Articles
The One Who Conquered Death
Let us start with a prayer of thanks this week for all that God and Jesus have done for us.
Lord, thank you for lavishing your creation with blessings. We did nothing to deserve them. Yet, you bestow them anyway because your love and grace are endless. Guide us to bring love and glory to your name every day of our lives. Grant us the wisdom to turn to you for comfort and strength. You are the King over all things and there is nothing that can stop your good will from being done. Have mercy on us, your imperfect servants, forgive us so that in your name we can forgive others. May glory be given to your holy name forever! We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
The Israelite’s were tasked with making the mercy seat for God on the ark of the covenant in Exodus 25:17-22. The mercy seat had a cherub facing each other at each end. Each cherub had their wings over-shadowing the seat where God would speak with the Israelites. Mary had a similar experience when she entered Jesus’ tomb in John 20. She saw two divine beings sitting on either side of the place where her Lord’s body once rested, and she spoke with her Savior. Mercy was bestowed to Mary just as it was with the Israelite’s when God resided in the Ark. Jesus told Mary not to weep for Him because He had just shown her that the son of God conquers death.
Jesus became the sacrificial lamb on the cross as payment for the sin that had been present in the world since the snake deceived Adam and Eve in the garden. God wants you to be close to Him. He sent his only son to die for you. Jesus conquered death to give every person the choice to follow God and be loved by Him for all eternity. God knows your struggles. He knows what keeps you up at night, what your desires are, and what gives you joy. God knows your name just as He knew Mary’s name in John 20:16.
Mary recognized Jesus as both her teacher and creator and so she called out, “Rabboni!” instead of Rabbi. Rabbi means teacher, but Rabboni means “my most honorable teacher.” A Rabboni knows her/his students intimately and guides them to spiritual fulfillment. Jesus is known as the “…founder and finisher of our faith…(KJV)” because He created us and then perfected our faith by facing death on the cross (Heb. 12:1-2, Col. 1:9-21). Understanding the boundless love God has is challenging, but the choice to accept Jesus as your Rabboni and Savior can be made. He creates, loves, and perfects, but only if the choice is made to let Him.
