What Happened?
Quite a bit, it turns out.
The whole story begins when a group of women return to the tomb to prepare Jesus body for final burial.
They arrive to find the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Jesus is gone. As you can imagine chaos ensues. Some people think the body has been stolen and some have had encounters where they've been told that Jesus has risen.
The Risen Jesus
Then Jesus appears, apparently first to Mary Magdalene, then to the two travellers returning home to Emmaus and finally to the Apostles themselves.
Even then, Thomas who is absent does not believe. Yes, this is where the expression a doubting Thomas comes from.
Jesus has died, in the manner he said he would and he has risen, just as he said he would. The sacrifice is complete and the victory won. Understand though, without Friday, without the sacrifice, and without Jesus victory over fear, and greed and selfish temptation, none of this would have been possible. Jesus remained innocent to the very end, never once giving in to temptation. He was the perfect sacrifice, not just because of his innocence but because he knew perfectly well that he could choose not to be innocent and he chose innocence.
Jesus died for you but he also rose for you. Easter Sunday is a day to celebrate the risen Lord.
