"Na ka oho te anahera, ka mea ki nga wahine, Kei wehi korua: e matau ana hoki ahau, e rapu ana korua i a Ihu i ripekatia. Kahore ia i konei: kua ara ke, kua pera me tana i mea ai. Haere mai kia kite i te wahi i takoto ai te Ariki. "
"The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay".
— Matthew 28:5-6
The women were expecting to see the body of a crucified man.
The women expected the powers of evil, death, and sin to have overcome the life of Jesus.
They expected to see a dead body lying flat.
They expected despair, disappointment, and death.
They expected silence and stillness.
They expected dead Jesus to remain dead.
He is not here.
Note the order of the angel’s words: 'He is not here'
Then: 'He has risen'
He’s not here.
He’s not here where you expected him.
He’s not here when you expected him.
He’s not here how you expected him.
He has risen from the dead, released from the tomb, and is returning to Galilee.
He is on the move. He’s on the move to a mountain… He’s on a move to announce his co-mission with the disciples
He has risen… He is not here.
He has risen from the dead… In one sense, this is the most significant thing in the story—the resurrection from the dead—and it gets the least attention.
He has risen from the dead… They can see him, hold him, and worship him.
He has risen from the dead… All authority has been given to him.
He has risen from the dead... for us.
He has risen from the dead… to be with us.
Just as he said.
He said he’d rise from the dead.
He said it to the religious leaders (Matthew 12:39-40).
He said it to the disciples (Matthew 16:21).
He said so often that it was common knowledge (Matthew 27:62-64).
So many events in our lives can feel like the tomb. They can feel like sin has triumphed, they can feel like death, they can feel like the end.
In these moments I expect the worst, but because Jesus rose from the dead none of them are the end of the story.
John Stott wrote:
“So, because in no other person but Jesus of Nazareth did God first become human (in his birth), then bear our sins (in his death), then conquer death (in his resurrection) and then enter his people (by his Spirit), he is uniquely able to save sinners. Nobody else has his qualifications”.
Can I encourage you: Jesus has saved you and he is with you.
He leads your church, he is at work in your home, he is at work in your workplace and across your region.
He’s not in the tomb, he is risen, just as he said.
