THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - PART 275

JESUS was crucified and taken down from the cross. He was then laid in a tomb as even approached. This is the same tomb His body lay in until early morning of the first day of the week of Sabbaths. (Leviticus chapter 23)

Early that same morning, Mary went to the tomb area. Mary observed that the stone which blocked the entrance to the tomb had been rolled away. According to the scriptures, she also saw a person standing whom she mistakenly thought to be the gardener. She addressed him asking a question. "Please tell me where you have taken JESUS." The person replied by calling her name. Mary, He said. She, upon recognizing JESUS' voice wanted to touch Him.

However, JESUS told Mary, "Do not touch me for I have not yet ascended. Instead, go tell my disciples that I have risen."

The disciples upon hearing from Mary that JESUS was risen from the dead did not believe her story. Still, Peter along with another disciple ran to the tomb. In fact, Peter outran the other disciple running straight inside the tomb.

The other disciple upon arriving at the tomb did not enter. Rather, he observed the scene within the tomb noting that the material that the body of JESUS was wrapped in still lay in the exact place where the body of JESUS had been placed. Untouched. He also noticed that the head wrappings were folded and laid separate from the body wrappings.

You may ask what the significance of this distinction is. Well, JESUS is the Head of the body - the Church. As such, JESUS is finished with death. It is finished. On the other hand, the church (being the members of His body) await to be born of God. The work and cost of redemption lying in a tomb but without a body.

"Death is swallowed up by victory! O” death where is your sting? The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law!"

However, JESUS in His death abolished the strength of sin and the law. All the judgments of our sin were laid upon Him for He - Jesus - has borne our sin, and carried our sorrow. JESUS who had never sinned willingly took upon Himself our sin. (Isaiah 53) The just dying for us the unjust!

JESUS, God Himself as a Son, and innocent of any crime, yet condemned to the cruel death upon a cross. Yes, JESUS died for our sin, rising from death for our justification. JESUS' death, burial and resurrection now enables men and women to turn from their sin, becoming inheritors of all that was His.

Further, He was the only begotten child of the Holy Ghost. JESUS said that all that the Father has is mine and all that is mine is yours. JESUS flesh was cursed, and admittedly, JESUS did dwell in a prone to sin body. Yet that body JESUS inhabited DID NOT SIN.

JESUS is finished with death dying once and only once to ensure that all men and women have an opportunity to receive the free gift of eternal life. The body wrappings that clothed that sin prone flesh are awaiting you and I to acknowledge that it was the penalty of our sin that we now view.

What must we do? First, do as revealed in I Corinthians chapter 6. Be buried by baptism into JESUS death so that our old sinful nature may be clothed upon with the righteousness of JESUS. And now clothed, we arise from that watery grave completely justified from all sin. A NEW CREATION!