Shelly A. Faust

The Tomb Is Empty!

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Jesus is alive!

(Part 3 of a 3 part series. Click here to read part ONE and part TWO)

With not much sleep the night before, one by one they awaken and remember. They remember Jesus has died… and the memories of the harshness of His death are like a punch in the stomach.

Deep breath.

It’s difficult to wake up and grasp what has happened. Two days ago was the most tragic and hardest day ever imagined and yesterday offered no relief. But somehow this morning is different. It feels different.

It’s the third day.

Suddenly the ground begins to shake! What’s happening? Another earthquake?!

Quick….get everyone together! Where are Mary and Mary Magdalene?

A peek inside the scriptures shows us an accurate account of the rest of the story as found in Matthew 28….

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Happy Easter, friends!

Jesus has risen as He said He would!

He’s alive!

I Can Imagine The Morning After Jesus Was Crucified

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Jesus, help us believe.

(Part 2 of a 3 part series. Click here to read Part 1.)

I can imagine the morning after Jesus was crucified.

His mother, eyes and face swollen from crying all night. His family. His friends. His disciples. All who followed and believed.

The air is heavy and it’s hard to breathe. Even the birds find it difficult to sing.

Is Jesus really gone?

The image of His agony, His bloody body, the things He endured. It’s too much. It’s too hard to grasp. But the nightmare is real and there is no escaping the grim reality of what happened yesterday. Jesus died.

HE DIED! What??

This is certainly not the outcome any of them expected. This is not the way it was supposed to end.

And this morning as grief presses down hard, I can imagine another battle is raging, too. I can imagine the doubt, the fear, the confusion, the questions.

To believe or not believe?

It all seems so impossible. Everything Jesus said feels impossible in this moment. But Jesus is the Son of God! He IS, right? Or is He? Why would God allow this to happen? How could the Son of God be murdered? Nothing makes sense this morning.

As I try to step inside the minds of those who loved Him most and what they were feeling on this day when all seems lost, there’s a strange and familiar parallel. On my darkest days when I feel separated from my Savior, when my own choices and selfishness remove me from His presence, when disappointment and grief grab hold of my heart, doubt and confusion skillfully weave their way into my thoughts and cause me to question everything.

Is Jesus really who He says He is? Can He do what He said He will do? Is God real? Is this possible?

The Pharisees remembered Jesus’ impossible declaration. They remembered He said after three days He would rise from the grave. They mocked and laughed at the craziness but just to be on the safe side they seal the stone to the entrance where He was taken. This way the disciples cannot steal the body and then claim Jesus has risen from the dead.

What will tomorrow hold? Today everything seems unsure and impossible but something happened yesterday. Something beneath the surface of what could be seen with the natural eyes. Those horrific hours of darkness and the earth quaking – what was that? It was as if the earth itself was mourning. And the veil of the temple ripped from top to bottom! Something definitely happened.

Something is still happening. The disciples feel it.

Uneasiness and anticipation sweep over the city and throughout the countryside.

How will anyone sleep tonight?

The third day is soon approaching….

(Luke 23:44-56)

Prayer:

Jesus, help us believe.

I’m sorry, Jesus.

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I'm sorry, Jesus. I close my eyes and I can see the trail left in the dirt. I can hear the shuffling of His feet.

Jesus, making his way to Calvary.

The crowd is angry, unrelenting, murderous even. Shouts of hatred fill the streets.

“Crucify Him!” they say. “Crucify Him!”

Jesus’ innocence had been confirmed by Pilate, the one who held the authority to release Him, as He questioned the crowd earlier that day.

“Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in Him no grounds for the death penalty.…” (Luke 23:22).

But they continued to insist Jesus be crucified and that his fellow cell mate, a murderer, be set free.

“…with loud shouts they insistently demanded that He be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.” (Luke 23:23).

As I meditated on this scene this morning, I began to take a deeper look at the crowd. They are irrational. Out-of-their-minds-crazy. Their demands to kill Jesus are filled with rage and fury. They’re mad. They’re emotional. They’re not thinking clearly. Their words and actions are intense and fueled by passion, anger and hatred.

What has really  brought them to this place?

What has made them so angry to not only push Jesus away but to want to kill Him?

What has happened to make them so hard and rigid and bitter?

What is the root of their anger?

It’s easy to condemn those who condemned Jesus that day, isn’t it? It’s easy to read these verses and think how dare they . . . how could they. . . I could never . . . ?

But how often have I rejected Jesus? How often have I been so angry and so mad that I pushed Him away? How often have I been so mad and so hurt and so emotional and so confused and so disappointed that I would’ve spit in His face or screamed at the top of my lungs or . . .

Wait, what?

I wonder if some of those in this crowd were disappointed and angry because they felt like Jesus didn’t do what He said He was going to do? There was much expectation that Jesus would set up an earthly kingdom when in fact His plans were for a spiritual kingdom.

I wonder if some of those in this crowd were insulted and offended at Jesus’ message of repentance? Blinded by self-righteousness and pride? Or perhaps they felt judged and misunderstood the reasoning behind His message? Maybe in their own selfishness they were confused and missed His extraordinary sacrifice of love and mercy and grace?

Or I wonder if life had been cruel to some of them? If maybe they had been abused or hurt or devastated by tragedy? Abandoned by family or mistreated by friends or maybe some had even been falsely accused themselves?

Because life can be cruel sometimes, can’t it?

And when faced with the harsh realities we sometimes face here in this imperfect world, we are also faced with a choice. A choice to harden our hearts and turn away from Jesus or a choice to open our hearts and surrender to Jesus.

Hurt and disappointment and even the invitation to deny our sinful, selfish habits can cause us to accept the love and mercy and grace of Jesus or to miss Jesus.

I don’t want to miss Jesus. Even in and especially in the midst of whatever in life might cause me pain and disappointment.

Because when I miss Jesus, I miss mercy. When I miss Jesus, I miss love in its purest form. I miss grace for the hard things. I miss forgiveness of my sins. I miss joy in the midst of sorry. I miss peace when my heart is anxious and in turmoil. I miss redemption. I miss healing. I miss provision. I miss eternity.

The crowd missed Jesus that day.

Jesus was falsely accused. Despised and rejected. Hung on a cross.

And the crazy thing?  He willingly died.

For the crowd.
For me.
For you.

He was mocked, ridiculed, abused, broken, wounded, pierced…

Crucified.

And yet He loved.

“It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit. When He had said this, He breathed His last.” (Luke 23:44-46).

Friends, the good news is the story doesn’t end here. Tomorrow is another day.

And Sunday? Yeah, Sunday’s coming.

Let’s not miss Jesus.

Prayer:

Jesus, I don’t want to miss you, even in – especially in – painful, hurtful, disappointing circumstances. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for the times I was angry and bitter and pushed you away. I’m sorry for misunderstanding the purpose behind the things You’ve asked me to do or asked me to give up or asked me to walk away from. I’m sorry for misunderstanding You and the reason You died on the cross. I don’t want to be blinded by my own selfish desires, by anger, by emotion. I surrender my life to You. I choose to accept Your love, Your forgiveness, and Your grace today. I choose You, Jesus. Help me to understand and to trust You even when I don’t. Thank you for dying on the cross for ME. Thank you for loving me even when I didn’t love You. Amen.

That Dirt Road & My Own Great Betrayal

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For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

I stood at the altar during praise and worship on Palm Sunday, overwhelmed in His presence. Eyes closed, hands raised, I joined with my church family in celebration of the King of Kings.

Shouts of praise could be heard from all around the sanctuary.

Sounds of adoration and proclamation filled the room.

“Jesus!”

“The King is here!”

“You are worthy, Lord!”

Just that morning before church I found myself buried in the scriptural account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The people lined the street and shouted in celebration and praise. The scenario now seemed strangely familiar and personal as I imagined that dirt road in the midst of my own celebration.

Suddenly I could hear the thunder of the feet of those running after and alongside Jesus.

The Bible says a great multitude spread out their clothes and placed branches on the road before Him. They cried out in great praise and honored Him as He rode by.

I closed my eyes and could hear them shouting the same words coming from my own mouth this morning.

“Hosanna!”

“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!”

I began to draw a parallel in my mind and my heart was suddenly broken and in great conflict – wanting to praise but knowing what the next week held and remembering times of my own great betrayal.

There would be another crowd just a few days later but their cries would be much different.

I know there is tremendous debate on whether there were any of the same people present in both crowds. It was certainly two very different crowds but I have to wonder, though, if maybe some of those who celebrated Jesus on Sunday were some of the same who condemned Him on Friday?

Could it have been some of the same people who believed in Him but were afraid to stand up for fear of being put out of the synagogue by the Pharisees?

  • for they loved the praise of man more than the praise of God (John 12:43)

These words are written into my own story as I spent many years trying to please people even at the expense of pleasing God. But I rejoice in the freedom found by pursuing relationship with my Savior, to know and to be known by a Holy God.

Or could it have been those who once believed but chose to listen to the voices of opposition? The Pharisees certainly turned the mood that week by speaking falsely against Jesus. I can just imagine the terrible lies they were spreading as their resistance ensued in the following days. Nothing like a little slander and defamation of character to sway public opinion.

The enemy does that to us, too. Doesn’t he?

He twists and turns and lies and manipulates any way he can to keep us from believing God is Who He says He is and will do what He says He will do.

Or maybe it was those who misunderstood Jesus. Their expectation of His being the long-awaited Messiah involved an earthy kingdom. As the days progressed, it became apparent Jesus would not be taking up residence in the palace.

When He didn’t meet or fulfill those expectations, I can imagine there was some confusion and disappointment.

He was not the messiah the people were expecting.

Maybe you’ve been disappointed, too.

Maybe you’ve had some expectations about Jesus that haven’t been met.

Sometimes our loved ones don’t get healed in the way we expect them to be healed.

Sometimes bad things happen to good people.

Sometimes we cry out to God and He is silent.

I don’t know if you’ve been any of these people, but I’ve been all of them. I’ve praised Him on Sunday and denied Him on Friday. I’ve cared more about man’s opinion of me than God’s. I’ve believed lies from the enemy. And I have allowed disappointment and discouragement to set in when God didn’t meet my expectations.

Through all of this, He has never stopped loving me.

He has never stopped loving you.

No matter which group you are in (or have been in), God loves you the same. No matter how many times we have rejected or denied Jesus, He willingly died on the cross for each of us. His love, mercy, grace, salvation, hope, healing, and forgiveness are available to each one of us in the same measure. We just have to accept it.

Jesus died on the cross but the story doesn’t end there.

Three days later the earth shook, the stone was rolled away, and Jesus rose again. He’s alive today and desires a living, real relationship with you. With me.

What He offers is not a bunch of religious activities or a list of rules to follow but a loving, personal, intimate knowing of each other. A daily communing. A moment by moment abiding in His presence.

Don’t miss out by listening only to what others have to say about Him. Find out for yourself who He is.

Easter is a time to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. But we don’t hang up our faith when we put away our Easter clothes. We get to celebrate new life every single day.

I celebrate the new life I found in Him many years ago when I said yes to His gift of salvation.

If you haven’t said yes to this gift and haven’t received Jesus as Savior but you want to – might I encourage you . . . say yes today!

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

And Romans 10:9-10 assures us, “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

I would love to pray with you! Please feel free to comment below or send me a private email.

xo

Shelly

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