Hokay. Here goes...
Jesus rises from the dead - Luke 24:1-12
Jesus is alive! Jesus is alive! Jesus is alive! Not only did He die for us, but He conquered death, too. If Jesus hadn't risen from the dead, He would have just been another martyr, a wonderful human who died for what He believed in and the people He loved. But that wasn't the end of the story. The sorrow of death was defeated by the joy and victory of eternal life! Oh happy day.
Questions:
-Jesus conquered sin and death. How do you experience this truth in your life? Where has He conquered sin and death in you?
One really cool way I've seen Jesus conquer sin and death in my life has been this year. I'm naturally a worrier, and during midterms and finals times, generally found in a state of extreme stress, lacking sleep and greatly lacking in essential Jesus-time. So during winter quarter, I really began praying about it. I'd heard a number of talks about how stress wasn't trusting God and was therefore sinning against God because it wasn't putting everything in His hands. I wanted to trust God and stop thinking and worrying about doing poorly on exams, getting bad grades, my GPA dropping, losing my scholarships, and thus having to leave DU (snowball effect commences). It was wearying. So I began to earnestly pray to be able to trust God. And I was able to, my worry left, but my stress didn't really. I accepted to that I could only do my best and believed Jesus would do the rest, but I still felt utterly overwhelmed by the mountains of assignments. There was no peace, no rest. But I trusted God! I didn't know what else to pray for, then I realized - peace. So I began to seek God's peace, and He granted it. Since then, I've been nearly stress and worry-free. Granted, it pops back up, but usually for brief periods of time (a few hours instead of many days). God has set me free from my chains of stress and worry, about school, finances, and my future. He has given me such beautiful peace and the ability to rest in Him and really trust His plans for my life, even if they're difficult now (primarily the financial ones), and that He knows what my future will look like and all I need to do is live in the moments He has given me now and leave the rest of my life up to Him, to be revealed to me when the time comes.
-Like Mary, do you have a heart to run and tell others? Why or why not?
I'd like to think I do. I think often I have the heart...the problem is whether or not the actions follow. Too often I struggle with caring too much what other people think of me. Fearing that they may judge me, label me as a "fanatic" or "Jesus freak" (in a not-good way), I stay back, keep my words to myself, allow my faith to be an internal me-thing, instead of the driving force of my life that shines out in all I do. I'd like to think I have the heart Mary had, to dash out and spread the beautiful news of Jesus' love and victory over death, but I realistically know that I have a long way to go. Jesus will help me, He will change me, that I believe.
-How does Peter's reaction demonstrate his love for Jesus?
He didn't care that the news sounded like nonsense, if there was any chance Jesus was alive, he was going to find out! Peter ran to the tomb, probably giddy with the thought that Jesus might be alive, and also terrified that his hopes were in vain. But whether he was doubtful, afraid, or just curious, he ran to the tomb to find out for himself, unwilling to just label the women who reported the news as "crazy" or "delusional" and pass their words by.
-In what areas of your life has Jesus made you most alive? What dead places need to be taken to the Lord and made alive?
He has really given me a heart for the lost, broken, and abandoned people. I have a passion for adoption that Jesus gave me when I was pretty young, and more recently He's planted in my heart a passion for those in slavery as well. But an area I need to be made alive in is actually living out these passions for Him. Too often I do things for my own glory, to build up my own self-image. Though I know these desires, at their root, come from Jesus, it can be easy to make them about myself, how good I look for caring, how servant-hearted I seem, how great it is that I want to help, but no. It's about Jesus. This is His heart, and He has shared those passions and desires with me so I can further His kingdom, for His glory, not my own. -How does the empty tomb change your view of eternity? Of death and dying?
I don't know. I've believed in Jesus' death and resurrection for as long as I can remember. In my perceptions of the world, death, and life, Jesus, Heaven, and hell have always been part of the picture.
-What hope does it bring to you that Jesus is really alive?
So much hope, so much joy! Not only did Jesus sacrifice His very life for me, but He rose from the dead and finished paying for my sins, allowing me the chance to one day actually meet Him, and God, and live with them in their glory, praising and worshiping and just being with them. It's going to rock. And Jesus made that possible! It's beyond awesome, it makes me so happy just thinking about the beauty and glory of the cross and salvation.
-Through the Holy Spirit, the risen Christ lives in and though us. How have you experienced this reality?
One just by knowing that God is with me at all times. He's there when I just need a strong hand to hold me up, when I need a comforting arm wrapped around me, when I am overjoyed with something small or something huge, He's there for me to elatedly relay the story to. He's there when I'm afraid, angry, sad, frustrated, questioning, doubting, overjoyed, thrilled, frustrated - for every emotion He's there for me to talk to about it, and that is beyond comforting. But He's also there to help me grow, to tell me when I'm wrong, to speak truth into my life. I truly believe I've heard His voice a number of times, comforting me, giving me a promise, and telling me my sin or failure to believe and rely. Sometimes I feel like He speaks to me through my own voice of reason, helping to direct my thoughts to the appropriate place, and at others times I've really heard His audible voice. And at other times, His presence is just so strong, I can just really feel Him there, His power, grace, and majesty surpassed by none.
-What do we learn from the empty tomb about Jesus' power and authority?
It's awesome! Jesus conquered death, He is utterly powerful and has authority over everything, even over death and sin. He is the most beautiful, wonderful, powerful, great God we could ever imagine. He's so beyond awesome I don't think we could possibly fabricate Him, He's too complex, too wonderful. He is absolutely the God of the universe, and I am so blessed He calls me His.
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