Our Bible verse today is from Matthew 27: 59-60 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.
What word would you use to describe Christ's journey to the cross? At least one possibility might be the word strange. As we have seen, Jesus journey to the cross began in a strange way as he gathered a strange group of followers around himself, radical zealots, rowdy fisherman, detail oriented tax collectors, inquisitive doubters and many other ordinary people sinners all.
As the Lord journey, he engaged people with a strange mercy, forgiveness for foreigners, love for the lost and meals for the famished. Jesus taught strange truths forgive as your heavenly Father has forgiven you, give without counting the cost, serve in love and not for recognition or reward.
Jesus' Journey to the cross ended in a strange way, too. Thought he could have destroyed the Roman Empire with a word, he let Rome's solders spit on him, mock and curse him instead.
Though he was Author of all creation, he allowed the thorns he had made to be press into his brow. Though he could have called down armies of angels to recues him, he allowed cold nails to puncture his holy veins and spill his scared blood. Though he was truly God from all eternity and though he never stopped being God, Jesus really and truly died and was buried.
Today we will celebrate the strangest part of Jesus entire journey, the strangest and the most wonderful part of all. We will celebrate the resurrection of our Savior. It is strange to think that a dead man could come back to life. It is strange to suppose the Christ's cold, lifeless heart could come with warm blood, beating once again. It is strange to imagine that Jesus walked of the tomb that held his once dead body. Strange, Yet wonderful and true.
This is Jesus strange journey, his journey to the cross to win salvation for us. It's not what we would expect. No, it is greater and farm more wonderful that anything we could imagine.
Dear Jesus, keep me ever vigilant as I watch for signs of new life where once there was death...in your name we pray. Amen Till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty