The Greatest moment in History

John 20: 1-10

Great moments in history; what comes to mind?  If you are seventy or younger it may be World War One and two, or could it be the assassination of President Kennedy, or the attempt to assassinate President Reagan.  It may have been when President Reagan told the leader of the USSR to tear down that evil wall, and all of us watching as the citizens of Germany broke down the wall that held them captive.   It may be Vietnam or Desert Storm, or if you have studied history it may be Columbus finding the Americas and the many who fled England and Europe for the ability to live as a free people.  They came to worship freely and to live without some leader telling them what and when and how they could live life.  One of the biggest failures of one such group was having all things equal, and they almost starved to death the first winter.  It was only when the leader gave each family land to farm and the ability to prosper from their own work that they began to flourish.   If you are thirty or younger and live in the USA, it has to be the cowardly muslin attack on our nation and watching 3,000 Americans die by such evil men.

But there are so many great moments in history that it is impossible in a short paper to begin the list, so let’s just cut to the chase and list the number One.  The greatest moment in history was the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, for all people!  No other act compares to how the Resurrection of Jesus Christ has changed history, and yet we are living in a time when many have no understanding that only in Christ is there freedom from the control of sin.  The gospel of John gives us a clear understanding of this in this encounter between Jesus and some Jews who had believed in him. “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”  Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  (John 8:31-36 ESV) 

So on the greatest day of history on planet earth, whom was chosen to be the witness of this very special day: a lady who once was controlled by seven demons that Jesus cast out of her, and her name is Mary Magdalene.  We have this account in the gospel of Mark; “[Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.]  (Mark 16:9-13 ESV)  On the greatest day of the history of the world we have two common scenes, a risen Savor reaching out to His follower saying I’ve risen, I’m alive, I Am the victory over death, and the grave, and you are the recipient of my act of love and grace.  And the other scene, is those who said as his disciples did that day, we do not believe. 

Then we have the gospel of John account where Mary came to the tomb on the first day of the week early while it was still dark, and saw the stone rolled away from the tomb.  So she ran and told Peter and John and they ran to the tomb.   One of the things we learned from John is that of the two you want to put your money on John in a race, for it is recorded that John got there first.  But speed is not the end game, for it is reported that John looked inside and Peter being Peter did not stop at the door, but went into the tomb.  So this is what is reported, both John and Peter saw the same thing, and both went into the tomb, but John 20:8-10, gives us this insight; “Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.  But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb.” (John 20:8-11 ESV)  Tomorrow we will learn about Mary’s encounter with the risen Lord.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice