Hallelujah! The Lord is Risen!
John 20-21
Mary (not Jesus' mother) went to the tomb are found something rather peculiar - the stone was rolled away. Now we're not talking about a couple hundred pound stone or even what we've seen as a perfectly round stone - as a ball would be round. According to http://theosophical.wordpress.com , depending on the type of stone it more than likely weighed between 2,000-4,000 pounds.
Now, granted, Jesus could have blasted through the stone when He was raised, but it was actually much more dramatic for the stone to be rolled away. There would be nothing to grip from the inside to roll it left or right - whichever the case was. He could have just disappeared and reappeared (as it seems He had done later. He could have just spoken the word and removed it - He is God, you know - but still He wanted to prove a point in a way that the impact would be the greatest. Let's face it, He had soldiers guarding the entrance on threat of their lives. I'm at least 99.99% sure that maybe one of them would rest while the other watched for some disciple to come and take the body, but not both. I also don't believe that both were asleep at the time. They totally did not know how He got out... Period.
But He did get out.
Of course John and interestingly enough, Peter both ran to the tomb to verify that Mary wasn't just pulling their leg. Then ran back to the house and told the other disciples. Thomas seemed to be the only one missing, besides Judas, who unfortunately had hung himself - or I believe that Jesus would have forgiven even him. Argue freely on that, if you want. I believe since Jesus could forgive those who beat Him and hung Him on a Cross, He could have forgiven Judas. I believe when he gave the money back, He was showing action to his remorse, he was deeply sorry for what he had done. We tend to isolate, not congregate when we are ashamed or hurting - I think that was Judas' downfall. He isolated. The enemy took that isolation and ran with him all the was to the potter's field, where he hung himself.
I find it interesting that He appeared to Mary - the one Who worshiped and sat at His feet whenever she could. We can learn a lot from Mary, if it's only just that whenever He was around, she was at His feet; listening and worshiping with a thankful heart all the Lord had done for her.
Why didn't He appear to the two disciples? Just speculating, but maybe it's because He needed a little more to time to become 'solid' again (Mary wasn't even allowed to touch Him yet). Maybe it was because they looked, saw the tomb was empty and immediately left to tell the others - not even comforting Mary. Maybe Jesus wanted His first act as Risen Saviour to be one of comforting one of His flock. I like the last one - but it speculation on my part.
I also find it interesting that Peter was with the other disciples. I would have been too ashamed to face the others.... even though ALL disciples fled at the time of His arrest. Maybe they thought that His shame was not greater than theirs. I would have. Think for a moment how you would've felt.
Peter was there along with all the other disciple, except Thomas for some reason, maybe He went out to get bread or something. Jesus JUST appeared in the room. If I were there and came too, I probably would've fainted again.
Jesus showed them His hands and feet, then they REMEMBERED all He had said to them before His death - and KNEW beyond shadow of a doubt that He was/is the Son of God, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the One Who descended into hell - took the keys of death and hell with Him as He rose up from satan's grasp and became ALIVE AGAIN!
Let's all imagine the look on satan's face when he saw he had absolutely no power over death nor hell any longer! That he has lost, not only the battle, but the war and now his fate was sealed. One of my favorite verses is Revelation 20:10 that says, "And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. THEY (including he) WILL BE TORMENTED DAY AND NIGHT FOREVER AND EVER." Period.
The only person that did not see Jesus was Thomas. He doubted the other disciples, probably thinking they were all drunk or something. Then Jesus appeared to Him. He dropped everything, including his jaw (writer's liberty) when Jesus showed him the nail prints in His hands and feet.
He then cooks and eats fish... I think to show He could eat... but also waiting to Peter to come back from fishing. This I believe was His first of millions or acts of forgiveness, redemption and restoration of us as the Children of God, the Lights of the World. Peter, as soon as he saw Jesus, jumped out of the boat and was basically naked when he reached shore. To me, that says, he was in a hurry for one, but it also says, "Lord, I stand before You bare, vulnerable, naked. You know my sin. I have nothing to give You - not even my clothes. I'm sorry for my sin, I repent and I ask You to take me back into Your fold."
Jesus asked three times if Peter loved Him. I'm not concerned as much with what meaning(s) are attributed to the word 'love'. I believe He was asked because He denied Jesus three times; but also because of the Trinity - He had sinned against God, the Son; God, the Father; And God, the Holy Spirit. At the last question, Peter was like, Lord, you KNOW I love you - you KNOW my heart. I would definitely have some tears streaming down my face at this point. Jesus said in love and redeeming power, "Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” And Peter did.
Oh, Lord - today we CELEBRATE Your Rising from the deepest parts of hell with the Keys of death and hell in your left hand and the Keys to the Kingdom of God in Your right hand. Let us choose to follow come to You as Peter did with a humble heart, but also with a resolve to follow You everyday of our lives. To keep you first in our lives. To let others know of Your saving grace, mercy and power.... not just for today, but for always. Let us be gracious to others, because we don't know what they are going through. Let us be merciful to those who need not our anger, but our compassion. Let us show the world Your power in our thoughts, in our words and in our deeds. Let not our will be done in our lives, but give us eyes and ears to hear what YOUR WILL is for us. You are our Risen Lord. Alive and Well and full of Love. Thank You Jesus for EVERYTHING!
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