As He Said

 March 31, 2021

“Just as he said.” —Matthew 28:6

The disciples were perplexed. They were defeated. The Man they had followed for the past three years was dead, executed upon a Roman cross. They had seen it with their own eyes, perhaps even watching as Joseph of Arimathea laid the body in his tomb. When they went to pay their respects on the third day, the huge stone that had been rolled across the entrance to the tomb was laying on its side. The tomb was open...and empty. A fine kettle of fish this was!

The two men who greeted them gave explanation. “He is not here; he is risen, as he said.” “As he said:” If Jesus, rising from the dead, is able to accomplish that which is humanly impossible, “just as he said,” what about the more mundane promises, such as providing for our physical needs? Shouldn’t they be pretty easy by comparison? What about giving us the wisdom we need for life? And more importantly, what about forgiving our sins? 

So often, we measure the promises of God by our transitory emotions. We study the options, make calculated decisions, and then second guess our choices. We confess our sins, but continue to listen to the accusations of the father of lies who causes us to question the reality of that forgiveness when we don’t “feel” forgiven. 

“Just as he said” are important words. They direct us away from the constantly changing landscape of our emotions, from the empty promises of this world, toward the constant and unchanging promises of God. There, and there only will we find solid ground upon which to build our lives.