Good Morning Folks!!!! I hope you had a fabulous day celebrating the death burial and resurrection of our King!
But, don’t let the greatest news report of all time end there. Let’s take a look at what happened next.
Mary went to the tomb and found it empty and then encountered Jesus. Jesus told her to go report to the brothers that she had seen and talked to Him. She ran back to tell the disciples who were petrified and in hiding. They were sorely afraid of what would happen to them. They did not believe that she had found the grave empty, much less that she actually spoke to Jesus. They had forgotten that He promised them several times that He would rise after 3 days.
Peter and John had a race to the grave. When they got there they found it empty and the grave clothes lying there. They were shocked and overjoyed and they ran back to tell the others. When they got to the hiding house, they told what they had seen. The others did not believe them, they said that they would only believe if they actually saw Jesus in person. They hid in fear!
Later that day two of the 70 disciples were walking along the road and Jesus joined them. Their eyes were blinded so that they did not recognize Him. These men were sad and angry that Jesus had died before He could come into His earthly power and destroy the Romans. So Jesus explained to them all of the 353 prophecies written about Himself in the Torah. He taught them that His mission was to overthrow principles and powers in the heavens and make men free from their spiritual enemies not the Roman occupiers. Then they recognized Him and begged Him to stay with them but He vanished.
Later that day, Jesus appeared in the middle of the hiding room, though it was locked tight by the 11 disciples, who were paralyzed with fear. He had them touch Him so that they could feel His wounds. They put their fingers in the nail holes and the hole in His side and He gave them the Holy Spirit so that they could begin to understand the things of the Spirit. Then they believed (Only Because They Saw Him in person). Thomas called Didimus or the twin, was not with them. When they told Thomas what had happened he declared that he would only believe if he saw with his own vision the wounds.
Eight days later, Jesus did it again. He appeared to the disciples in a locked room. Only this time, Thomas was there. Jesus told the panic stricken Thomas to place his fingers in His wounds. Thomas then cried out. “MY LORD AND MY GOD!” Jesus said to Thomas, “BECAUSE YOU SEE YOU BELIEVE, BUT BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO BELIEVE AND HAVE NOT SEEN!” Jesus meant that message for us today!
Jesus walked the earth for 40 days after His resurrection doing miracles and appearing to more than 500 people. The next time the disciples saw Him he met them at the sea of Galilee and had prepared a fish breakfast for them. They saw a man on the shore but did not recognize Him. Jesus shouted to them to row out for a catch. Remembering the other time Jesus had instructed him to row out for a catch, Peter obeyed Him. Soon the nets were overflowing with 129 large fish. Peter got out of the boat and ran to Jesus. Jesus gave Peter the opportunity to relieve himself of the guilt he felt for denying Him 3 times. Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him. Peter proclaimed three times that He did love Jesus. Jesus instructed him to feed His lambs, sheep and His flock.
The last appearance to His disciples was at the great commission and ascension to His Father. Jesus commanded the disciples and us to be His messengers and to go and teach the GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL, to all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, The Son and They Holy Spirit and teaching them to do all thatI have commanded you to do. And remember , ” I WILL BE WITH YOU NOW AND EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE!”
TAKE AWAY’S: The disciples who were trembling with fear, received the baptism of the Holy Ghost 10 days later at Pentecost. Now having seen Jesus alive and in person and having touched him and eaten with him, they went about boldly proclaiming what they had seen, to the death, they refused the opportunity to deny the story. Yet they all died proclaiming the truth. Why?
As one theologian put it, you might die for a lie that you thought was true, but you would never die for a lie that you knew was a lie! Yet, every one of them died willingly for their proclamations of what they had seen. Many of them were brutally murdered, none chickened out. Why? Because their reports were true!
After suffering the most horrendously painful death anyone possibly could, Jesus proclaimed His work to be finished and because He did, Here is what He left you as an inheritance.
Here is what Jesus bought for us:
HE LEFT US THE HOLY SPIRIT.
HE GAVE US HIS FAITH AS A FREE AND PERMANENT AND COMPLETE GIFT.
HE GAVE US ALL OF HIS POWER AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO USE IT.
HE MADE US FREE FROM A PERFORMANCE BASED RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
HE FORGAVE OUR SINS PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE.
HE GAVE US ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO LIFE AND GODLINESS.
HE PAID FOR US TO HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT IN ABUNDANCE.
HE DEFEATED DEATH AND SATAN FOR US.
HE GAVE US DOMINION OVER ALL OF THE POWERS OF THE EVIL ONE!
And then, Jesus sat down at the right hand of God the Father far above all rule dominion and authority, and every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God!
SHOUT HALEILUJIA! GET HAPPY! Give your life to Him completely! Love Jesus as He loves you! Love one another. Because in the words of Jesus our King:
“IT IS FINISHED!”
I pray that this teaching has blessed you! If so, please pass it to another who will be blessed.
Throne of Grace Ministries is a 501c3 Ministry, We minister in Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Veterans Homes, Addiction Centers, Churches, Bible Study Groups, In Businesses, In Homes, and wherever the Holy Spirit sends us. Our primary ministry is one on one counseling and Pastoring to business leaders. We minister to thousands
of people around the world in more than 100 countries through our website: KnowJesusKnowGrace.com. We are non-denominational teachers of the Gospel. We have no alignments or affiliation with other ministries or organizations. We operate solely by the generosity of our giving partners.
If you would like to become a financial partner and join us in our work, please make your check payable to Throne of Grace, and send it to the address below, or you can make a secure on-line offering at our website above.
Thank you!
Pastor Allen Fleming
Throne of Grace
P.O.BOX 669153
Marietta, Georgia 30066
