This year the celebration of Easter, the resurrection of our Lord, happens to fall on April 1st. April first is also a day that is known as April Fool’s Day. April Fool’s Day is a day in which folks try their best to suck you into a fabricated tale, and just at the moment that you seem to believe what they are saying is true, you hear the words, “April Fools!”
It’s one thing for someone to joke with you on April Fool’s Day, that’s all meant in fun. However, can you imagine how the followers of Jesus must have felt when they got to the tomb on the morning of the first day of the week, only to find that the stone had been rolled away and the body of their Lord was missing? Certainly, no joking matter!
We can look into the emotions of those followers by listening to the narrative of that particular morning in history as recorded in Scripture. John relates for us that Mary Magdalene had gone to the tomb early in the morning and when she arrived she found that the stone had been rolled away and when seeing this, ran to tell Peter and the others what she had seen. (John 20:1) In Luke’s account, he mentions that Mary Magdalene and the other women had traveled to the tomb early on the first day of the week only to find that the stone was rolled away and that they went in to look around and did not find the body of Jesus. Following this they saw two men dazzling in white and they asked them, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead, He is not here, He is risen just as He said.” At these words, the women remembered the teaching of Jesus that He would be handed over to sinful man, be crucified, and rise on the third day. (Luke 24:1-8)
After there experience, Luke says that the women returned to the Eleven and others who were gathered with them and reported their findings. The response to their report according to Luke was, “These words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women.” (Luke 24:11)
I am not sure if they knew what an April Fool’s Joke was, but when I hear the response to the report of the women, It’s almost as if you could hear Peter, John and the others saying, “What’s this, an April Fool’s Joke? You are not going to convince us with just words.
Thankfully, their curiosity was peaked enough for the to run to the tomb to see for themselves. And see for themselves they did. When they arrived, they found things just as the women had testified. The stone had been rolled away, and His body was not there, only the linen cloths that had wrapped His corpse on the Friday afternoon following His death were in the tomb.
This event was no joke, it was simply the words of Jesus, being fulfilled. Each time that Jesus had spoken to them concerning His coming death, He was careful to remind them that his death would not be the end, rather there was hope because He would rise from the dead.
Jesus, is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He proved this by dying for you and me on Calvary’s cross. He is also the only begotten Son of God who offers eternal life to those who believe. He reminded us of this truth in John 11:25-26 when He stated, “I am the resurrection and the life. The One who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die – ever. Do you believe this?”
With the uniqueness of Easter falling on April 1st this year, maybe it’s time for you to look at these events in the life of Jesus and ask yourself, “Is this a joke or is this the truth?” If you decide that it is indeed the truth, why not make a conscious decision to “Believe” in Him so that you might live eternally because of what Christ has done for you.
In Christ,
Bro. Tim
