We find our text in Luke 24, from
the first verse.
Now, on the first day of the week,
very early in the morning, they and certain
other women with them came to the tomb
bringing the spices which they had prepared.
But they found the stone rolled away from
the tomb.
Then they went in and did not find
the body of the Lord Jesus.
And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed
about this, that, behold, two men stood by
them in shining garments.
Then, as they were afraid and bowed their
faces to the earth, they said to them,
Why do you seek the living among the
dead?
Saying, The Son of Man must be delivered
into the hands of sinful men and be
crucified, and the third day rise again.
And they remembered his words.
Then they returned from the tomb and told
all these things to the eleven and to
all the rest.
We'll read thus far.
Now we've read here about the women who
went early in the morning to the tomb
of Sunday morning seeking Jesus.
When they got there, they didn't find him.
In other Gospels it refers to more details
like, who will roll away the stone for
us?
For his grave was that of a rich
man.
Rich men didn't have graves just like the
ordinary people who would just dig a hole
in the ground.
But they would have stone masons to dig
into the rock of the side of a
hill and create a sepulcher in it.
Then outside they would have a door, not
just a tiny little door like at a
hut, but a full wooden
door.
They wouldn't have a wooden door, but they
would use a huge stone that would be
specially crafted so that it would be able
to roll across the entrance, which was somewhat
square so this round stone would have to
roll and be much bigger than the entrance
so that it would cover everything above and
below.
There are some who estimate that that stone
could have weighed anything from two to three
tons or even three and a half tons.
Then they would use leverages so that they
would be able to lever this stone into
the These
days we saw something similar when heavy equipment
arrived for Akwele, some of the machines, and
you couldn't just move around a machine of
five tons.
You had to have proper equipment to carefully
move it.
Now this stone was huge and very heavy,
and they had to have the right things
to be able to move this heavy stone.
And they would move it, it
would be moved bit by bit.
And it was round so that it could
be rolled.
Had it been square, it's too difficult to
be able to adjust.
So they would move it after the corpses
laid in the sepulchre, then they would move
the stone and fix it across the entrance.
In the sepulchre, they would make a place
where they'd dig inside of this cave where
they could place the corpse.
It was only the royalty and the wealthy
who could afford such sepulchres.
Joseph of Arimathea
said, I will offer my sepulchre for Jesus
to be laid in.
What a wonderful man.
So
when he, Joseph, and Nicodemus had then come
to wrap him in the grave clothes, they
would have used anything up to 40 pounds
or kg of ointment to wrap him up
in.
If you think in pounds, 100 pounds or
around about 40 kg.
If
you think of the technique of putting plaster
of Paris around a broken limb, they would
wrap this around which has this plaster of
Paris and it becomes hard afterwards.
Now in a similar way, they would wrap
the corpse from the feet right up the
body and the arms and that.
And then they would do with another process
again, they would wrap the head.
It would be a very heavy thing and
it would set and be hard.
But I wouldn't miss not just softness but
And so, they would rap, not with just
a thin thing like my handkerchief, but they
would rap it very solidly, the corpse, and
it was there to protect from decay, like
you find some bodies mummified even from thousands
of years ago.
And then the women, early in the morning,
they were not asleep while others were asleep,
they came early, seeking the Lord, they had
perfumes and different spices, things that were used
also in the burial process that they wanted
to anoint him with as well, and they
chatted to each other on the way, asking,
wondering, who will move the tombstone for us?
But despite the fact that they knew they
would never have the strength themselves to roll
away the stone, they continued on their way
to the tomb.
It is said of women that they are
the weaker vessel, but in some things they
surpass men.
Women also have ways of being accepted where
men would be turned away, and where men
would be pushed away, they would allow a
woman to come, use that authority that you
have.
They would
allow
a woman to come, use that authority that
you have.
And the Bible also prophesies that in the
last days there will be a great company
of preachers, of female preachers, who will go
out and spread the Gospel.
You should be part of that, or are
you busy thinking about how much money you
can earn, just getting to the city, buying
your BM, and if your mind is set
on that, and that takes first place and
not the Lord Jesus, then your faith is
dead.
The
Bible
also prophesies that in the last days there
will be a great company of preachers, You
should be part of that, or are you
busy thinking about how much money you can
earn, just getting to the city, buying your
BM, and if your mind is set on
that, and that takes first place and not
the Lord Jesus, then your faith is dead.
You should be part of that, or are
you busy thinking about how much money you
can earn, just getting to the city, buying
your BM, and if your mind is set
on that, then your faith is dead.
And it seems like these three women who
came early to the grave, they didn't think
of these things.
Their love was so overwhelming for the Lord
that it seemed to blind them from some
of the practicalities, such as the huge stones,
such as the seal that was across the
tomb, such as the gods who were sitting
and watching over the tomb.
But such foolishness, But
such foolishness I love, far rather than being
wise and intelligent and not using it for
the Lord.
And when they got there, for they persevered,
some, they never finish what they've set out
to do, but they got there, and when
they found the grave, they discovered that the
tombstone was already rolled away, and that there
were angels in shining garments brightest the sun.
And these two men said, Their
intention was very clear to heaven.
There was no misinterpretation of whom they were
seeking, and even heaven was stirred and moved
to send on these angels to answer this
need of their seeking the Lord Jesus.
And let me tell you, if you seek
the Lord with all your heart, all of
heaven stands together If you don't seek the
Lord with all your heart, all of heaven
stands together I will seek the Lord, I
will seek the Lord, I will go to
heaven If you seek with him, you must
seek with me Because I am the Lord
You can't say that I am the Lord,
I am the Lord of all You can't
say that I am the Lord who is
God, I am the Lord of all Blessed
are they who seek the Lord truly with
all their hearts, in comparison to those who,
like the prodigal son, seek the world.
They say, give me my share, let me
go, and they seek the world, but they
don't even get the world.
Eventually they end up just in the pigsty,
and some have gone beyond that and are
dead in the grave today because of AIDS.
I'm going to tell you a story, and
I'm going to tell you a story.
They had said, no, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no,
no,
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no no, no, no,
no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
no, no Dr. Luke, who records this account,
he doesn't write who these two men were,
but no doubt, these were messengers from heaven,
sent in their shining garments, and even though
their names aren't recorded, we are certain these
were messengers sent from heaven What
had stirred them, what caused them to come
from heaven and be here, it was because
of these three women that sought Jesus And
as
they
discussed along the way as to who would
move the tombstone for them, they didn't even
get to the point where they could move
the tombstone for them, they didn't even get
to the point where they could move the
tombstone for them, they didn't even get to
the point where they could move the tombstone
for them, they didn't even get to the
point where they could move the tombstone for
them, they didn't even get to the point
where they could move the tombstone for them,
they didn't even get to the point where
they could move the tombstone for them, they
didn't even get to the point where they
could move the tombstone for them, they didn't
even get to the point where they could
move the tombstone for them, they didn't even
get to the point where they could move
the tombstone for them, they didn't even get
to the point where they could move the
tombstone for them, they didn't even get to
the point where they could move the tombstone
for them, they didn't even get to the
point where they could move
the
tombstone for them, they didn't even get to
the point where they could move the tombstone
for them, they didn't even get to the
point where they could move the tombstone for
them, they didn't even get to the point
where they could move the tombstone for them,
they didn't even get to the point where
they could move the tombstone for them, they
didn't even get to the point where they
could move the tombstone for them, they didn't
even get to the point where they could
move the tombstone for them, they didn't even
get to the point where they could move
the tombstone for them, they didn't even get
to the point where they could move the
tombstone for them, they didn't even get to
the point where they could move the tombstone
for them, they didn't even get to the
point where they could move the tombstone for
them, they didn't even get to the point
where they could move the tombstone for them,
they didn't even get to the point where
These men who ask this question, why do
you seek the living among the dead, they
knew their purpose.
They didn't have to inquire and ask why
they had even come, for they knew in
heaven they had been touched and stirred, and
so too if you seek the Lord with
all your heart, heaven is moved.
Or is it the case that they are
ashamed and they have to shroud themselves in
shame as they see what you do?
These men did not rebuke the women and
accuse them harshly and ask them questions like,
questions of logic and their stupidity, not at
all, for they knew, they understood the desire
of these women for the Lord Jesus.
And then they said, why do you seek
the dead among the living, for he is
not, or the living among the dead, for
he is not here, he is risen.
They said, don't you remember how when he
was in Galilee with you that he spoke
to you that the Son of Man must
be delivered into the hands of sinful men
and die and on the third day be
raised again?
But how?
It was
then
that it dawned upon them and they said,
yes, we do remember now, what a pity
that people forget the Lord speaks and years
later you don't remember what the Lord has
spoken to you.
It's heartbreaking that we forget what Jesus has
told us in the past.
It's not only a pity, it's a tragedy.
And a serious one too.
Why do you forget what Jesus has told
you?
Very often the heathen, they remember it, but
you Christians have forgotten it.
Shame upon you!
Why do you forget what Jesus has told
you?
Don't forget what the Lord has spoken to
you.
If you need to then write it down,
make a note of it, remind yourself every
day what the Lord has spoken to you.
There was a certain man who was a
preacher in Germany, Wilhelm Busch was his name,
he was also bald, he was greatly gifted
in preaching.
In a certain place there was a family,
the mother, the father, the son, the wife,
the daughter,
the
mother, the son, the wife, the daughter, the
son, the son, the son, the son, the
son, the son and the children had plenty
of hair but the father was bald and
the children were constantly upset and asked the
mother why doesn't dad have hair?
The mother
replied,
I don't have hair, I don't have hair,
I can't
take a child too lightly.
They are sharp, and they take note of
what you say.
Now, I
don't know whether it was 60 or 70
years ago, there was a certain preacher from
England known as Guy Thorne.
He wrote a book.
And he wrote that a certain archaeologist who
was doing exploration in Palestine came across a
grave and a corpse in the grave with
a certain letter written on it which said,
I, Joseph of Arimathea,
I have stolen the body of Jesus and
I hid it in this grave.
And in that era, when that was announced,
it caused great consternation among the Christians and
many were saying, what, we thought he had
arisen, so he actually never arose again.
Many Christians were greatly confused and upset.
They said, but we know about the resurrection,
what is this?
Because here is a body found and even
the proof that this was placed there by
Joseph of Arimathea.
Some even began to say, what's the truth
then?
How are we going to believe what is
a lie and what is true?
We are confused.
Some even considered forsaking the fact, they said,
well, here is the proof.
We thought Jesus was alive, he had risen
again, but here is now the letter of
proof from Joseph of Arimathea that he had
actually stolen Jesus' body and put it here.
I've often said there are no greater fools
than Christians.
If you want to find foolish people, go
to Christians.
It wasn't long after that, that it was
discovered to be a hoax.
It was an absolute hoax and that it
was a lie.
You can never receive praise in believing lies.
These two men said, now what are you
doing looking among the dead for the living?
Didn't he tell you that on the third
day he would rise again?
There is a certain Muslim here in South
Africa who
used
to go up and down the country holding
meetings and public meetings and that way he
would say, Jesus never died, it was all
just a hoax.
In Cape Town he even preached to 3
,000 people, his name being Didet.
At one time, I even invited him to
come to Cape Town I wanted him to
come and stay here for some time.
I determined not to preach to him, but
just to let him see how we live
in our eating, drinking, our daily life, that
he would witness it for himself.
I determined to do what the Lord says
to wives to do, not to preach to
their husbands, but to win them without word.
I did what the Lord told me to
do, not to preach, not to preach, not
to preach, not to preach, but to win
them without word.
So, I went up to Cape Town, I
prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I
prayed, I prayed, I prayed If
you
really treat
your husband properly, Even if he's just a
drunkard of a man, but if you show
real love towards him and give him everything
that he needs, go beyond that, regarding bringing
a bowl to wash his feet as in
the Zulu custom, looking after him, he can
discern very clearly between a cheeky wife and
a submissive loving wife.
If your husband is a drunkard, he can
discern whether you're a cheeky one, a naughty
girl, or somebody who's got the spirit of
Christ.
If your husband is a drunkard, he can
discern whether you're a cheeky one, a naughty
girl, or somebody who's got the spirit
of
Christ.
I determined that if Dedat comes, I want
to win him with my life and without
preaching to him, just to see how I
live and what happens in my daily life,
but he never came.
I think the demons with him, in him,
just stopped him from wanting to come.
He continued with his proclaiming, Jesus never rose
again.
He continued using arguments against the resurrection of
Jesus.
He would say, but if he died then
on Friday, and the Bible says that he
was to be in the grave for three
days, Friday and then rising early Sunday, not
even three days, he would say.
Not knowing, perhaps ignoring or not knowing the
fact that the Hebrew day would be counted
from the late afternoon.
He would say, but if he died then
on Friday, and the Bible says that he
was to be in the grave for three
days, Friday and then rising early Sunday, not
even three days, he would Not knowing, perhaps
ignoring or not knowing the fact that the
Hebrew day would be counted from the late
afternoon.
He would say.
He would say, but if he died then
on Friday, and the Bible says that he
was to be in the grave for three
days, Friday and then rising early Sunday, not
even three days, he would And because it
was going into the Sabbath, late on that
day, the soldiers were commanded that they should
make sure the men were dead, otherwise it's
a curse if anybody is on the cross
in the Sabbath.
So they were instructed then to break the
legs of these criminals, and you saw in
that film how they broke their legs.
You heard how they cried out, including the
one who blasphemed them as they used that
big hammer to break their legs.
Because it was going on for three o
'clock, and by five in that afternoon, they
should no longer be hanging there on the
crosses.
But let's finish the story I started with,
Didat.
So Jesus died before the Sabbath began.
And in Hebrew counting, that would be counted
as a whole day.
Then it was the Sabbath day, that evening
going through into Saturday afternoon.
That's the second day.
And counting the part of the next day
from the late afternoon Saturday until the next
day, that's counted as a day.
Therefore three days.
In the beginning.
In the beginning it says, in the beginning
of the Bible when God created all things,
he began creating, he started in that day,
and then towards the end of the day
it was called a day and a night.
From evening till morning was the first day.
That's how God counts.
We say the first day is from morning
till evening.
But God says from evening till morning, the
first day.
We say from morning till evening.
That's just exactly how man is.
We start in the morning.
With the dawn of the day.
With the rays of the morning.
And we end with sunset.
That's how we are.
We start big.
And small.
Start in glory.
End in shame and disgrace.
Even many politicians.
They start in the morning.
But they end in disgrace and shame.
In darkness.
But God starts when it is dark.
And he works and works.
And he stops when it's dawn of the
day.
When it's bright.
That's the difference between you and God.
And your doing and his doing.
Now I'm sure then you won't be confused
by this Islamic argument.
There are even some preachers who used to
debate with Tidat.
Who were confused and were overcome by his
arguments.
Some even converted to Islam.
And some were like, I'm not going to
believe this.
I'm not going to believe it.
I don't believe it.
But Tidat He used to say to him.
I'm going to believe it.
He used to say to him.
Then, some pastors in Durban, for that's where
he resided, including Indian pastors, they wrote him
a letter.
They said, Mr. Didat, you're free to speak
what you want to speak, but don't blaspheme
our Lord.
Don't blaspheme Christ and His death and resurrection.
You can speak for your religion, but don't
attack Christ, otherwise we hand you over to
God.
But how did he behave or respond with
stubbornness, as some women do, and men, who
are foolish?
He was so stubborn, as some women are.
You're finding yourself in bad company.
Of course, there are some foolish men as
well, that imitate you.
Didat continued boldly in his blasphemous campaign.
But these Indian
pastors, these
Indian men who had converted out of other
religions like Hinduism, they prayed, they said, Lord,
he's been blaspheming for so long.
You work now.
He then had a certain type of stroke
that struck him dumb.
It's now many years that he is speechless.
The Lord closed his mouth completely.
I have long since wanted to visit him,
to go and see him.
And I still hope for the opportunity, not
now, in the near future, because of Tuesday
He was taken after that stroke to Middle
Eastern specialists, to German specialists, flown with expensive
planes all over the world for attention.
Nothing could help.
These men said, but why are you looking
for the living among the dead?
Don't you remember what he said to you
in Galilee?
Then it dawned on them, they said, oh,
we had forgotten.
Legal professors, professors of law, judges,
and those who inspect legal history.
Testify that there is no event historically that
has got so many sources of evidence as
this historical evidence of his resurrection.
They say there is no event in history
with so much historical evidence attesting to the
fact of it as the resurrection of Jesus.
The Jews said there is no body in
the grave.
Even in the Roman law, they wrote that
his tomb was empty.
So, when these women came, and not just
them, there were others also, they found this
tombstone rolled away.
God, in his own strength, had just cast
this tombstone aside.
It didn't need somebody to heave and push
and slowly move it away, leaving tracks behind.
God has brushed it aside.
Neither was the tomb opened to release Jesus
out of it, no, it was opened so
that the disciples would be able to look
inside it.
Remember this.
The disciples had been behind lock and key,
afraid because of the circumstances, and the Jesus,
and the Lord Jesus, was able to simply
appear.
He didn't have to knock at the door
and open, he could just walk right through.
Let me just mention a few proofs of
Jesus' resurrection.
The Romans put a Roman sign, a seal,
upon the grave.
And should you tamper with that seal, you
would be seen as affronting the Roman Empire
itself.
Secondly, the authority of
the Roman
Empire's authority was being challenged if you tried
to tamper with their seal.
And history tells us that anybody that would
tamper with the Roman seal would be severely
punished.
It was said that a person that would
break a Roman seal would even be crucified
on a cross, on a tree, would be
nailed head down, feet up, as a punishment.
Of tampering with their seal.
Before I continue with that theme of the
seal, something I've forgotten.
The Bible had prophesied that not a bone
of his body, that is of the Lord
Jesus, would be broken.
You saw how in the film, those thieves
on either side of him, they had their
bones broken from the feet up till they
were broken in pieces.
And the second thief the same.
That is how they were finished off.
And they couldn't breathe properly, so they would
stiffen their legs for support to be able
to breathe.
And that was therefore the technique in breaking
their legs, they lost that support so that
they would drown or suffocate.
And they would die immediately.
When they came to Jesus, the one said,
no don't break his bones, he's already dead.
They said, no it can't be, how could
he die so quickly?
And to make sure he speared him, he
pushed that spear in his side through to
the heart.
The moment the spear pierced him, out flowed,
out poured blood and water.
I don't have time to go into the
exact details of that, but you saw how
it was depicted.
That this poured out also upon those who
were standing below the cross.
And it signified that he wasn't killed through
the nails or through the beating, he died
of a broken heart.
Broken heart because of you sinner, you who
go in your own rebellious ways, not wanting
to be obedient to him.
That's what broke his heart.
He saw you.
You who go back to sin, you confess
it and go back to it and continue
with those things.
That's what breaks his heart.
Where you say, is that indeed so?
Does he spear me again?
Does he press the thorns deeper into my
brow yet again?
Now let me go back to the Romans.
The Roman law that should you tamper with
the Roman seal, you would be crucified, your
head down.
Nobody dared tamper with the Roman seal because
you would be seen as an insurrectionist.
If the disciples who were so afraid that
they were even behind locked doors, afraid to
even come out, how would they have ever
dared to go and tamper with the seal?
Not only the seal being there, but also
the Roman soldiers guarding.
Secondly, there was no person in the sepulchre.
When they came, the body was gone.
The disciples needed strong, real evidence.
If they were to be emboldened to preach
the crucified risen Lord, they who had been
trembling and afraid and had denied him, they
wouldn't have had any courage to stand before
the council, the Sanhedrin, and later proclaim, he
whom you crucified is risen again.
He had indeed risen.
Thirdly, the guards or police
there ran away.
They fled like scared rats because of the
sudden earthquake and the rolling away of the
stone.
History has it that there were no soldiers
as disciplined as the Roman soldier.
Roman soldiers were fiercely faithful to their duties.
If they were made as sentries to watch
over a spot, they would remain at that
spot not to be moved by anything.
Even if a wall would collapse on them,
they would remain motionless at that spot.
It was said there were no soldiers as
disciplined as the Roman soldiers.
They even had a law at the time.
That's why Roman soldiers were so disciplined.
So that is why they were so disciplined.
They knew the punishment and they would not
move from their post as a sentry.
The Romans had conquered the whole world.
There was no kingdom like theirs.
But you know what brought their empire down?
Sexual immorality.
That broke down the Roman empire.
purity and of a wife being faithful and
purity in sexuality, that nation eventually collapses.
It cannot survive, and it happens to any
nation, whether it's to you blacks or the
English, whoever, you will be destroyed by your
own immorality.
The empire must fail.
But that's why the Lord said to the
women who were crying as He carried His
cross, and He said, daughters of Jerusalem, do
not weep for me, weep for yourselves and
for your own sins.
immorality.
Here in South Africa now even homosexual marriage
is being condoned, legalized.
Just think.
Passing laws that would imitate Sodom and Gomorrah,
it has said, well, that's our human rights.
That which even animals don't do, people will
do, that is the sin of Sodom and
Gomorrah.
But here is the risen Christ.
He is alive and all that fear and
trembling and the hiding away and all that
disappeared when they realized He is risen.
And all their authority just came crumbling down
when Jesus arose.
The soldiers then went and said to the
priests what had happened.
The high priest then took some money and
said why don't you just say that the
disciples came at night and stole away His
body.
They said what?
How could we say that because it is
death that we would face then.
But He was able to persuade them with
money.
Another fact that Jesus rose.
All of you faggots.
Not your hand.
You
faggots.
The disciples that came to see the grave,
after the women had come and informed them
what had happened, they ran.
Peter and John, John being the younger, got
there first and stood at the entrance and
looked inside.
Peter then went right inside and they were
immediately convinced He is risen.
What struck Peter and John?
Not the stone that was thrown away but
the clothes.
The clothes.
It was the grave clothes that convinced them,
not the rolling away of the stone.
Why?
What did they notice about the grave clothes?
Remember I said that those linen clothes wrapped
around Him
would
They saw these grave clothes lying there neatly
and the one for the head lying there.
Now your shirt.
What is your shirt, your collar size?
I'm size 51.
What is yours?
inch.
grab idea.
Here we were finding out president of this
country.
As a woman.
I was unable to tell anybody what a
person was.
They don't tell anybody.
And I didn't know the person.
The grave clothes thoroughly convinced them.
They knew then he's not stolen by thieves.
He's arisen.
Finally, the last point.
Jesus himself revealed himself to them.
Even behind closed doors, he was suddenly among
them saying, peace be to you.
Some were afraid, lest it is his spirit
and it's not really real.
He said no.
A spirit has no flesh or body.
Have you any food?
Bring some fish.
He took and ate of it.
They saw indeed he had arisen.
And then he disappeared from their sight.
They said to Thomas, but he has arisen.
He said, nonsense, what proof do you have?
He said, because he had been absent when
the Lord Jesus appeared to the disciples the
first time.
He said, unless I put my fingers into
his wounds and feel it for myself, I
will not believe.
Then suddenly Jesus was in their midst again.
He said, Thomas, stretch out your hand.
Feel my side and my wounds in my
hands.
That proved overwhelming, Thomas.
He fell on his knees and said, my
Lord and my God.
Jesus didn't reveal himself just to these, but
also to others, even later on to Saul
of Tarsus, where he appeared and said, Saul,
why do you persecute me?
He was still an enemy.
As Paul also records, that at one time,
the one who was converted from being Saul,
he says that at one time Jesus revealed
himself as the resurrected Lord to over 500
disciples at one time.
Over 500.
And he said, some of those are still
alive, you can go and question them.
This would stand the test of any court.
In fact, it is perfectly clear, and lawyers
that have delved into it say the evidence
is overwhelming.
He must have risen.
He's risen.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, you will
be my witnesses here in Jerusalem, then to
Judea and Samaria, then to the uttermost parts
of the earth.
You've heard of the testimony of Jesus' resurrection.
Have you got that testimony that he is
risen?
John and Peter, they had the proof and
the assurance that he had arisen.
Do you have that proof?
Is there that assurance that he has indeed
arisen?
Has Jesus entered into you?
As Jesus promised, behold I stand at the
door and knock, if any man open to
me, I will come in and sup with
him.
Has he entered into your life?
Do you know that special fellowship?
When he eats with you, and you eat
it.
Not only you eat with your darling wife.
Forget about the wife for a while.
Or your husband, or your children.
You alone.
Have you had fellowship with him?
And are you having fellowship with him?
And the song of songs?
She seeks him in the night and goes
to the guards, the watchman of the city
and says, have you seen him?
Him whom my soul loves.
Why said he?
She said, then I went just a little
beyond them and I found him.
He was like these women.
That search for Jesus.
He were woke at night.
He could not sleep any longer.
And he searched and looked for the one
whom his soul loves.
He found those guards.
He said, have you seen the man whom
my soul loves?
And he just went past them a short
distance and he found him.
He found him.
He did not got stuck with the guards.
With the people.
He just went a bit further.
That guard could be your wife.
And you say, my wife, have you seen
whom my soul loves?
And you pass your wife a bit.
Then you find him.
Pass your husband.
Pass your children.
Pass your parents.
Only then you will find him.
Don't get stuck with your wife.
With your children.
And even with your ministers.
And your preacher.
Go a step further.
And then you will find him.
These women got up early.
While the others were still comfortable in bed,
resting.
They went.
They passed the seal.
They passed the guards.
Just a little.
And then they met the two men and
said, we know you're looking for Jesus.
He's not here.
He's risen.
As he had told you.
Oh, now we remember.
Now my closing question.
Have you passed everything?
And found him?
Press through?
Write to him?
Flex whites, yellow, red, green, whatever color you
are.
Even those who are green behind their ears.
Have you met him?
Are you already dead?
Are you with him?
If not, you're still lost.
On the way to hell.
Let's stand together and we'll pray.
Thank you, Lord.
That we can serve the one who is
alive.
Not like other religions who serve their leaders.
Whether they're Muslims or Hindus or Buddhists or
whatever.
Where their leaders are dead and just white
bones.
But Lord Jesus, we serve you, the risen
Christ.
So that you, the living one, can reside
in us and live in us.
And that we are able to sup with
you with heavenly food.
Amen.