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