The Rest of the Story

Matthew 28:6-8 - "He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFIaqn0EG3E&sns=em

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So proclaimed the angel. It's the rest of the story. While He died, He IS now risen! He is alive. We may not see Him but He's here. By faith we believe. His Spirit is alive. 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews‬ ‭11:1‬)

...we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. (Romans‬ ‭8:24-25‬)

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. (Hebrews‬ ‭11:7‬)

Noah. Without knowing why. Prepared an ark. So that anyone who heeded his warnings and entered that ark would be saved. From a flood. Which no one had ever heard of before...What's a flood? What's rain? By faith he built the ark. Noah and his family waited, maybe with perseverance, maybe with anticipation or anxiousness. But they did it...in faith. 

Little did Noah realize that this ark would be a precursor to the ark that would be the Messiah, our celebrated, adored, worshiped Jesus Christ. The Door...to the ark. The Door, the Way. To safety and life. From the destruction. Of our sins.

We should also fear Him. But our fear should be reverent fear. If we fear anything in the way we think of fear it should be for our lives. Or we fear Jesus because we are convicted by our own sin. BUT GOD...has provided the Way into the safety of a new Ark to take away that sin. Our sins went to the cross on Jesus. 

But He's alive! He conquered the grave. He's in His rightful place at the right hand of God. All He did He did for us. He has returned that all may be set free. It takes a great deal of faith to trust and believe in Someone we cannot see. It may be why it's so hard for some to do. They may recognize, and I don't like saying this, a higher power, but aren't always sure what they recognize is for real. He's alive! He is real. Trust those feelings.

Like the two women who went to the tomb that dawn, we should be filled with joy. We should be so filled with joy we share what Jesus has done for us. He has forgiven me of my sin. He has made me new, through Him. I can rejoice with all the others who have received Him.

When Jesus appeared later to the disciples, the great commission was exhorted.

Matthew‬ ‭28:18-20‬ ‭- And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end 
of the age.” Amen.

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