“He is Risen” Easter Sunday Message The Gospels

Jesus told them He would be going away and that they could not come with Him.

He tells them, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”

He tells them that for all their belief, they are going to abandon Him.

Jesus chose to get deeply in prayer with the Father, and He told His disciple to pray also; so they would not fall into temptation.

His prayers and anguish were so intense that He sweat from His brow great drops of blood.

Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me.”

One of the temple officers struck Jesus in the face with the palm of his hand. Then, they blindfolded Him and beat and mocked Him.

Suddenly, the rooster crowed, and Peter felt the full weight of what he had done. The words of Jesus came flooding back to him; “Before the rooster crows you will deny Me three times.”

Judas threw the silver down; and rather than repent and seek God’s abundant mercy and grace, he went out an hung himself.

Pilate had Jesus scourged. A flagrum, which is a whip with multiple strips of leather, with shards of glass or iron spikes attached to the ends of each strip; was used to scourge the entire body of Christ.

They spat on Him and mocked Him, “King of the Jews.” Then, they made Him a crown from a thorny bush and beat it onto His head.

All but John had run away. Only John and the three Mary’s (Mary Jesus mother, Mary of Magdalene, Mary the wife of Clopas) and Jesus aunt. Long gone are the throngs whom He healed, and all those He set free from demon possession. And, what of the three people He brought back to life?, No where to be found!

But, even now Jesus prays to the Father for their sake saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Jesus answered him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

With a loud cry He said, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? Which is Aramaic for “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me? Jesus mustered up His final words, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit, It is finished!”

As the Sabbath was quickly drawing near, Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin and a follower of Jesus begged for the body of Jesus, so He could be buried.

Mary Magdalene was especially sad, Jesus had delivered her from seven demons. He had given her freedom and a new life, but what kind of life would there be now that He was gone?

As she made her way she could see that the stone had been taken away. The Greek word for taken away is “Ah’ee’ro” which means to “carry off” to “remove.”

Then John came in, and as he looked upon the folded cloths, he believed. Not only was He gone from her in life, but now she thought Him gone from her in death.

Then, Jesus in His familiar voice and with His familiar way simply calls her by her name, “Mary!” She hugged Him with every ounce of love she could humanly muster.

Saying, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

The words, “It is finished!” Now find there full meaning in three other words, “He is Risen” Risen indeed!