Christ Has Risen

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him....

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.(John 20)

As Easter dawned on this day, 2020, there was very little pomp and circumstances filling the churches around the world. 

I am imagining that it was very much the same on the first Easter morning when Mary went to the tomb and found it empty.  

I imagine that there was sadness, fear and many questions; when the angels told them that Jesus was not there.  That he had risen.

And then Mary turning to see Jesus standing there. 

Imagine you standing in Mary's place.

It was just a real moment between Mary and her LORD when she realized he had indeed risen from the dead.

I imagine what it was like in that garden that morning before everybody knew what had occurred. 

I imagine it was very quiet

No trumpets, no shout of Hallelujahs, no big celebration or sings lovely hymns.   

Just an amazing moment of truth shared between two people.

A real moment, tender and precious.  

No history that could add unnecessary truth to it. 

Just Jesus coming alive meeting Mary in the garden with only the angels as witnesses.

Thats all.

That one moment of truth left many with questions and doubts.  

When she went back to tell the disciples that she had seen Jesus, and what he told her, they didn’t believe her. 

A most typically reaction.

However no matter the doubts, the questions, the fears the truth remains.  

Christ had Risen, He had risen indeed.