The women seen in Matthew 27:61, and 28:1-8 became the wones who spoke the word of the resurrection of Jesus and could say we were there! And in Mark 16:9 when Jesus had risen on the first day, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene and she went and told those who had been with Him. They were the first witnesses. Not people who had something to gain, not the disciples of Jesus that someone might think must have fabricated to carry on their particular program. These were women, who simply loved and followed the Lord. They were disciples of Jesus in one sense, but certainly not the ones that the world would assume would be the ones to fabricate the resurrection. This is where our hope comes from. We are reminded that the Lord often uses “common” people. Not just the leaders, there time was coming for that, but common people, like these women, to serve and direct the focus of the world. My friends, never underestimate your value in the kingdom of God! Understand, you are a follower of Jesus Christ for more reasons than to take up space in the church. We bear testimony to the Resurrection of … READ MORE

In Matthew 27:57-60 we see that Joseph of Arimathea fulfilled prophecies concerning the death and burial of Jesus. By fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 53:9 Joseph of Arimathea is used by God to confirm the deity of Christ. Now in Matthew 27:61 we see that Mary of Magdalene and the other Mary (the wife of Cleopas) was present at the tomb when Jesus was laid to rest. These two women are used by God to confirm the deity of Christ through first-hand testimony. It is not hearsay or rumor that Jesus was dead, they saw the body, and where the tomb was that they laid the body of Jesus. This is a reminder to us that God uses ordinary people to relay the truth of the gospel of Christ. We do not have to be anyone “special” we just need to be available and ready to serve the Lord when we are able. These women, come back with others on the first day of the week after Passover, and discover that Jesus had risen, just as He said He would. We should not be surprised or shocked at this information, because the reality is that Jesus ALWAYS does what He … READ MORE

Have you ever noticed how God used people we do not know to do great things? We know very little about Joseph of Arimathea other than he was a member of the Sanhedrin (The ruling religious body of the day), was a rich man, and was from Arimathea. The region of Arimathea is unknown, but is traditionally identified with several hill towns near Jerusalem. Interestingly, some traditions say that he was the uncle of Jesus’ mom, Mary, and therefore, the uncle of Jesus. Yet that cannot be substantiated by any external source. What we know is that this was a man, who was destined to be reported of in all four gospels for his part in the death of the Messiah. This is a reminder to us that, God uses the unknown to do fulfill His purposes. What does that mean for us? That means that the circumstances of our lives have a greater purpose than filling up time. God is working in our lives in a way that we may not realize, and preparing us to impact the lives of many directly or indirectly. Joseph of Aramathea, did not choose to bury Jesus in his tomb, in order to … READ MORE