“The told all these things …”
Luke 24:1-12
1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.
9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
Today it is estimated that there are around 2.4 billion people in the world who identify as Christians. It is the most popular and the most widely distributed religion on earth.
Any every Christian has heard the message of the risen lord from another believer.
In other words, all 2.4 billion Christians alive today, knows someone, who knew someone who knew someone…. Who heard the message from one of the people in this passage today, where on the first day of the week, early in the morning, they realised that Jesus had risen from death. This realisation was very good news. In fact, it was THE Good News. This is the Gospel: (Gospel means Good News in old English). Jesus is alive!
The simple act of telling others about Jesus has changed the world. Sunday is a weekend day because Jesus rose on a Sunday (the first day of the week). We divide history into BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini, meaning the Year that our Lord lived).
How will I share this Good News that not only did Jesus rise from death nearly 2000 years ago, but he is also alive IN ME?! I have so much communication available at my fingertips. All I need to do is work out how to use it effectively to be able to tell the world that He is risen!
Lord, give me courage, skill and wisdom in how to communicate the Good News every day in everything I do to everyone I know. May the Good News continue to go out and change the world.
Written by Ps. Justin Ware
You may also find the Bible Project’s video about the resurrection of Jesus helpful. It’s at https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/gospel-luke-5/ .