Jesus Said, "If Ye Seek, Ye Shall Find" The Treasures Of The Heart - Part 2084

"Now upon the first [day] of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus." (Luke 24:1-3)

"In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first [day] of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men." (Matthew 28:1-4)

"And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first [day] of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, "Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?" And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great." (Mark 16:1-4)

"The first [day] of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and see the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runs, and comes to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid Him." (John 20:1-3)

If you read just one of the gospels, and not the accounts of the three other witnesses, you would only have received a partial glimpse of the resurrection event, wherein the women went to the tomb with spices. However, two points that are consistent throughout is that first, Jesus is no longer in the tomb, and second, that He rose from the dead before the women arrived on the first day of the week. 

Who were the women? Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. Most have heard of Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James but Salome? Upon further investigation, we learn that Salome was one of the women looking upon Jesus on the cross, albeit from afar off. Indeed, as the scripture states, "There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; (who also, when He was in Galilee, followed Him, and ministered unto Him;) and many other women which came up with Him unto Jerusalem." (Mark 15:40)

In another scripture, Joanna, the wife of Chuza Herod's steward is mentioned. For clarity, "and Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto Him of their substance." (Luke 8:3) "It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles." (Luke 24:10)

What happens next?  The women, upon entering into the sepulchre, saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were frightened. But he saith unto them, "Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: He is risen; He is not here: behold the place where they laid Him. But go your way, tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him, as He said unto you." And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any [man]; for they were afraid." (Mark 16:5-8)

In Matthew's account, we learn that the angel said unto the women, "Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you." And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring His disciples word.

And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "All hail" or "rejoice!" And the women came and held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him. Then said Jesus unto them, "Be not afraid: go tell My brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see Me." (Matthew 28:1-9)

Luke describes what happened this way: "And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: and as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, "The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." And they remembered His words, and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 

It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. But to the apostles, the women's words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass." (Luke 24:4-12)

From Mark's account: "Now when Jesus was risen early the first [day] of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that He was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. After that [Jesus] appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told [it] unto the residue: neither believed they them. Afterward [Jesus] appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen Him after He was risen." (Mark 16:9-14)

By now, we know that Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled because Judas had already betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. This meant the twelve who had followed Jesus in the day to day for more than three years were now eleven. We also understand that these had closed themselves inside a house (indeed, locking the doors) because of the persecution against those who walked with Jesus. Let's not forget what happened when the disciples started to believe all the accounts -- from the women and the two that Jesus met on the road to Emmaus.

"Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and [looking in], saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then comes Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about His head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

Then the disciples went away again unto their own home. But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeing two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou?" She saith unto them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him." And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Jesus saith unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, saith unto Him, "Sir, if thou have borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus saith unto her, "Mary." She turned herself, and saith unto Him, "Rabboni; which is to say, Master."

Jesus saith unto her, "Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, "I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and [to] My God, and your God." Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and [that] He had spoken these things unto her.

Then the same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, "Peace be unto you." And when He had so said, He shewed unto them [His] hands and His side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

Then said Jesus to them again, "Peace [be] unto you: as [My] Father hath sent Me, even so send I you." And when He had said this, He breathed on [them], and saith unto them, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever [sins] ye retain, they are retained." (John 20:3-23)

"Afterward, He appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen Him after He was risen. And He said unto them, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; "In My Name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with [them], and confirming the Word with signs following. Amen." (Mark 16:14-20)

But the resurrection evidence does not end there. In Luke's account, we learn how the scriptures should burn within us -- filling us with His joy and gladness, that we too can know this same Lord Jesus who death could not keep captive. And it is herein, that we can assuredly know that this same Jesus whom ye have crucified is both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36) 

The first man, earthy, but the second, the Lord from heaven. That the Lord God Himself was manifest in the flesh -- Emmanuel, being interpreted, God with us -- so that He clothed as a Son could freely offer to us His free gift (but more than costly to Him) -- salvation -- for He shall deliver His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21-23; I Timothy 3:16; Titus 3:4-7; Revelation 1:8; John 1:1-18; Isaiah 9:6) But I digress somewhat.

"And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know Him. 

And He said unto them, "What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?" And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto Him, "Art Thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?" And He said unto them, "What things?" And they said unto Him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him ... we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; and when they found not His body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that He was alive. 

And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but Him they saw not. Then He said unto them, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?" 

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and He made as though He would have gone further. But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as He sat at meat with them, He took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him; and He vanished out of their sight. 

And they said one to another, "Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the scriptures?" 

And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon." And they told what things were done in the way, and how He was known of them in breaking of bread. [Remember, Jesus had earlier said, "I AM the Bread of Life!"]

Thus, as they thus spake, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, "Peace be unto you." But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a Spirit. And He said unto them, "Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself: handle Me, and see; for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have."

And when He had thus spoken, He shewed them His hands and His feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said unto them, "Have ye here any meat?" And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And He took it, and did eat before them. And He said unto them, "These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me." 

Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high."

And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen." (Luke 24:1-53)

Where do we go from here? Straight into Acts, wherein we know and should understand that this SAME JESUS who was crucified was taken up, and now through the Holy Ghost gives commandments to those He has chosen. 

"Until the day in which He [Jesus] was taken up, after that He [Jesus] through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen: to whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God ... " (Acts 1:2-3)

Think on these things and understand too that Jesus is alive, and He wants to dwell within your heart as well. Search the scriptures for yourself so that you too will seek and as Jesus said, "Ye shall find!"

Stand in the offering plate.