Spiritual Waimai 属灵外卖

A glimpse into the new Ch….inese generation

If you are curious about the up and coming generation of Ch….inese believers, take a look at Heyman’s 8th anniversary article. He started this blog when he was 19 years old. It is one of the most popular Christian blogs in Ch..ina. Articles have been blocked, the channel completely deleted and started up again…

Below are Heyman’s words to his readers - the thousands (if not more) of young people who are followers of JC. Take note of the emphasis on truth, humility, authenticity, suffering, purpose and rest.

I’m super encouraged and challenged. I hope you will be too.
____________________________
Below is a generated English translation:

"Heyman” / “Black Gate" is 8 years old today, and I didn't want to write anything. But when I got up in the morning, I saw the blessings and encouragement from everyone in the early morning, and even a video of 77 letters collected (posted on Weibo).​@ Ahei is not black), making it hard for me to deliberately not notice this special day again.

Eight years ago today, "Black Gate" issued its first article and met everyone. Flash 8 years, this is like a moving departure, no plan long journey, imperceptibly led to walk for 8 years, climbing through the mountains, through the shadow of the valley; Wandering through the hustle and bustle, but also through the wilderness of no one.

With the ups and downs of this journey, I have experienced enthusiasm, openness, freedom, courage, but also experience frustration, fear, caution, frustration... Just no matter in which situation, there is no despair and give up to continue.

This is the best 8 years of my life, from the young age of 19 to now, step by step into the appearance of an adult. Nature is also an important 8 years in your life, accompanying each other and witnessing many changes.

Now I don't know what to say, because these eight years have gone through too much, it is a very grand narrative, no matter from which the point is enough to talk about the last few days, which is mixed with pain, sadness, grievance, and more joy, satisfaction, love. When I have a chance to meet in the sky in the future, I should be very interesting to talk to you about the stories of these years on the ground.

​​Because I received 77 letters from you in the morning, I would like to reply to you a letter here. In addition to thanking you for your support and company, I also know that because you are of the same age, you often prefer to listen to what I say, and will privately send me all kinds of academic, life, emotional, religious confusion and help. Here are more of what I have learned from these eight years of experience. I would like to be here with you in your 20s. To share and exhort each other in a shallow way:

​❤️ Let our lives be rooted in the truth!The world has too many voices, will disturb our hearts, every day we will be exposed to good and bad all kinds of information, difficult to distinguish. Even in the teachings, there will be times when you fall and fall, and we must know the Lord through the Holy Spirit, not just through the testimony of one person and his knowledge of the Lord, which is only dessert, but not the staple of your life. When you are equipped with the truth within, you have the weapons and strength to fight against the currents of the world, and to keep yourself firmly hidden in Him, never to be shaken. And have the ability to return to the truth at all times to find the answer and way out.

​​❤ ️ on the basis of truth, look at everything with benevolence and compassion, open your own realm, of course, you can really open the inner realm, you will need to experience and events, but first we have to have such a consciousness, that is, a lot of things are not so either or not, jump out of their own point of view, leave that who has also been hurt. Learn to be like Jesus who drew circles on the ground. The law can judge people, but only love can heal and hug people. When you are willing to love, you will find that more and more love.

​❤️ Humility is hard, but really important.Perhaps you are young now, There is endless strength, but still have to admit their own limitations, so that they really humble down, the correct understanding of their own as a person, often weak, it is possible to fall, get rid of their own pride, each to see others better than themselves, honor others, bring forgiveness. In this way, we can also accept our shortcomings in some places, and when we can't... Let yourself go, learn to commit and look up. Only with humility can we have the ability to introspect, listen to the reminder of the holy lattice, look at what is happening more objectively, know that their views and ideas are not necessarily right, do not stand on their own side, and stand on the other side of the pedicle, so that they can correct themselves in time.

​​❤️ In humility, we need to be mindful of our gifts, affirm our worth, and not compare ourselves to anyone else! Although the Earth does not stop rotating without you, the creation of each of us will not be in vain, you must have your own position, and it is irreplaceable. No matter where you are, you are part of a healthy body. The hands need to do the work of the hands, the mouth has the responsibility of the mouth, no one is unimportant, everyone just has different division of labor, if the body lacks any part, then the body is not healthy. You are precious! You are important! Nothing to replace! It's not chicken soup, it's fact.

​​❤️ Live more freely, authentically, and authentically, encouraging you to be more authentically yourself without harming others. Maybe you no longer dare to open yourself easily because of the hurt you have suffered before, be careful in expression, or do anything with scruples, and hide your true feelings and thoughts. Believe that there can be no fear in love. If your relationship is love, then live out the way He made you. Have confidence in your relationship. The personality He puts in you, your share is different, is your unique charm. I hope everything you do is from the heart, and I hope you can have real happiness.

​​❤️ Don't use yourself as a tool, learn to rest. Don't think about waiting for 60 years to retire and then use the rest of your life to rest, only now you have a good rest, have the opportunity to live to 60 ah... I am sure that the Lord did not send you and me to this Earth just to consume yourself constantly in order to accumulate the mortal inheritance on Earth. We can even take a gap year to adjust and rest according to our own situation. This is not to lie down, but to accumulate strength, find the direction, find the goal, and start better. Anti-roll, to start from us!

​​❤️ But there must also be suffering. In such a post-Mosh generation, we will not and cannot always stay in the comfort zone, whether it is from the reality of the environment, or belong to the turmoil inside the lattice, these "suffering" is an opportunity to improve us. I believe that a lot of good character is connected, a proud person must not be willing to suffer, and a willing to suffer, must practice humility.

​​❤️ With a grateful heart, look at changes and accidents, whether it is our own, or those of our relatives and friends, if we have a vision of the Upper One who rules in all things and makes all things work together, We can take everything that happens to us as a lesson, willing to be broken and rebuilt in the middle, even if it hurts, knowing that in the future I can't see, He has prepared something better for me, something I can't see but hope for with faith.

​​❤️ As gentle, gentle and gentle as possible, when the world has been filled with smoke. Not only verbal harmony, gentle will also reflect a lot of good action, so impetuous, violent, tearing atmosphere, more calm and stable, soft and beautiful. Yes, we do not seek to change the world, and that is not our goal, but we seek gentleness and harmony in all things. Tearing is easy, but recovering is difficult, so we need to be as gentle as possible, and be more kind to others when we can't see clearly.

​​❤ ️ keep an eternal eye and wait patiently for his time. Whether good or bad is what we see in our limited eyes, what you see is not necessarily really good, and the bad you see is not necessarily really bad. One is that for yourself, letting go of the parts that will make you anxious is not to deceive yourself, but to be based on truth. after all, compared with eternity, there are no so many things to worry about. The other is to believe that everyone walks in his time, respects others, sincerely accepts the differences of others, even if you can not understand, if you want to accompany him one more mile, but do not take other people's lessons as their own flail to bear.

As I write, I find that there is more and more to share... Perhaps the above points are the ones that I think are more important at present. They are some pearls that I picked up on the road during this eight-year journey, which I want to share with my beloved ones. (Not that I have already taken hold, or am already perfect; But I pursued after...
​​In short, what I am looking forward to is that he has brought us together here, not just to satisfy ourselves, but to encourage each other to grow together, to tidy up their own lives, and to truly be light and salt. When we gather together, we can illuminate and warm, so that people can not only see the beauty of our faith, but also truly feel the truth, freedom, and abundance that we live with Him within us.

In fact, you and I are Black Gate, just as I always love to emphasize with the studio colleagues, the title "Black Gate" is not a person, but we, a group of people who are willing to put themselves up to stand for His name.

This "black gate" is small, limited, weak, fall, lost, but it is also true, free, kind, willing to be carved by him, adhere to the end, and continue to return to the beginning, so that it can become the source of the Jordan River, the endless flowing blessing of the mountain.

黑门8岁啦｜一封给年轻人的信。 他必兴旺，我必衰微。

🌍 World-Changers 🌏
Will you join the mission?
🙋🏽‍♀️🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏼🙋🏿🙋🏼‍♀️🙋🏻🙋🏾‍♀️🙋🏾🙋🏿‍♂️🙋🏼‍♂️

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What if your boss asked you to join a massive project that would require a commitment of your entire career. The boss would be with you every step of the way and show you exactly what to do. It would be difficult, but it was guaranteed to be a success and would change the world. But there would be one catch – your name would not be on it. No one would know who you were. What information would you have to know before you agreed to the proposal？ What would you require from your boss before saying yes? Would you take the invitation to join the project?

After Jesus’ resurrection, He sent a message to His disciples. He was getting ready to invite them into a world-changing mission and wanted to talk with them about it in a place they all knew and loved: the mountains of Galilee. The women had already showed up at the tomb and were honored with the privilege of being the first to see the Risen Lord Jesus. Now He sent these empowered women to find the men and pass them an important invitation.

▫️Invited into a massive project

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Matthew 28:8-10 NIV

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
Matthew 28:16-17 NIV

The eleven disciples responded to the invitation and made it to the mountain. Good job guys, high-fives all around – you showed up! First step is always showing up. If you don’t show up, you just might miss the mission of a lifetime.

▫️Worship or doubt?

When they stood around their risen Lord and looked at Him face to face, what did they do? Plain and simple: they worshiped Him. The next step after showing up is worship. Exalting Jesus as the Lord of your life. Submitting yourself to His kingship. Seek first the Kingdom of God and everything else will fall into its God-ordained place.

At that moment as they gathered around Jesus in a familiar place to meet with Him and worship, some doubted. It is presumed that the “some” of “some doubted” are some of the eleven. How is this possible? They had followed Him for three years. Heard His predictions about His death and resurrection. Seen His death and now they were standing before Him. Face to face. Yet they doubted? It is hard for me to imagine. But maybe the trauma of the recent days – Jesus’ arrest, trial, beating, crucifixion and death had just been far too overwhelming. Or maybe they just lacked faith.

▫️Hope for doubters

The good news is that Jesus is patient with doubters. Once a father brought his demon-possessed boy to Jesus. The man took the first step and showed up – he came to Jesus. But he still doubted.

“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Mark 9:22-24 NIV

The result - a boy who was set free and healed by Jesus and a father who believed.

Just after His resurrection one of the disciples, Thomas, also had a hard time believing. His moment of doubt earned him the unfortunate nickname that he is still known by: “Thomas the Doubter.”

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:24-29 NIV

Thomas overcame his doubt and proclaimed Jesus as his Lord. Other notable Biblical doubters were Abraham (would God really give him a son through Sarah?), Moses (was God really calling him to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt?), Elijah (would God really defeat wicked Queen Jezebel?) Zechariah the father of John the Baptist (would God really give him a son?) and even John the Baptist himself (are you really the Messiah?)

For those who have doubts, hold on to the truth you know and honestly share your doubts with God or others. Don’t allow your doubts to take a wrong turn into unbelief. Those eleven disciples standing on the mountain with the risen Jesus might have had a moment of doubt, but eventually they all believed and gave their lives for the gospel.

▫️The invitation into the mission

So, there they were, worshiping Jesus in His awesome presence (and some doubting.) The victorious King Jesus now makes the disciples an offer of a lifetime: join Him in His mission to change the world. It would be done with His authority (a guaranteed success!), require their whole lives (including a possible location change) and they would remain obscure. He would give them the world-changing message for the mission and He would be with them. And as history now has recorded, it would transform the world.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV

▫️All authority

When God created the heavens and the earth and breathed the breath of life in humankind, He gave Adam and Eve authority over the newly created world.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Genesis 1:28 NIV

Adam and Eve were given the awesome mission to care for the Garden of Eden and rule over it. They had authority. But on that fateful day when they submitted to Satan’s temptation to eat the forbidden fruit, they passed the authority over to Satan. They obeyed him (rather than God) and gave Satan the legal right to have authority over the world. The result was disastrous.

That disastrous result came to an end the day Jesus Christ died on the cross as He paid the price for the sin of Adam and Eve and all of their children who would come after them (including you and me.) When Jesus canceled the debt of sin on the cross, He overcame sin, death and the devil, thus taking back the authority that Satan had been given on the day they disobeyed God and ate the fruit.

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Colossians 2:13-15 NIV

Once again, just as He did at the dawn of creation, God called His chosen ones to Himself and with authority invited them into His great mission. This time, the mission was not to tend one garden. This time, the mission was to go throughout the entire world to welcome people into the family of God and teach them all that Jesus had taught.

▫️Go

After showing up on the mountain in Galilee, Jesus commanded them to, “Go!” It was no longer time to stick around the familiar Sea of Galilee. It was time to take the message to the world. All the nations of the world. And you know what? The only way to get to all of the nations of the world, is to go to the nations of the world!

Since this moment, the church has followed Christ’s call to “go and make disciples of all nations.” They have left their homes, families, languages and cultures to follow this mission. They are our champions. They have gone before us. Now it is our turn to take up the mission and go.

Years ago, it was prayed over me that I would “Go to the nations.” Since I was a little girl, I had a desire to become a missionary. But when people prayed that I would “go to the nations” I wasn’t sure how that would work. I understood that I could go to a nation – but to the nations? How would that work? I am now living in a moment where I am surrounded by the nations. I am currently a part of a fellowship of people from around the world: Antigua, Italy, Colombia, Australia, Canada, Philippines, Britain, India, China, Ethiopia. I have gone to the nations and the nations have come to me.

Where will you go? Your home may be the perfect place for you to become mature. But all children must grow up and spread their wings and fly. Where will you fly?

▫️Make disciples

We are to become disciple-makers. Not disciples of our own teaching, but disciples of Jesus. We are disciples and we help others to become disciples. A disciple is a student and follower. When I make a disciple, the person is not my student and my follower, the person is a student and follower of Jesus. What are you doing today to make disciples?

▫️Baptize

When we go, our first mission is to share the gospel with the world and welcome people one by one into the Kingdom of God. This is marked by baptism. This weekend two of our friends were baptized. They made a public proclamation of their faith. The baptism was an outward sign of what had happened in their heart. They were washed clean by Christ. Their old self was crucified and buried in the water of baptism. Spiritually their new life in Christ was celebrated as they rose out of the waters. A new nature birthed in them.

When we baptize, we do not do it in our own name. In biblical times, people were baptized by someone who would then be noted as their spiritual leader. John was a baptizer and spiritual leader with many disciples. But Jesus instructed His followers to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Not in their own name. When something is done in another person’s name, it is by their authority and to their credit. Therefore, we never baptize someone to become our own followers. The one doing the baptizing is anonymous. They are just an instrument. The baptism is done in the authoritative name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

▫️The message belongs to Jesus

The message proclaimed in this mission is the message of Jesus’ teachings and the obedience of His followers. Your obedience! When you head out on the mission, the content you will teach, preach, demonstrate and share is not your own. It belongs to Jesus. It is everything He has taught you and you pass it on to others. This mission is a chain of lives stretching back to that day Jesus stood on the mountain with His disciples. He commanded them to pass on what He had taught them. These eleven disciples obeyed Him and began to teach others, who taught others, who taught others. The teaching of Jesus was passed person to person from generation to generation. And it has now come to us. We are the next link in the chain. We now have the teachings of Jesus in our hands, hearts, minds and mouths. It is up to us to pass on these life-changing teachings. They are not our own, but they are His.

We can never take credit for an amazing message. This message comes straight from Jesus. It is not our brilliant ideas or cool outlook on life that will change the world, it is the teaching of Jesus Christ and the call to be obedient to all He taught us. Our name is not on this message. It is His name. We go out in obscurity with the words of life.

▫️The promise

The task to baptize, make disciples and teach the world is enormous. We cannot do it in our own power. We only can do this because Jesus promises to be with us. Our own strength is not enough to carry this tremendous message to all of the corners of the earth.

Jesus sends us. We make disciples of Jesus. We baptize in His name. We speak His message. It is all from Him and all for Him. There is no place for us to sign our name or receive some credit. Our motivation is not our fame. Our motivation is His love for us. His grace and mercy and all He has done for us. Our motivation is the safety and surety of living under His authority and serving in His authority. It is the thrill of seeing lives transformed by the power of the name of Jesus Christ. The name above all names. As we submit to Him, we go in His name and for His name, we become world-changers in Jesus’ name. May the world never know who we are, may they only see the greatness of our King Jesus who accomplished His mission on earth and now passes it along to us.

▫️Will you join the mission?

Will you go? Will you make disciples, baptize and teach? He has put His mission in your hand today, let’s serve the Lord together for His glory and for the salvation of the world. It starts by showing up to the mountain when Jesus calls you. Worship Him, go where He sends you, make disciples and you will have the privilege and promise of living and serving each day with Jesus in His world-changing mission. There is no higher calling, no greater purpose. To know Christ, receive His forgiveness and love and be called into His mission. The mission He accomplished for you and me.

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English-Chinese website:
https://spiritualwaimai.com/world-changers/

English Podcast:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/848392/12560630

Mandarin Chinese Podcast:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/848392/12560632

The best is yet to come
[HE IS RISEN! 🙌🏻]

‼️The resurrection of Christ transformed the world forever‼️

God’s plan for redemption was completed as the debt for sin was paid, death was overcome, and Satan was defeated. Jesus was the first one to be resurrected, but all those who are forgiven by His blood will someday follow Him in resurrection! In the meantime, we are forgiven and are able to overcome the power of sin in our lives because of the resurrection. Plus, our enemy the devil has been defeated.
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“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
1 Peter 1:3 NIV

The intensity of the last days of Jesus’ life comes to an abrupt halt as Jesus is laid in a tomb. The sun sets. The Sabbath begins. Some of Jesus’ disciples have scattered. Some have remained as near to their Lord as they possibly can. Joseph laid Jesus’ body in his own tomb. The women followed to see where He was finally laid and sat nearby. But then, as devout Jews, the time of Sabbath rest began and nothing more could be done. But wait.

If you have ever been through an intense situation where your body, mind and spirit were pressed to the extreme, doing nothing causes a great tension. By nature, we are do-ers. When faced with a challenge, want to fix something, make it better, find a new way or at least absolutely beg someone to do something. On this Sabbath day of holy rest, how did Jesus’ followers occupy themselves in this tension of waiting? In prayer? Fasting? Weeping? In fear of authorities hunting them down? We have no record of what they did during these quiet hours of waiting. But as soon as the sun rose on the first day of the week, His followers sprang into action.

🔷Women compelled by love and faith

The brave and devoted women were ready to take on the Roman soldiers and somehow (they weren’t sure how) move a very large stone gaining access their Lord’s body so they might properly anoint it for burial. Matthew records the names of two women – Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James. But the other gospel writers include Salome and Joanna in this daring company of women willing to risk association with the condemned Jesus. And stare down the Roman military.

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
Mark 16:1-3 NIV

They had no idea how they were going to roll away the stone. They had no battle plan to face-off with the soldiers guarding the tomb. They made no preparation in case of being questioned by authorities about their involvement with Jesus. All they had was faith and loving devotion to their Lord. They didn’t wait for more favorable conditions to go. As soon as the sun rose, they made straight for the tomb undaunted by any barriers or risks. Their determined faith and devotion were well rewarded as they approached the tomb.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
Matthew 28:1-7 NIV

Any concerns the women might have had about moving that stone turned out to be a completely moot point as a powerful angel moved the stone to give them access to the empty tomb. I don’t think he rolled away the stone so Jesus could get out. He rolled it away so the women could get in. See for themselves. And believe.

As you follow Jesus are you facing any overwhelming barriers or risks? Will you keep moving forward in faith despite what might be blocking your path. As you move forward you might be surprised to see the stones already rolled away and a great reward awaiting you for your persistent faith.

🔷An angel convo

While the women came in courage, the powerful and well-trained solders fainted in fear of the mighty angel. The women, though they were afraid, received instructions from that mighty warrior of heaven. The angel made five statements to these proven followers of Christ.

🔹Do not be afraid
This is the standard angel greeting!

🔹I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified
These women must have been famous in heaven for their noble mission. This mighty heavenly warrior that struck fear in the heart of the Roman soldiers acknowledged their determination to anoint the body of their Lord. He knew they were on a mission.

🔹He is not here; He is risen
This is the first pronouncement on earth of the victory of Jesus. Angels announced His birth to shepherds and now His resurrection is announced to the women.

🔹Come and see
At the birth of Christ, the shepherds were invited to go and see the newborn Jesus. Now, the women who had come to bravely anoint His body, were invited into the empty tomb to see for themselves that He was not there. Maybe the angel was aware of their determination and if he didn’t allow them to see the empty tomb, they might have challenged him so they could complete their mission!

🔹Go quickly and tell His disciples
The women were now charged with a new mission: the first call to evangelism. They were to carry the glorious proclamation of the resurrection to the world. Why did this honor not go to the disciples closest to Jesus? We do not know. Maybe it was simply because they were not the ones who went to the tomb. The ones who show up, get to participate in the great mission of God. If you don’t show up, it is hard to receive an invitation to participate in God’s exciting move in the world. These ladies were rewarded for showing up. They got to tell the disciples the awesome news.

🔷Receiving their greatest desire and responding in worship

But before the women made it back to tell the disciples, they were given an even greater reward. Their hearts’ desire was met. They had originally come to the tomb to attend to the dead body of Jesus. Their mission was about to be accomplished but in a way they had not expected.

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Matthew 28:8-10 NIV

With mixed emotions the women began to run to find the disciples but suddenly their path was blocked with a cheerful greeting. In the presence of the risen and glorified Jesus Christ all they could do was fall at His feet and worship Him. No words, just face to the ground worship. The victorious savior of the world greeted these noble, devoted, obedient, brave women and they fell at His feet.

Worship is our first response to the risen King Jesus. When we see Jesus as the one who was victorious over death, sin, and the devil, we forget ourselves and our mission (running to see the disciples). We stop everything and in holy fear and reverence we bow down before Him. In this position of submission, He lifts us up and commissions us with His glorious mission: go and tell!

🔷A joyful proclamation not exactly well received

The women implicitly following orders went directly to the disciples. I can imagine they were full of joy and the power of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, the disciples didn’t believe these women. Luke records the next part of the story and we see the desperation and longing in the heart of Peter.

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
Luke 24:9-12 NIV

God knows that sometimes we need to see with our own eyes before we believe. If that is the case with you, don’t just watch from a distance questioning another person’s personal experience with Jesus. If what they share with you seems like nonsense, go and see for yourself. How can your faith increase? Run to Jesus.

🔷The defeat of Satan and his only recourse

In the meantime, the soldiers who had fainted with fear woke up and realized that not just their jobs, but also their lives were in danger. They had been charged with one responsibility: guard that tomb. They completely and utterly failed. The punishment could have been their death. They cunningly went to the religious leaders (not their own Roman supervisor!) to let them know what had gone wrong.

While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
Matthew 28:11-15 NIV

The religious leaders are now confronted with the truth: Jesus rose from the dead as He said He would. He is the Son of God. Their unbelievable and tragic response was not to refute the facts (they could have sent out a search for the body to try to prove themselves correct!) but to just cover up the truth. They simultaneously reject the obvious truth and blocked others from the truth. This the work of the devil.

Satan knows full well the truth. He and all of the demons of hell know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. They also know that they have been defeated on the cross. The only tactic the devil has to fight back and secure his position is to block the truth, lie, lure with temptation and attack with intimidation. The religious leaders commit to all four of these devious tactics when dealing with the Roman soldiers.

🔹Block people from knowing the truth
“You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’”

🔹Lure with temptation
They gave the soldiers a large sum of money.

🔹Attack with intimidation
“If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”

🔹Lie
The false story was widely circulated.

The devil and the religious leaders knew that they would have been utterly defeated if people got wind of the truth of the resurrection. The resurrection is the great victory of Jesus Christ over sin, death and the devil. The resurrection destroyed the high position of authority Satan had in the world. The resurrection also nullifies the power of the law to condemn – which was a great blow to the religious leaders who depended on the power of the law to support their high position in the world.

🔷What does the resurrection mean for us today?

The resurrection of Christ transformed the world forever. God’s plan for redemption was completed as the debt for sin was paid, death was overcome, and Satan was defeated. Jesus was the first one to be resurrected, but all those who are forgiven by His blood will someday follow Him in resurrection! In the meantime, we are forgiven and are able to overcome the power of sin in our lives because of the resurrection. Plus, our enemy the devil has been defeated.

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:51-57 NIV

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Colossians 2:13-15 NIV

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