Today's Passage - Matthew 28:1-8

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Matthew 28:1-8   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."   Back in 1930, an English lawyer named Frank Morrison had many Christian friends, and he often heard them talking about the resurrection of Jesus. The more he heard, and more he was not convinced. He couldn't believe that in the scientific era of 20th century there would be anyone believing in resurrection. Since he was a lawyer, he decided to collect evidence to rebuff the resurrection of Jesus. After 30 years, he finally published a good, and the name of book was "Who moved the stone that sealed the tomb?" The title of chapter one was, nonetheless, "a book that couldn't be written." He was going to uncover a great scam, but the more he studied and more he had to acknowledge that resurrection of Jesus actually happened.   If you study the Bible carefully, you'd see that it's impossible for the disciples to fabricate the story of resurrection. Even though the Lord said repeatedly that He will be resurrected, but the disciples didn't really believe in it. Therefore, on Sunday morning when the women went to see the tomb, they were concerned the stone that sealed the tomb, because it was so big that no one could remove it. As soon as they reached the tomb, however, the Lord's angel already rolled the stone away, and the angel proclaimed to them: "He is not here; he has risen, just as he said." Hallelujah, Jesus is the savior who resurrected!   When the women saw that He resurrected from death, they were afraid. Actually, the disciples were also afraid. When the disciples told Thomas that Jesus revealed Himself to them, he didn't believe them at all, and said that unless his hand touched Jesus, he'd never believe that Jesus resurrected. These people who followed Jesus didn't really anticipate Jesus to be resurrected; in fact, if Jesus never resurrected, perhaps they'd just carry on with their ordinary lives! The resurrection of Jesus, however, became a major turning point in their lives, because it was a message that they had to carry, and a testimony that they had to preach.   The resurrection of Jesus also turned the cowardly disciples into courageous ones. They were more than willing to be persecuted and even die for the truth of resurrection. This testimony of resurrection not only brought tremendous impact back then, it can also bring forth enormous power that turn lives around for everyone who believes in it. Have you experienced the Lord's power of resurrection? The Lord will turn your life around, and His resurrected life will once again give you joy and freedom!    Pray with Pastor Tong     Lord, we thank you because you resurrected for us! The authority of sin and death can no longer rule over us, and in you we can enjoy freedom, joy and peace. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!