5/3/2025 Jesus is with us
Just a little
reminder should we have forgotten. In today’s
world, our enemy is hard at work to get our focus off track and worry about the
things round us so that we focus less on our communication with our Lord and
Savior. Yes, we need to read the scriptures
referenced to receive the full impact.
Matthew 28:1-9
1 In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher.
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
Because Jesus’ body had to be buried before 6:00 PM (when the
Sabbath started), the two Marys came the day after the Sabbath to anoint His
body (Mark 16:1). Can we even begin to
imagine how they felt upon seeing this guy, dressed in white and as bright as a
lightening flash, just sitting on the rock he had just rolled away from the
tomb.
5 And the angel answered and
said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was
crucified.
When an angel of the Lord appears, as examples, it seems he always
says “Don’t be afraid” (Luke 1:26-30) as with Mary, or as when the angel speaks
with Jacob (Isaiah 41:8-10). Father
always calms our fears when He approaches us, through an angel or the Holy
Ghost.
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place
where the Lord lay.
7 And go quickly, and tell
his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goes before you
into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
Today, Jesus’ first choice in speaking with us (Christians) is
through the Holy Ghost, as He intercedes for us (Rom. 8:26-27), yet, if we
aren’t hearing Him clearly, we may entertain angels without knowing it (Heb.
13:1-2) or speak through a fellow Christian as with Agabus and Paul (Acts
21:10-11).
8 And they departed quickly
from the sepulcher with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples
word.
When we have an encounter with the Lord, do we hide it, or do we
share it? Are we afraid of what people
might say if we tell them? Or are we
excited and can’t wait to tell them?
9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
10 Don’t be afraid, Jesus will meet us in His appointed time.
The women
had just experienced the worst that could happen in their lives at that time,
the death ad burial of Jesus! Everything
was looking its darkest where had their hope gone? Haven’t we been there at various times in our
own lives?
So where is
our hope? Whatever comes our way, our
faith needs to stand in the power of Jesus Christ and not the world. We can attain the glory which God has ordained
before the world (1 Corinth. 2:1-7). Neither
has eye seen nor ear heard nor has it entered into the heart of man the things
God has prepared for us, who love the Lord.
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit, even the deep things
of God. How does man know about man
except by the spirit of man which is in him?
Likewise, no man knows the things of God except by the Spirit of God (1
Corinth. 2:9-11). Jesus says that the
Holy Ghost shall be in us (John 14:17, Acts 1:8). He abides in us who know the Lord (Rom. 8:9,
1 John 3:24). When we encounter Jesus,
the 120 in the upper room give us an example of what to expect (Acts 2:1-16). Something to remember! Baptism (infilling) in the Holy Ghost is not something
that can soon be forgotten.
Jesus will
show Himself to us as with Mary Magdalene, who thought He was a gardener, (John
20:11-16) or to the disciples who were fishing (John 21:1-7) or at His
ascension (Acts 1:1-9). In fact, more
than 500 disciples saw Jesus after His resurrection (1 Corinth. 15:3-6). Through Jesus, we have access to the Father
through the Spirit (Eph. 4:18). And even
after the ascension, Paul had an encounter with Jesus on the Road to Damascus
(Act 9:1-19). Jesus did not appear ‘in
the flesh’ before Paul, but Paul knew he had an encounter with Jesus.
We see the
Holy Ghost coming upon Jesus as a dove (Matt. 3:16-17) and Jesus declares that
He and the Father are one (John 10:30).
We also note that in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and
the Word was God, His life is the light for man who was made flesh and is the
only begotten of the Father (John 1:1-14).
Jesus
desires us to be one with Him as He is one with the Father that we may abide in
that love as well because the Lord is
with us (John 17:18-26)! Take heart because
Jesus is always with us (via the Holy Ghost – Heb. 13:5). After all, is Jesus is for us who can stand
against us (Rom. 8:31)?
So when
situations come upon us, is Jesus with us?
Through the Holy Ghost in us (John 14:15-18)!
Jesus WILL
come to us. All we have to do is ask and
He will be there (John 14:13-14). He
will never leave us nor forsake us.
Again, the Holy Ghost abides in us, always (John 14:16)!
Amen
