Jesus Is Risen!  Wow!

By Pastor Ross Lieuallen on 04/20/2025

          Yes, we know the story!  But they didn’t.   Mary Magdalene saw where Jesus was buried; she went early that Sunday morning to pay her respects; anoint his body; and mourn.  She had followed Jesus; watched Him die.  Now her dreams have died, along with others who felt like they had a future.  They had all learned much from Jesus.  They had witnessed countless miracles.  Now…it’s finished for them.  No one was expecting “resurrection.”

          When Mary comes to the tomb….surprise!  It’s empty.  Who rolled away the stone?  “Sir, if you have taken his body, please let me know where you have taken him!”  And then she hears Him call her name!

Mary was the first person to whom Jesus appeared.  What a privilege!  Can we imagine what that experience was like?   To be the first person to see Christ in His resurrected body. Something so gloriously unexpected, to say the least.  

          Years ago, there was a couple who made a trip to Billings.  They were from our former church in Oregon. Their purpose here was not just to see us, but for some business reasons.  But yes, “Let’s surprise Ross and Jennifer” was also on their agenda.   I remember being in the library and stepping into the hallway, and there they were:  Kelly and Dawn.  It was like a dream…but it was real; they were real.  And totally a surprise!  Okay that’s my best “being surprised” by someone that I could come up with about the disciple’s being surprised by Jesus.  I was shocked…in a good way.

          I think we all need to be shocked by Jesus “appearing” to us!  He has appeared to us when we first met Him…let’s praise Him for that this Easter.  He appears to us every day…in the Word; in our spirit; in our minds; in others; in circumstances; perhaps some reading this would attest to visions and dreams where they encountered Christ.   But He appears.  He makes Himself known.  That’s always on His agenda! 

          Surprise us, Jesus, with Your presence in special ways, this Easter!  Surprise us as You did those on that first Easter morning!  May the gospel narratives become alive to us in new ways as we read them!  WE believe in You; Thank you that You rose again and are alive!  Amen!

Blessings,

Pastor Ross