The Best News Ever!

“He is not here: for He is risen, as He said, Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”  Matthew 28:6

The Lord is risen; He is risen indeed.  Yesterday’s blog was about the women who were followers of Jesus and were close friends of His.  I think that they had a better grasp of His mission on earth than did His disciples even though the women were not privy to all the details of God’s plan of redemption.  Women seem to be more intuitive than men.  Jesus had told His disciples several times that He would go into Jerusalem, be killed, and then rise again.  It sort of went over their heads, but to be fair, God had not revealed everything to them that would transpire as Jesus made His way to Calvary.  They would have to experience it for themselves, and then they would understand.  You can tell me how something works, but if you show me and let me get involved in the project, it will make more sense to me.  Once the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4) after the ascension of Jesus back to His Father in heaven, and as they began to go on mission to spread the gospel, everything that Jesus had taught them over three plus years became clear to them.

The women were present at the crucifixion but some watched from a distance (Matthew 27:55) except for Mary, Jesus’ mother, and a few others who were present near the cross (John 19:25).  I can’t imagine how horrible it was for Mary to stand and watch her Son suffer the torture of hanging on a cross in agonizing pain and then to hear the jeers and hateful remarks made by some in the bloodthirsty crowds.  As a mother who has lost a son, I can certainly empathize with her, but as painful as my experience was, hers was so much worse.  She, too, was in agony.  As yesterday’s blog mentioned, the women were also front and center in helping to prepare Jesus body for burial.  Guess who were the first ones to come to the tomb on the day of resurrection and find the tomb empty?  Again it was the women.  The four gospels together give us the identities of those who came.  Matthew tells us that it was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, most likely the mother of Joses and James, cousins of Jesus.  Mark confirms these two along with Salome, the mother of James and John, Jesus’ disciples.  Luke adds Joanna, the wife of one of Herod Agrippa’s stewards, and also writes that there were other unnamed women.  John only identifies Mary Magdalene.

Mary Magdalene was also the very first person to which Jesus appeared after His resurrection (John 20:14-16).  She was also the first person to go tell the good news that Christ had risen (John 20:17-18).  Why do you suppose that Jesus chose to reveal Himself to a woman after He arose?  I can only speculate, but perhaps it was to indicate that women are just as important to Jesus as men and have the same opportunities to be part of God’s family.  Up until Jesus came and treated all people without prejudice, women were considered “second-class” citizens.  One of my friends and mentor who is now deceased used to say that “Jesus was the greatest liberator of women that the world has ever known.”

God made men and women different in order that they could complement each other and to fulfill His will.  However, there is no difference in salvation.  All have the same invitation to come to Christ.  He forgives all who come to Him in repentance and belief regardless of age, sex, race, nationality, or socio-economic standing.  When God the Father raised Jesus to life after the crucifixion, it was God’s sign of approval that Jesus had paid the full penalty for the sins of all people, and the guarantee that God will save anyone who repents and believes in Christ.  Being born again enables men, women, boys, and girls to spend all eternity with the King of kings and Lord of lords in a place so beautiful and peaceful that we can only imagine what it is like.  Not only that, but when we are born again we receive the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us as we live each day.  And that is the best news ever!