This is the second part of a piece I shared on Good Friday.
For context, you should first read Part 1 here -> Mary’s Story ~ Part 1

“For the next day, darkness and gloom seemed to hang over us all. Disbelief and sorrow filled our souls as we grieved the death of Jesus … my son and our only hope.

But — on the morning of the third day, someone began pounding at my door again. This time John rushed in the door before I could open it and he was actually smiling at me, with a light shining in his eyes.

‘Mother,’ he cried out, ‘We were just at Jesus’s tomb; The stone has been rolled away and He is no longer there! Do you know what this means? Jesus has risen from the dead, just as he said he would do!’

I stumbled backward in disbelief as he continued, ‘Everything happened just as He said it would. We just did not understand at the time. He told us that ‘We would go up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man would be delivered unto the Chief Priests and the scribes and that they would condemn him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles. He also said, ‘And they shall mock and scourge Him, and shall spit upon him and shall kill him: And on the third day, He shall rise again!’ (Matthew 10:33.34)

‘Mother, that is exactly what happened and now he must have risen from the dead, just as he said he would do!’

Oh my friends, after John left I sank back down into my chair, absolutely weak with relief and wonder. I needed time to think and ponder this news and as I did, I began to remember …

I remembered the words of Isaiah the prophet when he said, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call HIs name, Immanuel, God with us.” (Isaiah 7:14) Then I consider once more the words the angel of the Lord had spoken to me many years ago when he told me I would conceive and bear a Son — a Son called Jesus who would be the Son of God. Then the words Joseph said the angel had told him in a dream when he was troubled over the surprise news of this baby came to my thoughts next —  “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)

And then, the words spoken by Jesus Himself came back to me … ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.’ (John 3:16-18)

I fell to my knees and lifted my face towards heaven as I cried out, ‘I believe! Oh God in heaven, I believe! I believe Jesus is Your Son and that you sent Him to this earth to pay the penalty of sin for Your Children – No! To save me from my sins! It was for my sin that Jesus came and it was for my sin that He suffered and died on that cross. Forgive me — forgive me.

Oh, friends, Jesus may have been my son for just a few short years on this earth, but I understand now that He is no longer my son – He is so much more! He is my King, my Messiah, my Redeemer – Jesus is my Savior!”

Listen … This is the Christmas story: Jesus left His throne in heaven to be born into an earthly body in a lowly stable. We must always remember that humble beginning; But, my friends, Jesus is no longer that babe in a manger.

We must also remember how He willingly offered up his life as the sacrificial lamb of God, on that cruel cross of Calvary – and that He did this for you and for me to free us from the penalty of death. He who knew no sin became sin for us. We must never forget that sacrifice; But my friends, Jesus is no longer on that cross.

When they laid Him in that tomb, death and hell thought they had finally won and we must always remember His death and burial. But my friends, Jesus is no longer in that tomb. After three days, Jesus rose from the dead, thereby gaining victory over sin, death, and hell forever for you and for me!

And then, Jesus ascended back up into heaven and there He sits on the right hand of the Father, surrounded by all hosts of heaven as they cry out, “He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords! And He shall reign forever and ever!”

This part, and the ending in particular, seem rather lackluster as I write them here, but that may be because when I shared it in my church so many years ago, this was when I faded out and Handel’s Messiah began to ring throughout the sanctuary in honor and praise of our Merciful Savior. Perhaps if you take the time to listen to it now, it will help.

It’s funny, as I reread these simple words of mine once more, they have taken on a much deeper value than they did when first written. I see the simplicity of my understanding and I am so thankful for all that God has been patiently teaching me through these years. However, one truth remains the same: Jesus is the Son of God. He came to this earth to satisfy the wrath of a Holy God and redeem His people from our wretchedness and sin. We are hopelessly lost without Him and so, God provided a way … and that way is Jesus. This is what we celebrate on this Resurrection Day.

 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8