I'm a huge fan of Max Lucado and the way in which he writes. Here is an exerpt from our Bible Study that just excites me...wanted to share it with you!
Matthew 28:2-4 Talks about the stone being rolled away by the angel..here is Max's take on it.
"Why did the angel move the stone? For whom did he roll away the rock?"
"For Jesus? That's what I always thought. I just assumed that the angel moved the stone so Jesus could come out. But think about it. Did the stone have to be removed in order for Jesus to exit? Did God have to have help? Was the death conqueror so weak that he couldn't push away a rock? ("Hey, could somebody out there move this rock so I can get out?") I don't think so. The text gives the impression that Jesus was already out when the stone was moved! Nowhere do the Gospels say that the angel moved the stone for Jesus. For whom, then, was the stone moved?"
"Listen to what the angel says: "Come and see the place where his body was" (Matthew 28:6) The stone was moved - not for Jesus - but for the women; not so Jesus could come out, but so the women could see in! Mary looks and Mary, and Mary is grinning the same grin she had when the bread and fish kept coming out of the basket. The old passion flares. Suddenly it's all right to dream again."
"Go quickly and tell his followers, Jesus has risen from the dead. He is going into Galilee ahead of you, and you will see him there." Matthew 28:7
"Mary and Mary don't have to be towld twice. They turn and start running to Jerusalem. The darkness is gone. The sun is up. The SON is out. But the Son ins't finished. One surprise still awaits them. Suddenly Jesus meets them and greets them and says not to be afraid. They fell and worshiped him! The God of suprises strikes again. It's as if he said, "I can't wait any longer. They came this far to see me; I'm going to drop in on them." God does that for the faithful. Just when the womb gets too old for babies, Sarai gets pregnant. Just when the failure is to great for grace, David is pardoned. And just when the road is too dark for Mary and Mary, the angel glows, and the Savior shows, and the two women will never be the same. The lesson? Three words. DON'T GIVE UP."
Is the trail dark? Don't sit.
Is the road long? Don't stop.
Is the night black? Don't quit.
God is watching. For all you know, right at this moment he may be telling the angel to move the stone.
The check may be in the mail.
The apology may be in the making.
The job contract may be on the desk.
Don't quit! For if you do, you may miss the answer to your prayers.
God still send angels. And God still moves stones!
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