The Resurrection

Good Friday is the pivot point of the universe. Because the Crucifixion happened on Good Friday. Jesus paid the price for all mankind. Jesus redeemed all people, and the Father began re-building his family.

But it wasn't until Easter that the impact began to be felt by people.

Early Sunday morning, women, who had been following Jesus, gathered spices, and went to the tomb to prepare the body for burial. They couldn't do it before, because it was the beginning of the Sabbath. (To honor the dead, or break God's law -- as they had been taught it.)

But, when they reached the tomb, the stone was rolled away. And two "men," in a bright light, stood there, and told the women: "Go tell his disciples, that he has risen, as he said he would."

And Jesus appeared to various groups:

• To Mary Magdalene.
• To the rest of the women at the tomb.
• To the disciples, without Thomas.
• To the disciples, with Thomas.
• To two disciples on the road to Emmaus.
• To 500 people.
• To the disciples, while they were fishing.
• To the disciples at the Ascension.

Scripture does not always give numbers. It said 500 at one time. It said there were 120 gathered at Pentecost, and they received the Holy Spirit. So, disciples could mean the Twelve, or it could be a group of more people.

The disciples, who fled and hid in fear after the crucifixion, who denied they knew Jesus:

• They boldly stood in a public place, and proclaimed Jesus. 3000 gave their allegiance to Jesus.
• They went to the temple, and healed a man, who had been crippled from birth, in a very public way. And 2000 more gave their allegiance to Jesus.
• They stood in front of the same Jewish leaders, who handed Jesus to Pilate, and proclaimed that Jesus was God's Promised One.
• And, of the Twelve, who all ran for their lives, when Jesus was arrested, only one died of old age. The rest were all martyred, because of their stand for Jesus.

The Resurrection changed these men forever -- not in anyway minimizing the Helper, Advocate, Teacher, Enabler, that Father sent to them. And sends to each one of us. It is God's Spirit in each person's heart, that enables them to walk in obedience.

Perhaps, it is the Resurrection that gives people a handhold on faith, enabling all of the inner man to live in agreement, and to allow the Spirit to flow through a man, and be part of impacting the world.