The Women at the Resurrection

In Bible times women were not well thought of.  The were often overlooked, mistreated and maligned.  They were not considered good witnesses to events and were not listened to.  Jesus, however, elevated and restored women to their valued place.  I can think of many women who were ministered to by Him.  The Samaritan woman at the well, the bent over woman at the synagogue, the woman with the issue of blood, the woman caught in adultery, the demon possessed Mary Magdalene, the woman that poured expensive perfume on Jesus,  are among many that Jesus healed, delivered and restored.  Women supported Jesus' ministry financially.  Luke 8:2 " And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza Herod's steward and Susanna and many others, which ministered to him out of their substance".  Jesus had quite a following of women.  They were at the cross, "And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him." Matt. 27:55. Verse 61: They were at the seplulchre watching what was being done with Jesus' body.  This was a devastating event for Jesus' followers, but the women were close, ready to serve and minister to Jesus' body.

Mark's chapter 16 account tells us who went to the tomb.  The first witnesses of the Resurrection were women. Not the disciples.

¹Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 
²Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 
³And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” 
⁴But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. 
⁵And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
⁶But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. 
⁷But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”
⁸So they went out  quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
⁹Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. 
¹⁰She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. 
¹¹And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

It is amazing, that women were the first to witness the most significant event that has ever happened!
The first to hear of the resurrection from angels were women.
The first to see the risen Lord was Mary Magdalene.
The first to believe the resurrected Christ were the women.

It was because of their service and faithfulness to Jesus.  They were far above grateful for what he had done for them.  They expressed it in so many ways.  The anointing at Bethany of the expensive perfume became a everlasting memorial and anointed him for his burial as Jesus said. Mark 14:3-9.  They came to the tomb to perform necessary burial duties.  Thus they were the ones who first witnessed the event.

The greatest liberator of women was Jesus.  He treasures us and wants us to thrive in our place.  I am so thankful for being a woman. I truly want to serve Him.  I know He loves me and treasures me as He does every person.

I remember as a child attending Easter sunrise services. Usually my dad and I attended and we would get up while it was still dark and make our way to the place where the services were held, usually on a hill or park somewhere.  Sometimes it was cold and misty, other times the skies were clear and the birds would be singing and as the sun started peaking over the horizon our small little group would sing.

Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Savior,
He tore the bars away Jesus my Lord.
Up from the grave He arose! With a mighty triumph or His foes
He arose a victor from the dark domain and He lives forever with his saints to reign,
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah, Christ arose!


May we rejoice during this Holy Season in our Resurrected Lord and King!  "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." John 11;25

A Holy Invitation

In Sunday's service I was so moved by the word a young man gave during worship.  He spoke of an invitation in a Jewish ceremony where the groom offered the bride a cup of wine...an invitation to partake of what he would offer to her.  I would submit this link that goes into detail about the ceremony and meaning.

http://messianicfellowship.50webs.com/wedding.html . The betrothal process and ceremony has so much to offer in the way our Father chose us for His son, we are immersed or baptized unto Him when we accept Him as our betrothed then partake of the covenant fruit of the vine and bread representing His blood and body.  Just a couple of points:  The father chooses the bride,(Ephesians 1:4) the grooms responsibility is to prepare a place for the bride to live. John 14:3 "I go to prepare a place for you".  The bride promises to pay her dowry, her financial status, that of her yielded life to keep herself for him.  "knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot "

 I Peter 1:18,19. Jesus paid our dowry. 

 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." Ephesians 5:25-27 

I so strongly feel our Lord offering himself in that Holy Invitation of Communion.  It is more real to me than I have ever known.  I see Him the night He was betrayed, so excited to reveal Himself to the disciples as the Passover Lamb. " With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer". Luke 22:15. Oh what love.  He knew what was ahead of Him as He offered to the disciples that they would be the first to partake of that love, His body, His blood.  What passion He revealed! The love for His brethren, that He would offer himself as the supreme sacrifice.  They did not understand what they were partaking of  and unfortunately we often do not ponder the depth of the love that was demonstrated through His sacrifice and what He is offering us.  

That night in the garden of Gethsemane, He asked that the cup would pass from Him, nevertheless, He yielded to God's will and took of the cup of suffering for our sin.  And now He offers us the cup of redemption, the cup of blessing, the cup of love for His bride.  He said "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, this do as often as you drink it in remembrance of Me." I Corinthians 11:25. And He also said "I will not take of the fruit of the vine until  the kingdom of God shall come." 

I encourage you to read the whole chapter of  I Corinthians 10.  Paul talks about the Israelites and how we should learn from their example. He is talking about idolatry and how it was the downfall of Israel.  Then in the Corinthian church idolatry was still a problem.  Webster defines idolatry as "worship of a physical object as a god".  What we give homage to or worship above the one true God is idolatry.  Paul says "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?"  Then later in the chapter he says "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons."  I submit to you that there is idolatry in our nation on a wide scale, and yes among believers.  Lord, I pray reveal to us our idols, that we may remove them.  

Oh folks, the Lord is calling us to repentance.  He wants purity in our relationships, especially our relationship to our God and to our betrothed Groom.  He is calling His bride to receive the cup of betrothal and not take of another.  

His love is everlasting, a covenant love that was sealed in His blood.  Is He not worthy of our wholehearted commitment?  If we know Him, one day we will partake of the Marriage supper of the Lamb.  

 "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”  Revelation 19:9 

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am you will be also" John 14:3

Saints, we are betrothed to Him. Let us not look at another. Let us receive the washing of the water of the Word.  He is the Word.  He purifies us, He cleanses us with His blood.  

Candy Kloxin