Gospel

It Had to Be This Way

by Roland Crim
04/21/19
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After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” Matthew 28:1-10 NIV

 In each of the three synoptic gospels, Christ three times pulls the disciples away to let them know that He will be handed over to evil men, will be crucified, but would rise again on the third day. It took a bit of time, but the disciples finally grasped the idea of Jesus speaking of His death, as the disciples began to grieve over those words. Not until after His resurrection though did they seem to even remotely understand that in each of the cases that He predicted His death He also said that He would rise again.

 I would like to bring to mind another scripture reading that alludes to the death and resurrection of Jesus. In John 14:2-3 we read “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” Jesus during His time on this earth made many promises to us, and each one of them will be kept. Jesus’ record of promises kept is infallible.

 Now, we know heaven to be where the Father resides. We also know that sin cannot be in the presence of the Father. We therefore must be made righteous in the sight of the Heavenly Father. This can only be done by the blood which Christ shed at Calvary, and through our belief in Jesus saving us from our sins through His death. This is only part of the plan though. How could Christ go and prepare a place for us in heaven if He were still dead? Christ was raised from the dead, and after spending some time with His disciples and other believers, He ascended into heaven. There He intercedes on our half before the Heavenly Father, and He prepares an eternal dwelling place for each of us who belong to Him.

 Just in the four gospels there are over 50 occasions of verses which allude to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yes, Christ did die, and then on the third day He arose. He conquered death. This truly is the way it had to be!