The Bible Reporter

Headlines in today's Bible Reporter dated Monday, April 20, AD29 read,

JESUS RISES FROM THE DEAD!

The first article, "Discovery of Open Tomb Made by 3 Women" is the first interview of the women who found that Jesus' tomb had been opened.
Q. How did you happen to make this discovery?
A. At dawn, yesterday, the first day of the week, we were bringing spices to anoint Jesus' body. We wondered who would roll the stone away from the tomb. Suddenly we felt an earthquake. When we looked up, we saw an angel. He had rolled the stone back and  was sitting on it.
Q. Where were the guards?
A. They fainted when they saw the angel. We were frightened, too.
Q. Did the angel speak to you?
A. Yes, he told us not tot be afraid. He said he knew we were looking for Jesus who was crucified. He told us Jesus wasn't there. He had risen! He even invited us to see for ourselves.
Q. You mean you went inside the tomb?
A. Yes, and Jesus wasn't there. We saw two angels standing where he had been laid.
Q. What do you think happened to Jesus' body?
A. The angels reminded us that before he was crucified Jesus said, "The Son of Man must be handed over to his enemies. He will die on a cross, but on the third day, he will rise from the dead." Yesterday was the third day.
Q. So do you believe that's what happened"?
A. Yes, we do.

"Guards Tell a Different Story"
Two of the guards who were on duty guarding Jesus' tomb as ordered by Pilate, deny that Jesus rose from the dead. "No one has ever risen from the dead!" they said. "Jesus' disciples came and stole his body while we were sleeping."
So far no action has been taken against the guards.

"Strong Earthquake Felt"
A strong earthquake was felt in and around Jerusalem on the day Jesus of Nazareth died on the cross. Many reports  continue to tell of damage to tombs in the area. One  aftershock was reported yesterday, the same day the women found Jesus' tomb open.

"Vandalism to Temple Curtain"
Jewish rulers have offered a reward to anyone who can explain how the temple curtain dividing the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was torn. The rip looked as if it started at the top and tore downwards. The apparent vandalism happened at the same time Jesus Christ died on the cross.

"Disciples Believe Report Made by Women from their Group"
"We thought they were just talking foolishness when they said they saw angels," Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, said. "But when Mary told us, 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don't know where they have put him,' John and I ran to see for ourselves. We found the tomb empty!"

"Burial Cloths Still in Tomb
"John, a disciple of Jesus, said he saw the strips of linen that had been around Jesus' body. He and Peter, another disciple, inspected the tomb yesterday. Peter noted that the burial cloth that went around Jesus' head lay in a separate spot. The cloth, he claims, was folded.

"Woman claims Risen Jesus Spoke Her Name"
Mary Magdalene said Jesus spoke to her as she looked into his tomb. "He was behind me  and asked why I was crying. I thought he was the gardener, and had taken Jesus' body away. Then he spoke my name, 'Mary.' I turned around and I knew it was Jesus."

Hosanna!

"Lift up your heads, O ye gates and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory? Who  is the King of Glory? Who is the King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. He is the King of Glory." (Handel's "Messiah")

Today He is my King, my King mighty in battle. He will help me meet every foe that threatens to undo me. He will guard my lips. He will fight the battles in my mind. He will be the whisperer behind me that says, "This is the way. Walk in it."  He is here today, but will He be here tomorrow and the next day and the next?

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday (Palm Sunday), today and forever. He will not change, but will I? In my job, in the traffic, in the clamor for my attention, will I still wave my palm branches and cry out, "Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord"?

"The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. You are my God  and I will give you thanks; you are my God and  I will exalt you." Psalms 118:27-28
Paulita