{"id":7431,"date":"2017-04-16T08:30:51","date_gmt":"2017-04-16T08:30:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/?p=7431"},"modified":"2017-04-11T09:59:24","modified_gmt":"2017-04-11T09:59:24","slug":"he-has-risen-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/thoughts-from-the-cvm-team\/he-has-risen-2\/","title":{"rendered":"He has risen!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let me say this as clearly as I can today, Jesus is alive and it has changed everything!<\/p>\n

Early on this day, years and years ago, Mary was on her way to the tomb where Jesus had been laid, lifeless. She had with her spices and the things she needed to prepare Jesus\u2019 body for burial and say her final goodbyes.<\/p>\n

When she got there she found the stone had been rolled away and only the grave clothes remained in the tomb.<\/p>\n

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.<\/em>
\nLuke 24v1-2<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What struck me about this, and to be honest made me think about how I live my Christian life, is that Mary expected nothing different, just what she knew, what she could see and what she had experienced.<\/p>\n

This is normal and totally understandable, but it isn\u2019t how God works. He does the impossible; he works in the unimaginable and he reveals the limits of our understanding.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t just Mary who couldn\u2019t see this at first, the disciples struggled with it too. These men who had followed Jesus were downcast, feeling utterly miserable and grieving for him. They couldn\u2019t see, couldn\u2019t even hope that what Jesus had told them would happen had actually taken place.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s this got to do with you and me today? Well, I\u2019ve seen the unexpected, I\u2019ve seen God rebuild destroyed families. I\u2019ve seen the most beaten lives born again. I\u2019ve seen grace and love poured out in valleys of despair and chaos. I\u2019ve also been in those valleys myself and I\u2019ve seen and experienced the impossible, the hope and unity through brokenness that only Jesus can bring.<\/p>\n

Jesus is alive and he has changed everything! We can be made new men and women free from sin, guilt and shame. In short, we can be restored. Peace and hope are available to us.<\/p>\n

Approach Jesus today and expect the unexpected, be ready for the impossible, believe that this is what he does. Let me leave you with this from the Apostle Paul, his life was a perfect example that in God, nothing is impossible!<\/p>\n

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen
\nEphesians 3:20-21
\n<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Image Credit: Ashim D\u2019Silva<\/a><\/p>\n

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