a few days later

Grace and peace on this Easter Monday* Dear Hearts ❤ Lately I’ve been taken with the idea of eye-witness accounts concerning the season we refer to as Easter. Today I’ve been looking at scriptures documenting the forty days after Jesus rose from the tomb.

• Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene — Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Mag′dalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. _Mark 16:9
• Jesus Appears to Two Disciples — After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. _Mark 16:12
• Jesus Appears to All the Disciples — Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table; and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. _Mark 16:143
• Paul writes — he appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the twelve. Then he (Jesus) appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. _1 Corinthians 15:3-7

ACTS CHAPTER ONE – The Promise of the Holy Spirit
1 In the first book, O The-oph′ilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God. 4 And while staying with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me, 5 for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

The Ascension of Jesus
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samar′ia and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

I pray you will take a few moments on this Easter Monday* to consider the Biblical account, keeping in mind that what you are reading is the “living and active” Word of God.

*Easter Monday is a public holiday in 116 nations throughout the world, including Australia, Austria, Germany, Egypt, Ireland, United Kingdom, Spain, Ghana, Fiji, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Kenya, Poland, Russia, and South Africa. It is not a federal holiday in the United States of America (USA), however, some Easter traditions continue here on the Monday following Easter, such as the egg rolling race at the White House.