Risen

 

Risen from the Dead

Matthew 28 (MSG) ^1-4 After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God’s angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn’t move.

^5-6 The angel spoke to the women: “There is nothing to fear here. I know you’re looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as He said. Come and look at the place where He was placed.

⁷ “Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He is risen from the dead.’

Jesus’s resurrection gives us hope. There may be things in your life you thought were dead–your marriage, your relationship with a child, a parent or a friend, your dreams. But be encouraged as long as there is life in you, as long as you are breathing, there is hope.

There are three things I hope you take way from this message today:

1. Seek and accept wise counsel. Like the women at the tomb, we need to get direction from someone who is standing outside of our situation. Their perspective could lead us in a direction we had not thought of.
2. Look for opportunities to start fresh. The women rose early in the morning on the first day of the week. They got a fresh start and had an encounter with destiny. Every day is a fresh start and a fresh opportunity for use to forgive, to improve, and to encourage.
3. Share and celebrate your successes with others. The women were instructed to go share what they had seen and to let others know what was going to happen next. They were happy and eager to share the good news. Surround yourself with people who will celebrate with you, but share your struggles and how you overcome them as well. Your story could be just what someone who is feeling discouraged needs. Carry a message of hope wherever you go.