“Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they (Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome) came to the tomb…And they said, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was VERY LARGE (probably at least 2 tons). And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. HE IS RISEN! HE IS NOT HERE. See the place where they laid Him.” (Mark 16:2-6)
John tells us that the very large “stone had been TAKEN AWAY from the tomb.” (John 20:1) It was just as if the angel had “CAST IT ASIDE”. Then another gospel, the angel said “He is not here; for He is risen, AS HE SAID.” (Matthew 28:6)
On three occasions Jesus taught about HIS DEATH AND RESSURECTION:
- “Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and BE KILLED, and AFTER THREE DAYS RISE AGAIN. He spoke this word openly.” (Mark 8:31-32)
- “For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will KILL HIM. And after He is killed, HE WILL RISE THE THIRD DAY.” (Mark 9:31)
- “Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will CONDEMN HIM TO DEATH and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, AND KILL HIM. AND THE THIRD DAY HE WILL RISE AGAIN.” (Mark 10:32-34)
Then Jesus spoke His farewell words to His disciples, “…you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, HE WAS TAKEN UP, and A CLOUD RECEIVED HIM OUT OF THEIR SIGHT. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was TAKEN UP from you into heaven, WILL SO COME IN LIKE MANNER as you SAW HIM go into heaven.” (Acts 1:8-11)
WHEN HE COMES BACK FOR US, WE WILL BE TAKEN UP TO MEET HIM IN THE AIR.
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham