OzThoughts – Monday, 13th April 2009

OzThoughts – Monday, 13th April 2009

How will we tell the story? Jesus had been nailed to the cross. Everyone eye witness knew he dead. They had seen him die. Now the tomb was empty. The great rock which had been placed in the entrance was gone. Where we the soldier guards?

Matthew gives us two stories. Firstly, there are the women. Matthew writes “The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples.” What a story they had to tell! But wait, there is more:

“Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. "Good morning!" he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. Jesus said, "You're holding on to me for dear life! Don't be frightened like that.” Then Jesus tells them to go and tell their story “Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I'll meet them there." Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I'll meet them there.”

Then like a good journalist (he was a tax collector not a journalist) Matthew turns to the other side of the story. Here again like many journalists he is met by “spin”. There is the official story “His disciples came in the night and stole the body while we were sleeping.” Matthew however goes behind the official story and digs out the real facts. He explodes the official story with details of secret meeting, contrived plans, large bribes for the soldier guards, and assurances of protection for them. Matthew also records the fact that some are still telling this false story.


[Look and Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/video/video_032.WMV
Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music2/mus_3714.mp3 ]

Thine is the glory,
Risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory
Thou o'er death hast won.
Angels in bright raiment
Rolled the stone away.
Kept the folded grave clothes
Where thy body lay.

Chorus
Thine is the glory,
Risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory
Thou o'er death hast won.

Lo! Jesus meets thee,
Risen from the tomb;
Lovingly he greets thee,
Scatters fear and gloom;
Let his Church with gladness
Hymns of triumph sing,
For her Lord now liveth;
Death has lost its sting.

No more we doubt thee,
Glorious Prince of Life!
Life is naught without thee;
Aid us in thy strife;
Make us more than conquerors
Through thy deathless love;
Bring us safe through Jordan
To thy home above.
Author: Edmond Louis Budry (1854-1932),
Translator: Richard Birch Hoyle (1875- 1939)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 152



Matthew 28:8-15 (The Message)

8-10 The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. "Good morning!" he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. Jesus said, "You're holding on to me for dear life! Don't be frightened like that. Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I'll meet them there."
11-15 Meanwhile, the guards had scattered, but a few of them went into the city and told the high priests everything that had happened. They called a meeting of the religious leaders and came up with a plan: They took a large sum of money and gave it to the soldiers, bribing them to say, "His disciples came in the night and stole the body while we were sleeping." They assured them, "If the governor hears about your sleeping on duty, we will make sure you don't get blamed." The soldiers took the bribe and did as they were told. That story, cooked up in the Jewish High Council, is still going around.


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You might like to listen to “Salvoaudio Songster Selection for Easter”. It is a choice selection of 11 songster pieces by at least 7 Songster Brigades.
Click here:
http://www.salvoaudio.com/songsters/salvoaudio_songsters.htm
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