Resurrection Sunday, 33 A.D.
Heaven Rejoices! What an amazing scene in Heaven at this hour. Angels are rejoicing with great song and worship as everyone awaits the return of King Jesus. I have not seen such activity in Glory since the creation. Anticipation is at its height as Jesus will return to his Father very soon. The mood here was as solemn as I’ve seen since the flood, just a short time ago. The angels could not bear to watch as Jesus was whipped, beaten, and crucified. God ordered that darkness fall on all the earth. Archangels were anxious to go to the Lord’s aid, had he but called them. That call never came as Jesus, in the greatest act of compassion known to earth’s history, refused to come down from the cross. There was however, never any doubt as to the outcome as what was prophesied throughout the scriptures finally came to pass. King Jesus, with the help of his Father the almighty God, has claimed victory over death, and provided mankind with reconciliation with God. The right throne sits in majesty patiently waiting on the Lord to sit at the Father’s side. It has been leaked by one of the angels that one of Jesus’ first tasks will be the preparation of a place for the saints that take advantage of the glorious opportunity that Christ’s sacrifice has produced. I can’t think of a single soul that would refuse to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and repent of their sins after what has just taken place. Spread the news, Jesus lives!
The Temple Has Been Raised The date is Sunday evening following the brutal murder of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. I am Joseph star reporter for your Jerusalem Tribune. I have been given the honor of an exclusive interview with Caiaphas, the high priest of the high council. The high council is the most powerful religious and political body of the Jewish people. Although the Romans control Israel’s government, they do give the people power to handle religious disputes and some civil disputes. The high council makes many of the local decisions affecting daily life. Caiaphas is said to have plotted and planned along with the rest of the high council to have Jesus of Nazareth crucified for blasphemous comments that were upheld by witnesses. When asked of these comments Caiaphas boastfully gave an answer. “We have two witnesses who will stand trial and tell you that Jesus said he would destroy the temple and in three days raise it up. There is no room in our community for deviants like that,” said Caiaphas. However there were more witnesses throughout Jerusalem claiming that the witnesses were coerced to distort the words of Jesus. Jesus really said “Destroy this temple and in three days I
will raise it up.” Now the question today seems to be was Jesus talking about the temple that is his body? Reports throughout the city lead us to believe that the body of Jesus of Nazareth is no longer in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. When asked of this rumor this morning Caiaphas told us that the guards witnessed the disciples of Jesus stealing the body from the tomb. I was later told by an informant of mine that the guards were bribed by the high council. Has Jesus really risen himself from the dead? Is it possible for a man to be risen from the dead? Surely it is, because of the miracle of Lazarus right? Or maybe the tales of Jesus feeding 5,000 with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish are true. A resurrection could not be out of the question for a man who heals the sick, the blind, the mute, the paralyzed, could it? I was told that one day he healed all who touched him. I believe that Jesus is out there somewhere at this moment speaking Words that we should all hear. I will find His disciples and my next exclusive will be with Jesus the Christ himself.
Guards under fire in tomb scandal- where is missing body? As the mist settled in the early morning hours this Sunday, we find our town of Jerusalem in turmoil and embroiled in scandal. Just days ago, Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish prophet who claimed to be the Christ prophesied in the Jewish Scriptures, was arrested, judged a political criminal, and was crucified. Now, three days after His death and burial, we discover His tomb empty and find the body gone. On the scene for the startling discovery of the empty tomb this morning were his mother Mary and another woman, Mary Magdalene, a follower of Jesus. Those who observed the stone after the resurrection describe its position as having been rolled up a slope away not just from the
entrance of the tomb, but from the entire massive sepulcher. It was in such a position that it looked as if it had been picked up and carried away. On the evening of the crucifixionn a few days ago, in accordance with Mosaic Law, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus, and Pilate granted his request, he wrapped Jesus’ body in a linen cloth and laid it in a tomb. When Joseph asked for Jesus’ body, Pilate was surprised that Jesus was already dead, and he summoned a centurion to confirm this before dispatching the body to Joseph.
Jesus’ burial clothes were also of great interest in this mysterious case- John, a disciple of Jesus, looked over to the place where the body had lain, and there were the grave clothes, in the form of Jesus’ body, slightly caved in and empty--like an empty caterpillar's cocoon. Joseph of Arimathea was assisted in the burial process by Nicodemus, who brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes and included these spices in the burial cloth as per Jewish customs. After His death, the body of Jesus, in accordance with Jewish burial custom, was wrapped in a linen cloth. Pounds of aromatic spices, mixed together to form a gummy substance, were applied to the wrappings of cloth about the body. Once the body was placed in the solid rock tomb, an extremely large stone was rolled against the entrance of the tomb. Large stones weighing approximately two tons were rolled (by means of levers) against the tomb entrance. How then has the body turned up missing? The synoptics (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) described the burial as occurring on the “Day of Preparation”, with Mark providing the explanation of this as the day before the Sabbath. Matthew gave an account of the chief priests and Pharisees requesting that Pilate secure the tomb, lest Jesus’ disciples should steal the body and proclaim Jesus to be risen from the dead, whereupon Pilate said, “you have a guard of soldiers, go, make it as secure as you can.” A Roman guard of strictly disciplined fighting men was stationed to guard the tomb. These guards affixed on the tomb the Roman seal, which was meant to "prevent any attempt at vandalizing the sepulcher.” Anyone trying to move the stone from the tomb's entrance would have broken the seal and thus incurred the wrath of Roman law. Even with the guards falling asleep while they were stationed to patrol near the tomb entrance, it is hard to believe that someone (even with a group of four to five men) was able to quietly remove the heavy stone, break the seal and steal away with the body
without alerting the soldiers. But three days later the tomb lies empty. What else could explain such a phenomena? It is unknown what fate will befall the guards in this case. Thus far, we have heard no report from Pilate on what is to be done to reprimand them. Typical custom demands that if it was not apparent which soldier had failed in his duty, then lots are drawn to see which one would be punished with death for the guard unit's failure. So many security precautions were taken with the trial, crucifixion, burial, entombment, sealing, and guarding of Christ's tomb that it becomes very difficult for critics to defend their position that Christ did not rise from the dead. It is this reporter’s belief that Jesus did indeed arise and from incoming reports we’ve gathered today, the risen Savior has ascended to heaven and has returned to appear to his mother, some of his followers and townspeople. We will report further as this breaking story continues.
Are You Saved? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life? Here's how! Can you believe in your heart that Jesus is God - that He became a man, was tempted in every way we are, yet He led a sinless life, to become the Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice for sin. He suffered and died the death that we deserve for our sin, but on the third day He rose from the dead - He conquered death for us - for you!! Perhaps you have heard these words before, but have you accepted them into your heart? "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved". [Romans 10.9] Have you confessed your sin to Jesus? Asked Him to wash away your sin with His blood? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life and been born again? Jesus can give you a brand new start in life. He wants to heal you and you can accept Him, right now- wherever you are... Accept Jesus Christ as your Savior by saying this simple prayer: Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. But I believe that you died upon the cross for me. That you shed your precious blood for the forgiveness of my sin. And I believe that on the third day, you rose from the dead, and went to Heaven to prepare a place for me. I accept you now as my Savior, my Lord, my God, my friend. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and set me free from my sin. And, because you are my Savior, Jesus, "I shall not die, but have everlasting life". Thank you Jesus!