Matthew 28Happy New Year 2021!! Are you ready for this new
adventure in the Lord? I definitely am.
I know for sure I still have a lot more to learn from my failed
expectations from last year, which showed me how much more I need to lean and trust
in our Lord!
Today we are closing the book of Matthew and our 2020
study “Walking in Wisdom”, and we pray that each one of you who have been part
of this had the opportunity to grow closer to our Heavenly Father! We are so eager to start our new 2021 study
on “Women of the Old Testament”, trusting our Lord will continue His amazing
work of love in each one of us!!
As we begin reading today´s scripture we read that:“… after
the Sabbath, near dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene
and the other [Mary went to look at the tomb”(28:1), and saw that the
stone had been rolled away (Matt. 28:2; Mark 16:4; Luke 24:2; John 20:1 ). Entering the tomb, they saw “two men”
(Luke 24:4), one of
whom spoke to them (Mark
16:5) and told them:
“Do not be afraid; for I
know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.” (28:5)
Let´s stop here for a
moment and try to imagine the sorrow and fear they had experienced as they had
witnessed ALL Jesus had endured; all the hopelessness; their failed
expectations…What would be of their lives and their future without their Master?
And then they found out He was not even there!!
Many of us this 2020 felt
the sorrow of “losing” a dear one, jobs, homes, health…. And we might look at this 2021 with “Sorrow Eyes”.
I´m sharing the following post hoping it will bless you giving you hope for
this New Year:
“Can you imagine the sorrow the followers of
Jesus felt as they went to the tomb that first Easter morning?
SORROW’S EYES COLORED EVERYTHING THEY SAW.
The same can be true for us when we are going
through difficult times. We often forget what God has promised.
● The view at the foot of the cross was fresh in
their memories.
It was unimaginably horrific to see. They had
placed their hopes in Jesus and their Hope had died with Him! The Light…
snuffed out with His death!
“Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and
so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels
in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus
had been lying”.
● Even as Mary talked to the angels she could
not really see what was happening since despair and grief colored her
perception of the events
● SORROW’S EYES MISS A LOT! ● Facts don’t matter
when one is blinded by despair!
(As the story unfolds in John 20:13-18 Jesus himself
speaks to Mary) “Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you
weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said
to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid
Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She
turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher).
Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to
the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and
your Father, and My God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene came, announcing to
the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He had said these
things to her.”
● At first, ‘sorrow’s eyes’ had blinded Mary;
though her eyes functioned she did not see who was right in front of her. But
the moment she heard the Master’s voice her eyes were opened and she saw with
“Resurrection Eyes”!
● Without ‘Resurrection Eyes’ we see
HOPELESSNESS
● But with “Resurrection Eyes’ we see HOPE
● Anything is possible when you look with
“Resurrection eyes”
● Everything looks different standing in front
of the risen Christ.
● Your Life begins to make sense at the mouth of
the empty tomb!
● Because Jesus conquered the grave the HOPELESS
have HOPE!
1 Corinthians 15:54-55 declares
“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where
is thy victory?” Mary left the tomb very different from how she came! I CHALLENGE YOU TO PUT ASIDE YOUR EYES OF SORROW
AND BEGIN TO SEE YOUR LIFE THROUGH ‘RESURRECTION EYES.” (Pastor Calvin Bergsma, vimeo.com/263574834)
As we begin a New Year
with many uncertainties still ahead, let us be intentional to seek God’s
purpose in our lives… in whatever circumstance we find ourselves: ”…for He has risen, just as He said
[He would].“ (28:6). Amen! Because
He lives we must not waver but keep in our hearts Jesus´ words:
-Rejoice! (28:9)
-Do not be afraid. (28:10)
-… observe everything that I have
commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you
perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.” (28:20b AMP-Emphasis mine)
Blessings,
Mari
-Come and praise Him
with this Hymn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzklihq_BLg
