April 12, 2009
"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. And the angel answered and 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." (Matthew 28: 1-6)
In the Bible,
there is a lot of talk about PLACE. Adam and Eve were put in
a PLACE called the Garden of Eden. Moses received the 10 Commandments
at a PLACE called Sinai. Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal at a PLACE
called Carmel. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born in a PLACE -- of all
PLACES -- in a dirt sable in Bethlehem. And Christ died
on a rugged cross
at a PLACE called Calvary.
Jesus said in John 14:2 -- "In my Father's
house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a PLACE for you.
My brothers and sisters, today is Easter, the day that we celebrate an
empty PLACE -- the empty tomb of Christ. We rejoice in
the truth that
the grave could not hold Him.
Because of His love for us He could not stay
in
that PLACE. "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's
belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart
of the earth." (Matthew 12:40)
He lives,
and because He lives, we can face tomorrow. And because He
lives, we're going to a better PLACE. Easter changes everything. Jesus
was raised from the dead and so shall we be. Aren't you glad you're
in the PLACE....Happy Easter First
In His Name,
Reverend John O. Veasey, Jr.
