESURRECTED JESUS, came to another of those meetings behind locked doors. Again, just as before, he materialized in their midst. But this time, Jesus addressed Thomas.  (JOHN 20) (27)  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”  (28)  Thomas answered him, “My LORD and my GOD!”  (29)  Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you HAVE seen me? Blessed are those who have NOT seen and YET HAVE BELIEVED.”

A LIVING RESURRECTED Jesus addressed Thomas directly. Thomas is looking at the man he saw die on that cross. When was the last time you did something like that? And he saw the hole in Jesus’ hand. He could have put his hand into Jesus’ side. REAL Hands and a REAL body. This was no magic trick. It was not a show.

His reaction WAS life-changing. He proclaimed Jesus as his owner and master. He said Jesus must be GOD. And not just “a god”, but MY God. He would not have had this reaction if THE resurrection was not real.

These 3 people reacted like ANYONE would have if they were experiencing a living, breathing, talking, touchable, evidence-producing, phenomenon named Jesus. He, who was dead, is now alive.

And because Jesus is alive, because Jesus overcame death, ANYONE who follows Jesus CAN live forever.

Is the resurrection real to you?

Is the resurrection relevant to you?

If it is now becoming real or relevant to you for the first time, you MIGHT need some assistance.

Or, if you still have questions, or, like Thomas, need more information, we are here to help you.

Do this: text the number you see here. We will start a conversation by giving you information or assistance.

Or do this: use the contact form here at Timeless Talks.Net to email your request. It will be handled very promptly.

At Timeless Talks, we love you and want only the best for you. Let’s visit like this again, soon.

Until then, well, goodbye for now.