Celebrating our Salvation

John 20:1-2 NOW ON the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been removed from (lifted out of the groove across the entrance of) the tomb. ²So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus [tenderly] loved, and said to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him!

There are things about God that will baffle us until the end of the age. There are mysteries that will defy our knowledge, education and human understanding. We have seen from the scriptures that Jesus had followers that had been under His ministry. His mission for them was to teach, impart and birth His spirit on them so that they would take the mantle of the gospel to the world under the leadership and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

That is why after His resurrection He said to them in John 20:21-23Then Jesus said to them again, Peace to you! [Just] as the Father has sent Me forth, so I am sending you. ²²And having said this, He breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit! ²³[Now having received the Holy Spirit, and being led and directed by Him] if you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained.

There were certain things the disciples did not understand when He was still with them before the crucifixion and the resurrection. The bible tells us that the following about when Peter and John went to the empty tomb; ⁹For as yet they did not know (understand) the statement of Scripture that He must rise again from the dead. Jesus would tell them, “I am going to die and rise again,” or “This temple will be brought down and rebuilt in 3 days.” All the disciples did not understand neither did the Jewish leaders. The first temple was built by Solomon and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. The second was built by Zerubabel under very difficult conditions. He and the rebuilders literally had a sword in one hand and implements for building in the other. The rebuilding of the temple was a long and arduous process. The disciples and the Jewish elders did not understand that Jesus was speaking of Himself. In the sample way we as believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit in the earth.

After the crucifixion, there was no kind of security that was not placed by the Roman government near the tomb where Jesus was buried. When the time came for the resurrection to take place human intervention could not stop the divine. The centurions fell asleep and there was a great earthquake. The angels of the Lord and the Holy Spirit were there. The Holy Spirit is the power that was wrought in the dead body of Christ and quickened it to life. Amen. That is the same Spirit that Jesus imparted on His first disciples and us who follow him today. Jesus conquered satan for He went down to the depths of hell to get the keys of death.

Let us look at the disciples. Mary came to see Jesus as soon as the Sabbath was over. She did not come to see the risen Lord but rather to see His body to embalm it. She was looking for the dead, not the LIVING Jesus. She met an empty tomb. This was the first sign of the birth of our salvation but she did not understand. Mary started crying that they had killed the lord and stolen his body. Let us look at the confirmation of his rising. John 20:11 But Mary remained standing outside the tomb sobbing. As she wept, she stooped down [and looked] into the tomb. Women who are strong believers have faith, usually bigger than that of the mustard seed. Mary was an example of such women. They don’t listen to discouragement. They don’t look back.

John 20:3-10 Upon this [news that the body was missing from the tomb], Peter and the other disciple came out and they went toward the tomb. ⁴And they came running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and arrived at the tomb first.⁵And stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not enter. ⁶Then Simon Peter came up, following him, and went into the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there; ⁷But the burial napkin (kerchief) which had been around Jesus' head, was not lying with the other linen cloths, but was [still] rolled up (wrapped round and round) in a place by itself. ⁸Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, went in too; and he saw and was convinced and believed.... ¹⁰Then the disciples went back again to their homes (lodging places). Peter and John [that Jesus tenderly loved] went home thinking this situation is beyond our control. But their faith was gone and all the disciples were fearful. Mary stood there crying, insisting on seeing his body. She did not go home even though she risked being killed.

John 20:12-14. And she saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.  ¹³And they said to her, “Woman, why are you sobbing?” She told them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” ¹⁴On saying this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing [there], but she did not know (recognize) that it was Jesus. Don’t judge her and think you would have known the Lord. We would not have known or recognised it was Jesus. We would have behaved in a similar way. This woman Mary, followed Jesus to the extent that she witnessed the ‘trial’ and barbaric wiping, the nails being hammered into Jesus and when the cross was lifted up. She was even there when he gave up His spirit. These images were imprinted in her mind. Now if you saw a man who looked like nothing of the sort had happened to him, wearing new flowing gown not stained with blood, would it really be easy for you to recognise him as Jesus?

John 20:15 Jesus said to her, Woman, why are you crying [so]? For Whom are you looking? Supposing that it was the gardener, she replied, Sir, if you carried Him away from here, tell me where you have put Him and I will take Him away. Mary was devising a plan in her mind to secretly take him away and bury him. John 20:16 Jesus said to her, Mary! Turning around she said to Him in Hebrew, Rabboni!--which means Teacher or Master. Immediately Jesus said, “Mary” her eyes were opened. How did she know it was him? She recognised His voice. The voice she had heard teaching on countless occasions. The picture of the dead Christ was erased and the picture of the living and risen Jesus was put in her mind. John 20:17 Jesus said to her, Do not cling to Me [do not hold Me], for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brethren and tell them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.

Confirmation 1: Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene  

Jesus has risen. He did not just rise without people seeing him. Jesus made it a point to show Himself to the one who loved Him the most, Mary. The ones who love God most with their whole spirit, soul, body, life and substance, He shows all His grace. Notice that, Jesus did not go to Peter first or reveal Himself when they went to the tomb with John. It is a principle of divine connection which guarantees you receive the best from God's warehouse. When you earnestly seek God and exercise faith you will find Him. Just patiently wait for Him, He will come and refresh and renew you.

Confirmation 2: Jesus appeared to the disciples

John 20:19 Then on that same first day of the week, when it was evening, though the disciples were behind closed doors for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace to you! ²⁰So saying, He showed them His hands and His side. And when the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy (delight, exultation, ecstasy, rapture). 

Confirmation 3: Jesus appeared to a doubting Thomas

John 20:24-25 But Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.²⁵So the other disciples kept telling him, We have seen the Lord! But he said to them, Unless I see in His hands the marks made by the nails and put my finger into the nail prints, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe [it].

Can you see the man (Thomas) in the natural? Do you not see the wisdom in what this man was saying? A good lawyer/detective would ask for the same thing, conclusive proof. Is it not human to ask such things? But he was connected to the natural realm and not the spiritual realm when he asked this. Remember the disciples had not yet received the Holy Spirit who reveals all truth. Don’t Judge Thomas. For many like him are seeking signs in the natural before they believe. Even believers sometimes find it difficult to believe the word without first seeing something concrete. They lack the faith to believe, to them ‘seeing is believing’. It will never be your portion in Jesus name, Amen.

John 20:26 -29 Eight days later His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, though they were behind closed doors, and stood among them and said, Peace to you! ²⁷Then He said to Thomas, Reach out your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand and place [it] in My side. Do not be faithless and incredulous, but [stop your unbelief and] believe!  Note that Jesus was not there when Thomas doubted His resurrection but 8 days later He repeated what Thomas said to the letter. ²⁹Jesus said to him, Because you have seen Me, Thomas, do you now believe (trust, have faith)? Blessed and happy and to be envied are those who have never seen Me and yet have believed and adhered to and trusted and relied on Me. “Part b” of verse 29 is a major plank of the gospel of peace. That is why we say to people, ‘believe in Jesus.’ Do not seek to see the holes in His hand. Blessed is everyone who believes [trusts and has faith in] Jesus without seeing Him. We are among his disciple that have not seen Him but believe. We are endowed with much more spiritual blessings than the first disciples who saw him. We are blessed. What pattern can we see from all these events?

Jesus showed Himself to Mary the one who loved him the most, His disciples and then to His doubter. He also proved that He was not a ghost. There was an insinuation that He was ghost because He suddenly appeared in locked rooms etc. He dispelled these myths by eating and sharing a meal with them, Thomas touched His resurrected body. He conclusively proved that He is the Lord of salvation, His is guaranteed and perfect.

Other confirmations

³⁰There are also many other signs and miracles which Jesus performed in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book.³¹But these are written (recorded) in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (the Anointed One), the Son of God, and that through believing and cleaving to and trusting and relying upon Him you may have life through (in) His name [through Who He is]. This is the gospel of peace. Tell unbelievers to not seek to see the 39 strips on His body, where they pierced Him. The bible says the 39 strips bring healing to our bodies and that His blood atones and redeems us. If you believe He has risen from the dead and is the Son of God, you will have life through His name even after death. Our salvation is guaranteed and sure. Jesus was the Redemption-price, He paid the full price. He is the Perfect substitute. The devil cannot accuse you because Jesus has completed all requirements. IT IS FINISHED!

Psalm 49:7-8 None of them can by any means redeem [either himself or] his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him- ⁸For the ransom of a life is too costly, and [the price one can pay] can never suffice. Nobody could have done it for you, no matter how much they love you. Nobody qualifies for this sacrifice, except the Christ. He paid the full price. We are celebrating the gift of life to humanity, Jesus. Why? Colossians 1:13-14. [The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.¹⁴In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins. Christ has broken and conquered the power of darkness. That is why we can pray deliverance prayers. We are connected to His power. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. We are joyful because we are redeemed. We thank you Jesus, we know our redemption came at a price. We do not take it for granted that you paid with your blood. Jesus is saying to you, “I AM the resurrection and the LIFE. I AM your resurrection and life.” Rise up and thank him.