Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
Be With Me is a daily 7 minute chronological walk through the New Testament hosted by Michael Smith. It is for everyone who is curious about what Jesus actually said and did in the gospels. Most episodes will leave you with at least one good thought to chew on for the rest of the day. We start with the Bible and hopefully end with Awe. We are walking through the chronological events of Jesus' life and then thoughtfully considering them. It is meant to spur the devotional life of the Christian and the not-yet-Christian. We occasionally venture into the Old Testament when it helps our understanding of the New Testament events. Everybody has 7 minutes. Everybody needs to wonder. Be With Me is hosted by Michael Smith who has absolutely no special qualifications to do a podcast. He is not a pastor. He has not been to seminary. He does not lead a mega-church. He is not a professional and he has no more credentials than you do. He does, however, follow a great God with an observant eye and a curious heart. Each day, he starts with a study bible and aims for astonishment. ‘be with him’ for 7 minutes as he sets out daily to discover the God who invites us to ‘Be With Me.’
Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
Fall Down and Hold On S28e165 Mt28:6
Women are the first in the resurrection news.
A Woman is the first in the seeing Jesus Himself after the resurrection.
Today, Women are the second in seeing Jesus. How do they respond?
They FALL DOWN and HOLD ON. Please listen and subscribe.
https://youtu.be/geFaNb9mo4s
Fall Down and Hold On S28e165 Jn20:19
Scenes of the Resurrection. Scene 8 was Mary Mag returning to the tomb. Why are you weeping?Whom are you seeking?
Why weep?. Because you aren’t getting the message that Easter has come. because she expected the Horizonatal, dead, lying. Jesus rather than the vertical alive, hale and hearty Jesus
What are you trying to find? HORIZONTAL VS VERTICAL Jesus
Mary Mag broke the up to this point unknown “clinging rule”.
She was told not to CLING. Mary clings to Jesus. Have contact with. Hold on to. To fasten oneself to. To bind together.
Why said? Because Mary wasn’t letting go.
Scene 9 Matt 28:8 The other faithful women.
These are the ones that went to the tomb with Mary mag
The group of women Mary the mother of James and Joses, Joanna, Salome and other women.
They went IN to the tomb when Mary Mag took off to tell John Peter
These are the women who already had a word of announcement angel: HE IS RISEN
The greatest news in world history goes to WOMEN first
Women: first in the resurrection
We’ll pick up the story from that group as the angel announces ressur.
Matt 28: 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quicklyand tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there youwill see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
Told to go quickly and they do. Expect to SEE HIM in Galilee. 80 miles away
Why quickly? The news lasts forever. But 3 days is enough. Sorrow needs to quickly be turned to Joy. One second more without this news is too much.
Emphasiszes the urgency of the gospel.
These women were the first in HE IS RISEN.
So far Jesus has appeared ONLY to Mary Mag. She was the first in sight of the resurrection.
Now we see the great generosity of the Lord to women again:
Women are the first in the resurrection news.
Woman is the first in the seeing Jesus Himself after resurrection
Women are the second in seeing Jesus
No trouble in recognizing Jesus.
HOW DID THEY RESPOND: 1. Clinging 2. Worship
they strongly held on to Jesus. They seized His feet; they kept Him tightly. Remember Mary Mag: She CLUNG to Him too.
Hold on tight to Jesus. Grab Him hard. Where else are you going to go?
Who else are you going to cling to?
Why wouldn’t you let go of Whatever you might be holding to grasp Jesus?
How did they grasp Him?
Fell at His feet. Grabbed Him gratefully. Humbly. Submissively.
On their knees. On their faces. They FALL DOWN.They HOLD ON
They took hold of His feet and WORSHIPPED
These are feet that in a short while, Thomas will confirm that they have changed: these are nailed feet. These are feet that Joseph of Aramathea and Nicodemus and maybe the soldiers a couple of days ago had wrestled the nails out of.
Ahhh the feet of Jesus. Even His feet bore suffering.
WOMEN. They show up faithfully. They minister generously. They express their gratefulness practically. They grieve thoroughly.
So far, Jesus has ONLY come to those who have the gift of SERVICE
If you have the gift of service, which is the #1 gift in the church, be encouraged. Jesus SEES you and Jesus wants to reveal Himself to you.
He wants you to SEE Him
So they worship. They worship humbly
So they serve hard. They serve inconveniently. They serve at great expenseof money and time. They come early. They fall down. They Hold on
Here is the Easter Picture: Serve diligently. Come early. Find Jesus. When you do, Fall down and Hold on.
Or better,Let Jesus reveal Himself to you.When He does,Fall down&Hold on
This is a pretty good definition of WORSHIP: Fall Down and Hold on
When Jesus is difficult to see…Fall Down and Hold on.
And on Easter, When he reveals:When Heshows up, Fall down and Hold on.
Especially when you get a whiff of the resurrection, then Fall Down Hold On
Someday, this too will be your life: fall down and hold on
My prayer that it is indeed your life: fall down and hold on
Proposed Chronology of Resurrection Sunday
Scene 1 Matthew 28:2-4 Before dawn the earth quakes, an angel appears to the guards and the stone is rolled away to reveal an empty tomb. The guards faint from fear.
Scene 2 Matthew 28:11-
15 The guards apparently awaken and flee to the authorities. The authorities then bribe them to spread a false rumor that the disciples stole the body of Jesus.
Scene 3 Luke 24:1,10
Mark 16:1 Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, Joanna, Salome (likely the mother of the disciples James and John) and other women go to the tomb with spices to attend to the body of Jesus and see the stone rolled away.
Scene 4 John 20:1 Mary Magdalene sees the stone and runs to tell the disciples.
Scene 5 Matthew 28:5-6
Mark 16:6-7
Luke 24:4-7 Angels appear to the women at the tomb, tell them that Jesus has risen and send them to tell the disciples.
Scene 6 Matthew 28:8
Mark 16:8
Luke 24:9 Women are initially afraid, but run to tell the disciples.
Scene 7 John 20:3-10 Peter and John run to the tomb and see that it is empty having heard from Mary Magdalene. (It is possible they do this after the other women also tell them.) They don't understand and return to their homes.
Scene 8 John 20:11-17
Mark 16:9 Mary Magdalene returns to the tomb weeping, not having heard the angels say that Jesus has been raised, and Jesus appears to her.
Scene 9 Matthew 28:9,10 The women also meet Jesus on their way to tell the disciples, and he tells them to tell the disciples to meet him in Galilee.
Scene 10 Luke 24:11
The women tell the disciples, but they don't believe.
Scene 11 John 20:18
Mary Magdalene also returns to tell the disciples she has seen Jesus.