HIS ALIVE ... JESUS IS ALIVE

Mary the mother of James, and Mary Magdalene and Salome bought spices and sat together preparing the spices.  It was very early when Mary Magdalene went into the kitchen and put everything together while she was putting the spices on the table, the other Mary and Salome can into the kitchen too.  ‘How did you sleep?’ Salome asked as she sat down on a chair near the table.  Looking at her both Mary’s said ‘Not at all’.  Picking up the dish with the spices the three women walked through the door and down the street toward the place where Jesus was buried. 

On their way to the grave they experienced a violent earthquake.  An Angel of the Lord came down from heaven and going to the tomb rolled back the stone and sat on it.  His appearance was like lightning and his clothes were white as snow.  The guards were so afraid of him they shook and became like dead men.

The three women, Mary the mother of James, Mary Magdalene and Salome saw the Angel of the Lord and stood before him like pillars of salt.  

‘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.  Then go quickly and tell his disciples: He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.  There you will see him.’  Now I have told you.’

Running into the tomb they stood in front of the place where Jesus it was empty.

Bewildered and astonished the woman left the tomb in a hurry and yet they felt joy and ran to his disciples.  Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greeting,” he said.  They came to him fell down on their knees clasping his feet, worshiping.  Then Jesus bent down and lifted them to their feet “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.  When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.”  If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”  So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed.  And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will accompany those who believe.  In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.  Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his words by the signs that accompanied it.