He is not here...

Next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, 'After three days I will rise again.' Therefore order the sepulchre to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away, and tell the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first." Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can." So they went and made the sepulchre secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard. Now after the sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulchre. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Lo, I have told you." So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Hail!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me." - Matthew 27:62-28:10

He is risen. What else must be said? It is fitting to close the year with the resurrection. Beginning the new year with remembering how we were made new by He who took our transgressions, died with them, left them in the grave and rose to defeat all sin and death. Not to bring down shame upon the religious but to release them from the bondage of their religion.

The Pharisees, however, wished to hold their religiosity as long as possible. They even break their sacred law of the Sabbath, according to Barclay, by approaching a Gentile on the Sabbath. It was after the preparation of the Sabbath, so after 6pm when they came to Pilate and begged him to keep the Son of God in the grave. They knew it might be true, but they did not want it to be so they wished to keep Him there in death. Pilate responds, and Barclay makes this good point, "make it as secure as you can." As though he says, "do what you can, if you think you can."

Unlike the leaders, Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" were rewarded for dedication. Maybe they came in anticipation of seeing what He had said would happen. They were there at the cross watching their Lord die. They were there sitting across from the tomb as He was laid to rest behind the stone. Maybe because of these things, Mary and Mary were the first ones there to see the risen Savior. They were the ones greeted by the angel and told of the greatness of this King who defeated His enemies.

He tells them not to fear for He is the God of the living not the dead. Therefore He could not be kept in the grave. He is One who is about the welfare of His people by raising them from the dead. By bringing life to those dead in sin.

He commands us to "Come, and see!" Come to the Lord and see Him for who He is. Clothed in majesty. Raised in glory. A Jesus who makes all things new, so when you come you are changed. When you see Him for who He is and what He has done for you, washing you clean from all that makes you filthy, you are made new.

Because of these things, "Go and tell." Not just the angel but the Savior says to go and tell the brethren. Go and tell those who are waiting. Those who think they know but don't. Even those who don't know but may. Go and tell them of the risen Jesus who lives and loves them through this life that has risen from the grave for them.

In the end, the soldiers, who were made like dead men, did the same. They went and told the leaders of what they heard and saw. The leaders, some must have believed, chose to hide the truth by bribing the messengers. They would rather hold to lies that keep their chains tight then believe and be released from bondage. Amazing that even the Lord's enemies, those who He could save with one drop of His blood, chose to hide the power of His death and the life in His resurrection, then to trust that what He said He would do, He did.

TW