He Is Risen!

He Is Risen!

The power of the name of the Jesus Christ is so strong that even in propaganda circles His teaching must be observed in a guarded fashion in order to avoid invoking His power and bringing Him to the conversation. If you look up “prayer”, “praying” “Christian prayer” on the website Pixabay, a royalty free image website, you will see exactly what I mean. Very few of any of the “prayer” images contain more than one person. The photos of actual humans are primarily one person. Some of the drawings, paintings and other images that are not of actual humans will contain more than one person but almost none of the photographs of people.

Mark 20 NKJV
19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Why? Because where two or more are gathered in Jesus’ name He will be there among them. I gave up on coincidence’s a long time ago and it is no coincidence there are almost no images of actual people in Christian prayer on the Pixabay website. If you explore some of the images with an eye to see you will quickly learn there is an agenda being pushed with these “free” images.

We see this very same thing playing out in a number of different ways throughout each and every day. With eyes to see the pictures are quiet clear and easily seen.

On the other side of the this story is Jesus Christ, His power and gift of resurrection. He is Risen! is what has been proven, scientifically, historically and by faith of billions of people throughout the past 2,019 years.

Today believers, and non-believers that convert, will celebrate the greatest gift ever granted. He loved us first and He covered our sin with His blood that washed us white as snow.

Mark 15 NKJV
42 Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,
43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
44 Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time.
45 So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.
46 Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.
47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.

Mark 16 NKJV
1 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.
2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.
3 And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?”
4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large.
5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.
7 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

Jesus first appeared before women. Who was the “young man” they encountered in the tomb? Was this an angel? Whoever it was he knew a lot about the situation.

The women leave the tomb, never addressing the unknown “young man”, to share the Good News…but does anyone want to believe them?

8 So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
9 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.
10 She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.
11 And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

The apostles did not believe the women. Why? Then Jesus appeared before “doubting Thomas” and one other apostle.

12 After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.
13 And they went and told itto the rest, but they did not believe them either.

Then the resurrection is re-confirmed and the world changed forever. The resurrection has been proven, historically, by at least 11 different people. The Bible says somewhere between 11 and 15, but historical – state / government – accounts, point to only 9

14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen
15 nd He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.