Sunday, April 8, 2012

ARE YOU SITTING IN VICTORY THIS EASTER?

One of my favorite things about the Resurrection Account of Jesus' Victory of Death and the Grave is  a much overlooked verse from Matthew 28:2! It both delights and fires me up to what Heaven's response was, and continues to be, about the Savior's pending return to Heaven.


It says "And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it" Now at first glance, this is a run of the mill verse....or a set-up, if you will. This is just another introductory verse to the real story. But, wait!


This is the sound and emphatic entrance of Victory! Everything had changed since evil religious men and their pagan Roman cohorts killed the Son of God just 48 hours before! Here is what happened:


- Christ assumed the mantel of Sin for all mankind, for all kind.
- His condition on the Cross was so repugnant to Holy God, that Abba Father could not stand to look at Him. Jesus was virtually on His own out there on Golgotha's mountain, dying for all of us, for all time! 
- The Ancient of Days  and His Son, Who reigned eternally since the Beginning of Time, was away from the Throne of Heaven for the very first and last time ever!
- Everyone in Heaven missed Him!

All creation worships the Lord! Jesus said even the rocks would cry out, if people are shut out by others, from proclaiming Him! Heaven was waiting for 33 years before the Son could complete His ministry or Earth and did all asked of Him, on behalf of you and I!

The level of worship in Heaven is formidable and continuing right now as we speak! Read Isaiah 6: 1-7 and then Revelation 4. The angelic beings LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Lord! They love His Holiness and His Presence! Most of all, they missed their King for those 33 long years He was away from the Throne Room of Heaven!

The Gospel writer - Matthew - gave and I got, the impression that this was one of the Top Messengers of God and he just could not wait to bust of Heaven! Father God shook things up for one of Jesus' own ministering angels and then he rolled away the stone!  Here is the part I love - the Angel "sat upon it"!

First of all, when angels appear in all the Bible, they are always standing! This verse tells us the Angel was so pumped up, due to this mission over the fact of the Resurrection that he pushed that huge rock away. Then to underline the Message from Heaven, by sitting down and proclaiming Christ, the Angel confirms that Jesus accomplished on earth. The earth was now the Footstool as well as the Throne Room of the Eternal King. Now things will be different. 

THEREFORE, MEDITATE UPON THESE ACTION POINTS:
- What  can be applied to our own lives, when we read the most exciting news? 
- This morning, as you read this verse and realize what it really means, are you missing the Presence of Jesus? Did you walk away from Him or maybe you never knew Him as Lord, and Savior?
- Do you have triumphant attitude about your own resurrection one day, when you look at the true meaning of Easter? Does this attitude lead you to a lifestyle of worship which this wonderful ministering Angel, who descended from eternal Heaven, lived?

Please, do think on these things as tomorrow, we will go a little deeper into the Resurrection of this mortal body - or what Paul calls and the western wall calls - The Rapture! Shalom!

(Image courtesy google)

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