Shalom,
We are so grateful for Jesus had died and was resurrected for the sinful man. As a result, we were vile but now lifted up; desperate but now hopeful; grieving but now joyful. All because of the power of His resurrection.
In previous week we have learnt about how Jesus died and buried in glory. How was the situation at the time of His resurrection from the dead? John 20:1-18 write, “Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been taken away from the entrance. She went running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb and we don't know where they have put him!" Then Peter and the other disciple went to the tomb. The two of them were running but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and saw the linen cloths but he did not go in. Behind him came Simon Peter and he went straight into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there and the cloth which had been around Jesus' head. It was not lying with the linen cloths but was rolled up by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and believed. (They still did not understand the scripture which said that he must rise from death.) Then the disciples went back home. Mary stood crying outside the tomb. While she was still crying, she bent over and looked in the tomb and saw two angels there dressed in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and the other at the feet. "Woman, why are you crying?" they asked her. She answered, "They have taken my Lord away and I do not know where they have put him!" Then she turned around and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not know that it was Jesus. "Woman, why are you crying?" Jesus asked her. "Who is it that you are looking for?" She thought he was the gardener, so she said to him, "If you took him away, sir, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned toward him and said in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (This means "Teacher.") "Do not hold on to me," Jesus told her, "because I have not yet gone back up to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am returning to him who is my Father and their Father, my God and their God." So Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and related to them what he had told her.”
Mary Magdalene and Jesus’ disciples felt that they had lost their Teacher. Even Mary thought that the body of her Teacher had been stolen. She became worried and cried. Jesus who had risen came closer and asked, “Why are you crying?” At first, Mary Magdalene couldn’t tell who was speaking to her. When Jesus called her name, eventually she recognized the voice of her Teacher and said, “Rabboni!”
From the incident of Jesus’ resurrection which is written in the Bible, we can understand the essence and get the benefit and blessing. During forty days after His resurrection, many times Jesus appeared and talked to His disciples about the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:1-3).
Application: We should behave like Mary who considered Jesus as her Teacher. We, as His disciples, must learn further about His teaching of the Kingdom of God. Let’s focus on His Kingdom whenever we do our activities.
What is the Kingdom of God about? It is a kingdom where Jesus Christ sits at the right side of God the Father as King of kings. Pay attention, Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but righteousness, peace and joy which the Holy Spirit gives (Romans 14:17-18). That’s why, we must seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to us (Matthew 6:33). If we stand on the right place, which is the unshakeable Kingdom of God, we will have the protection from the very person of Jesus who had died and risen in glory. Because of that, we should be thankful and worship Him with honor and fear (Hebrews 12:27-29) for whoever believes in Jesus shall not be perish but receive the eternal life.
How should we carry out the worship? We must do it out of our great reverence for Christ’s sacrifice and our fear of Him. Don’t do it merely as a routine!
In the Gospel of Luke 2:41-47, there was an incident of “loss” which was similar with what Mary Magdalene and the disciples experienced. Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jeruselam to celebrate Passover. When Jesus was twelve years old, He went with them to the festival. After it was over, they went home not knowing that Jesus was not with them. When they realized that Jesus was not with the group, they went back to Jerusalem to search for Him. Three days later they found Him in the temple of God sitting with the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions.
In the atmosphere of resurrection (Passover) Joseph and Mary lost Jesus after worshipping at the temple of God. We can imagine how anxious and worried they must have been. Fortunately, they put all effort to find Jesus. As soon as they entered the temple of God – the center of worship, in Jerusalem and found Jesus, their anxiety and worry were immediately gone. Thus, in the atmosphere of resurrection (three days) they found the “lost” Jesus listening to and discussing about the word of God with the teachers. Jesus as a man appreciated the teachers, just as Mary Magdalene who appreciated Jesus as her Teacher. What was Jesus’ reason to stay in the Temple of God? He had to stay in the house of His Father (Luke 2:49).
Application: As His disciples, we should have a desire to keep on learning about the Kingdom of Heaven where He dwells, and love to worship Him and listen to His word at His temple – the church, with honor and fear of Him.
After Jesus rose from the dead, besides asking the disciples to focus on the Kingdom of God, what other advice did He give to them? He asked them not to leave Jerusalem – the city of peace until they received the promise of God the Father (Acts 1:4-5). Jerusalem was the absolute opposite of Babylon which was chaotic and full of wickedness; so, it was in clear-cut contrast to the Kingdom of God which is full of peace and joy from the Holy Spirit.
Be alert, if we leave “the city of peace” to live not in righteouness and look down on His sacrifice, our heart will be filled with Babylon’s character: envy, hurt feelings, enmity, etc. which will then lead to quarrels between husband and wife, parents and children, and on it goes. Provided that our heart is sanctified by the word of God – Jesus who is able to transform and give us joy, we will be empowered to praise and glorify His name.
The disciples experienced life transformation from being fearful and anxious to joyful and peaceful; and after receiving the Holy Spirit, they were sent (John 20:19-23). The same applies to us. If we appreciate His presence, we will be transformed by the power of His sacrifice. Our hearts wouldn’t be filled with Babylon’s character – envy, hurt feelings, quarrels, etc. – anymore; afterwards, we will receive the Holy Spirit who will enable us to forgive those who have hurt us. Forgiveness is His mercy that can make reconciliation take place.
The resurrection of Jesus has great impact to our life. As His disciples, let’s focus our mind on learning about the unshakeable Kingdom of God to receive His protection and not leaving the city of peace so that our heart wouldn’t be filled with Babylon’s chaotic atmosphere; instead, we will live in the atmosphere of God’s Kingdom in righteousness, peace and joy from the Holy Spirit that will enable us to forgive those who have hurt us, thus we can live peacefully with others. On top of that, God wants to send us to proclaim God’s Kingdom so that many people will be saved from perdition that one day we are gathered together with Him in His eternal Kingdom. Amen.