That Which Makes Jesus Different

Jesus is totally unique among all the leaders of world religions.  Not one of them came back from the dead!  The following tells the story of the evidence of His uniqueness (this is taken from the book: Why God Birthed America):


Chapter 5   —   Alive!

One of their group, Mary Magdalene, was just as uncertain as the rest.  However, the love in her grateful heart would not be denied:  Not by questionings or by fears.  Jesus had set her free from a wretched life of bondage to sexual sin and the torture of evil spirits.[I]  He had changed her!  She had never been the same since that day she met Him, and her gratitude of duty now compelled her to go to the tomb and do the anointing with spices to His body, which time had not allowed the day He died.

Though it was still mostly dark, she gathered her spices and started to make her way to the tomb.  Some of the other women fell into step with her, but Mary was oblivious to their presence.  She only vaguely heard the question about how would they ever be able to roll away the stone from the tomb entrance.  That stone over the entrance weighed several tons.  It was designed to keep out intruders.  And then there was the Roman guard.  Would they still be there?  

Her grateful heart refused to be slowed by these questionings, and it kept her moving along the way toward the tomb.  How painful it was to think that just four days before, Jesus had been dragging that crude cross over these same streets.  The images that were burned in her mind brought painful tears to her eyes.  Oh, why did some people hate Him!  It was beyond the comprehension of her honest heart to think there could be anyone who wouldn’t love Him.  He had been so good!  Why did He have enemies?

But just now they were starting on the path to the tomb.  Mary’s heart began to race.  Her knees felt weak, but she refused to slow her pace.  Then she saw it!

The tomb had been opened!  The Roman soldiers lay on the ground completely motionless.  Her feet immediately stopped; and it felt like her heart would too.  Then she saw him—or whatever he was!  He was sitting on top of the huge stone that was the door of the tomb.  They instantly knew that the removal of the stone had been his work.  He had been the one who immobilized the soldiers.   Unable to go further, the women stood frozen in their tracks.

Then the being spoke,  “Don’t be afraid.  I know you’re looking for Jesus, Who was crucified.  He’s not here.  He is risen!  He is risen just like He said He would!  Come, step inside the tomb, see for yourself.”[II]  Now some of the fright seemed to subside, and Mary found herself moving toward the entrance to the grave while the other women followed.  She peered inside.  He was right!  Jesus’ body was gone!

The women filed into the tomb one by one.  They stood there absolutely amazed, questions flying through their heads.  All of a sudden the tomb was filled with brilliant radiance.  Another being—no, two of them—were sitting on the stone bed:  One where Jesus’ head had been, the other at the feet.   These creatures were so majestic the women fell on their faces before them.  Bowed low, the women heard them say,  “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?  He is not here; He is risen.  Remember how He spoke to you while in Galilee, telling you He would be killed by sinners, but on the third day would rise again.”[III]

The light they were bowing in seemed to sink into their souls.  They remembered!  Now it began to make sense.  He had told them this.  He had said it was all part of the Father’s plan.  He must die—but He would come back to life again—after three days!

One of the angels interrupted their thoughts by issuing a command:  “Go, tell His disciples—and Peter![IV]

While the words were not harsh, they were authoritative.

Mary obeyed.  She got up, and shielding her eyes from the brightness, she stumbled out of the tomb and then began to run back to the house.  The other women followed closely on her heels.

Racing through her mind were many questions, but they couldn’t eclipse the one burning thought that was gripping her:  Peter and the others had to know the grave was opened!  She wondered how the men would react if they told them the angels—yes, those beings must have been angels—had said Jesus was alive?  These men were heartbroken.  Some were angry.  Would they listen to women telling them someone was risen from the dead?

Bursting though the doorway, she and the other women who had seen the opened tomb began to pour forth words like a gushing spring.  Trying to talk over their companions with increased volume, it took several long moments for their message to be understood.  The big fisherman couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  The tomb was opened?  Who?  How?  Why?  The questions immobilized him, but not young John!

The impetuous youth bolted for the door!  He would see for himself!  Peter, letting his curiosity overcome his questions, followed suit, and caught John by the time they entered the street.  They ran together toward the tomb, shouting the questions in their minds as they ran along.  After a distance, the difference in their ages began to show as Peter began to fall behind, panting for breath.

The women overtook him and joined him in his half walk, half run to the garden where the tomb was located.

John’s youthful stamina propelled him onward, and he arrived at the tomb several moments before the others did.  It was as the women had said:  The stone was rolled back and the entrance to the tomb was open!  He slowly moved closer, stopping at the threshold of the entrance. He could now see clearly the grave clothes lying limp on the stone bed where they had laid Jesus’ body three days ago.  But where was it now?

As he was thinking on that question, Peter and the women arrived.  The women noted that the angels were no longer visible.  Never known for his timidity, Peter didn’t stop at the opened doorway of the grave; he barged right in.[V]  He stood there looking at the empty linen cloth.  There was no mistake here.  The empty head wrap was right at his hand, close enough to touch.  It was like the head had somehow been removed without disturbing the winding strips of cloth.  Jesus’ grave clothes were here, but His body was gone!

Dazzled, Peter stumbled out of the grave, almost knocking John down, who by this time was standing inside the tomb also.  John was staring at the stone bed with the linen wrapping when he began to feel his heart warmed.  Suddenly He remembered Jesus had said He would rise again from the dead after three days.  The three days were now past and here were empty grave clothes!  Could it be?  Could Jesus now be alive again!  He turned and followed Peter down the path toward the city; and as incredible as it all seemed, John now found it easier to believe Jesus was alive than that He was still dead.  He didn’t voice it.  He didn’t have to.  He believed it!

As the women saw Peter and John leaving the garden area, they decided to follow, still reluctant to tell what the angels had said.  Surely, if He was alive…

 

_____________________________________________________

 

Mary did not want to leave.  She stood there a few steps from the entrance to the grave, trying to sort out all that had happened.  The angels had said He was alive.  Jesus Himself had told them He would come back to life.  But could that really be?

She moved closer to the entrance.  Questions were flying through her mind.  Could He really be alive again?

She didn’t know how long she stood there lost in thought.  She finally decided to look again.  As she took steps toward the tomb she was suddenly overwhelmed with grief again.  Tears started pouring from her eyes, obscuring her steps.  She stumbled closer, wanting to see again the empty grave clothes on the stone bed where Jesus’ body had lay.

As she put her head on the doorway and wept, she was instantly blinded with light!  There they were again!  The two shining creatures they had seen earlier or—two just like them.  They looked at her with compassion.  “Woman, why are you weeping?” they asked.  “Because they’ve taken away my Lord and I don’t know where they’ve put Him,” she wailed.

She turned her head away, having no stamina which could stand up to the questions of celestial beings.  What had happened?  Where was His body?  Her mind was racing, exceeded only by the racing of her heart.

Blinded by tears, she turned from the doorway and nearly bumped into a figure standing there.  In between her sobs, she heard the person say,  “Woman, why are you weeping?”

More questions!  Everyone kept asking her questions.  Oh, who would dare intrude at such a moment as this?  She was tired. She was confused.  Couldn’t somebody just tell her where Jesus’ body was!

Anyway, who, at this hour, would be in this Garden?  Then a thought seemed to force its way to the surface of her thinking.  Could this perhaps be the caretaker?  It must be.  Surely, no one else would be here this early.  Maybe he had moved the body—or knew who did.

In childlike faith, so typical of a distraught woman, she fell at his feet, grasping his ankles and pleading,  “Sir, if you have done something with the body of Jesus, please tell me.  I’ll come and take it away,” her tears revealing her deep sincerity.  Her sobbing face was lying on his feet, the hot tears running over them.

“Mary!”

The voice!  It was—Oh could it be—that voice!  It was the voice that had first spoken peace to her tormented soul.  It was the voice that had driven out the evil spirits that had bound her.  It was Jesus’ voice!

She turned her tear-stained face upward to see those kind eyes looking down at her with tenderness and compassion.  It was Him!  He was alive!

“Master! Mary exclaimed, hugging His ankles with all the strength in her.  She had found Him again—He was alive!—and she wasn’t about to let go of Him.  “Oh, Master, Master!” she cried.  The joy flooding her emotions knew no bounds!  Her tears of pain were now turned to tears of joy:  Joy greater than she had ever known!

Jesus gently said to her,  “Stop clinging to Me.   I’m on the way to the Father.   Don’t detain Me now.  But go tell my brothers that I’m ascending to My Father, and their Father, too.  I’m going to My God, and their God.”

And after a moment, He was gone.  She had just had His ankles in her hands—and now He was gone!  But what should have been a loss didn’t feel that way now.  He was alive!  Mary had the distinct witness in her heart that He wasn’t gone forever—that He wasn’t far away.  She rose from the ground and began to run to tell the others.  They must know.  He was alive!  Just like He said, He had gone into death and come out of it at will.  He had overcome death!  He was not only spirit.  She had held the ankles of His new body in her own hands.  He was flesh and bone again![VI]


Chapter 5

[I]   Luke 8:2

[II]   Matthew 28:5-6

[III]   Luke 24:5-7

[IV]   Mark 16:7

[V]   John 20:1-8

[VI]   John 20:1-18