Today’s Reading: Matthew 28:2-4, 8-20; Mark 16:1-9, 15-18, 20; Luke 24:4-11, 13-53; John 20:2-19, 21-31; 21; Acts 1:6-26

Hello everyone! You can feel winter quickly approaching, eh?

Wow! There is a lot in today’s passage. There is so much to take in. I mean, to read that Jesus has risen from the dead is enough for us to chew on alone. That means death has been conquered. The Law is no longer applicable. Jesus really is God. Things are changing for everyone from now on.

Something that caught my attention during the retelling of the resurrection of Jesus was the angel.

“There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.” (Matthew 28:2-4)

When the angel rolls back the stone and sits on it, it’s almost as if he is saying, “Ha! Death is conquered. You can’t stop God.” He just sits on the stone as if he has claimed God’s prize. I visualize the picture of a person with their foot on their freshly killed hunt, such as a bear.

Shortly after He rises from the dead, His women disciples show up to the tomb. They are given the privilege of sharing the news of Christ risen before anyone else. What I find significant is that they are women. In those days, the word of a woman didn’t amount to much. The fact that it is recorded that the women found out first is very important and testifies to the authenticity of the Bible.

Huh, the guards run and tell the chief priests everything that had happened, but it does not say they didn’t believe the guards. I find this very interesting. They might have believed that what they said had truly happened, but they knew their reputations would be tarnished forever if this story were to run wild. Sadly, they didn’t count on the disciples of Jesus spreading the story like wildfire. Ha! So, no one could stop the truth.

John 21:1-14 recounts of how after Jesus’ resurrection, there is another incident such as what happened in Luke 5:1-10.

After several appearances to His disciples, He then prepares them for His soon departure. He tells them to “stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” This indicates that the Holy Spirit is coming.

Jesus sends out His disciples with a command which most of us know, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Did you know that command is for us too? Go and do likewise.