The stone which blocked the entrance to the tomb of Jesus was not moved on Resurrection Morning so Jesus could make an exit, but so that the disciples and the women could make an entrance. No exit was necessary for Jesus. The rolled away stone simply made it easier for the early morning witnesses. And if Jesus was not hindered by a stone blocking the door, He was surely not bothered by a mere door leading into a room. On the evening of the Resurrection Jesus suddenly appeared in the room blocked by a locked door.
No doubt some were scared out of their sandals, if they wear still wearing them. Others experienced surprise which probably bordered on heart stopping shock. This was not a case of mass hallucination. Neither was it the result of a near death experience such as some folks talk about in our day. Jesus was standing inside that room closed off from the world by a locked door because He had been raised from the dead and given a body which manifested itself in ways that were no longer bound by physical laws. How long He lingered in the room we are not told, but it was long enough for each person in the room to become convinced that living presence of the Christ was with them.
Our encounters with Jesus are often like those of those disciples on the day of Resurrection. There is often this quality of "now you see Him, now you don't" about any awareness of holy presence. And, as much as we might talk about seeking Him, we are more likely to have Him showing up in our life in unexpected and surprising ways. We might expect to sense that He is with us in worship on Sunday, but He is actually very likely to break into those moments which are filled with fear and uncertainty. When we have put up barriers between us and Him, He has a way of showing up. Even as we see Him seeking the disciples on Resurrection Sunday, so can we count on Him to seek us and make Himself known.
No doubt some were scared out of their sandals, if they wear still wearing them. Others experienced surprise which probably bordered on heart stopping shock. This was not a case of mass hallucination. Neither was it the result of a near death experience such as some folks talk about in our day. Jesus was standing inside that room closed off from the world by a locked door because He had been raised from the dead and given a body which manifested itself in ways that were no longer bound by physical laws. How long He lingered in the room we are not told, but it was long enough for each person in the room to become convinced that living presence of the Christ was with them.
Our encounters with Jesus are often like those of those disciples on the day of Resurrection. There is often this quality of "now you see Him, now you don't" about any awareness of holy presence. And, as much as we might talk about seeking Him, we are more likely to have Him showing up in our life in unexpected and surprising ways. We might expect to sense that He is with us in worship on Sunday, but He is actually very likely to break into those moments which are filled with fear and uncertainty. When we have put up barriers between us and Him, He has a way of showing up. Even as we see Him seeking the disciples on Resurrection Sunday, so can we count on Him to seek us and make Himself known.
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