Easter Series Part 5--He is Risen Indeed!

… How could this happen? Wasn’t Jesus the Rescuer? The kind God had promised? It wasn’t supposed to end like this.
Yes, whoever said anything about the end?
Just before sunrise, on the third day, God sent an earthquake—and an angel from heaven. When the guards (who had been guarding the tomb in which Jesus’ body lay) saw the angel, they fell down in fright. The angle rolled the huge stone away, sat on top of it and waited.

At the first glimmer of dawn, Mary Magdalene and other women head to the tomb to wash Jesus’ body. The early morning sun slanted through the ancient olive tress, drops of dew glittering on the leaves and grasses—little tear everywhere. The friends walked quietly along the hilly path, through the groves, until they reached the tomb. Immediately noticed something odd—it was wide open.
They peered though the opening gin to the dark tomb. But wait Jesus’ body was gone!
And something else: a shining man was there, with clothes made from lighting.
“Don’t be scared,” the angel said…”Jesus isn’t dead anymore … He is alive again!”

…The other women rushed home, but Mary stayed behind. How could it be true? Jesus was definitely dead—how could he be alive? Just them Mary hear someone else in the garden. Perhaps it’s the gardener, she thought. He’ll know where Jesus’ body is.
“I don’t know where Jesus is!” Mary said urgently. “I can’t find him.”
But it was all right. Jesus knew where she was. And he had found her.

Days later, after showing himself to many of his friends when he was talking with his disciples... Something amazing happened. Jesus rose up into the bright air higher and higher. They shaded their eyes and watched him go, until a cloud hid Jesus so they couldn’t see him anymore. They stood looking up in to the sky like that for a long time
Suddenly two shining men appeared. "What are you doing?" they asked. "Jesus has gone to heaven. But one day he will come back. In the same way you saw him leave. From heaven. And from the sky. "

Jesus' friends went back to Jerusalem with a strnge gladness inside their hearts. And something Jesus said stuck in their minds: "Even though you won't be able to see me anymore, I will never leave you. No! Not ever I will be with you. Yes! Always and forever!"

And it is all true. Every last word of it!