Read a portion of today’s text from the Merged Gospels. (The resurrection account from all four Gospels without leaving out a word)

The Women Approach the Tomb MT 28:1, MK 16:1-4, LK 24:1-2, JN 20:1-2 Now after the Sabbath was over, on the first day of the week, and very early, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, the mother of James, and Salome, came to the tomb to look at the grave, bringing the spices which they had prepared, that they might come and anoint Him, [and certain others (were) with them. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” When the sun had risen, as it began to (be) early dawn, and looking up, they saw the stone had been rolled back from the tomb, although it was extremely large. And so she (Mary Magdalene) ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said “to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

The Women Enter the Tomb without Mary Magdalene MT 28:5-8, MK 16:5-8, LK 24:3-11 But when they entered the tomb, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened that while they were very perplexed about this, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe, and they were amazed. Behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling apparel. And as the women were terrified, and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?” And the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid (or) amazed, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, Who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Behold, here is the place where they laid Him. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” And they remembered His words. “But go quickly, and tell His disciples and Peter that He has risen from the dead. And behold, He is going before you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He said to you. Behold, I have told you.” And they departed quickly and fled, and they returned from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them, and they said nothing to anyone,fortheywereafraid. Andwithfearandgreatjoy,theyrantoreportallthese things to His disciples, the eleven, and to all the rest. Now they were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. And their words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.”

The resurrection of Jesus Christ was hard to believe even for His disciples. But once they each encountered the resurrected Christ, it changed their lives forever. I pray that you might have a personal encounter with the resurrected Christ that will do the same in your life.

Pastor Mike