Celebrating Resurrection Power

Come with me through the dawning mist as we hurry to catch up with Mary Magdalene. She is only a few steps ahead on the garden path, weeping and overcome with sorrow. The tomb comes into view and Mary, disbelieving, rubs her wet eyes… 

It can’t be! Why is the stone rolled away? 

Mary draws a sharp breath. Maybe she shouldn’t be here—especially if there are grave robbers strong enough to handle the heavy stone. She waits, then gathers herself and steps cautiously toward the open tomb. She prepares herself to view the lifeless corpse of her Beloved. Then… 

“Woman why are you crying?” asks a man behind her. She turns and mistakes Him for the gardener. “Mary,” He says tenderly, and suddenly the earth shifts beneath her feet. The stunning truth breaks over her: her Lord and Savior is alive! 

This changes everything. 

When God raised His Son off of that stone-cold, gray slab and breathed life into the body of Jesus, innumerable things were set into motion.  

• Death was conquered and our justification before God was confirmed (Romans 4:25).  

• Believers were united to Jesus and could now experience resurrection life (Romans 6:4).  

• When Jesus walked out of the tomb, He gave us power to say ‘no’ to sin (Philippians 3:10).  

• His victory over death also guarantees that we, too, will one day be raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20).  

• And best of all, the resurrection marked the beginning of Christ’s exalted reign (Matthew 28:18). 

Jesus did what no one else could do: He remained impaled on that cruel cross, His body ripped to shreds and bleeding like a piece of slaughtered meat, all so that the demands of His Father’s justice would be met.  

Is this divine child abuse? No. Long before the foundation of the world, the Father and the Son agreed about the cross… That Christ should plunge the knife in His own heart for us. That the God of life should conquer death by embracing it. Oh, Friend, “This is the foolishness of God wiser than man’s wisdom… the weakness of God, stronger than man’s strength.”  

First Corinthians 1:28 tells it to us straight: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”  And we, in all of our foolishness and weakness, need Jesus desperately. 

No wonder Mary Magdalene and the disciples ran from the empty tomb, overwhelmed with joy. You can sense their excitement. Their hearts raced and they burned with a desire to tell everyone what they saw and heard: Jesus is alive! 

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.” Romans 8:11, NLT  

This Easter, this resurrection month, and until the day you meet Him face to face, join me in fanning the flame of zeal for our victorious Lord and Savior! Tell His story, share what He has done in your life. Get happy in Jesus! It’s your mission, your charge; it’s the way you steward the Good News.  

And thank you for your ministry partnership as we lead people with disabilities through the “valley of the shadow of their suffering” to the cross of Christ and His empty tomb. It’s a place where we know and are known.   

Thank you for joining me, and our whole Joni and Friends team, in hastening to proclaim the Gospel to people with disabilities all around the world.  

Celebrate with me the resurrection power of Jesus that changes absolutely everything! Hallelujah! He is risen! He is risen indeed!

-Joni Eareckson Tada