The story of Jesus Christ begins at creation. We see God busily at work in the garden as He writes the story of redemption and atonement for a broken and lost people. As we read the story, we see the fall that brought upon death, but God saw the cross that would bring life. From the beginning, redemption was always on the horizon.
Throughout the Old Testament, the journey takes us on many twists and turns ‘til we arrive at the cross, “It is finished” were His last words. At that moment, nobody knew what those three words meant. Tetelestai, the Greek word translated means “paid in full” a debt created by mankind has been eliminated forever!
In that swift moment, with those three words, every prophecy had been fulfilled and Satan was defeated. Death no longer carried a sting because atonement had been made. And through the blood, His death, and then, His resurrection, we could live forever.
On that glorious morning, there were many who needed to see Jesus in His fullness and power. Peter, who denied Him three times most definitely was in need of a touch from the Savior. The list of broken hurting people was long. But Jesus chose to appear to a woman, Mary Magdalene, a woman who at one time was filled with demons.
The author of the Scriptures, God Himself, comes full circle with our sin. It is vividly clear why Jesus appeared to a woman first and it wasn’t to appease some future feminist agenda. Sin entered through a woman, and atonement was revealed first to a woman; it is a beautiful picture. A woman got to deliver the glorious news that Jesus Christ most definitely lived. The curse had been broken, the chains unlocked, the captives, released, a people now free.
Yes, today is resurrection Sunday and we celebrate! But, by no means is the story over. The redemption story only continues when we relinquish our rights to write our story and allow Jesus Christ to pen the final chapters.
Don’t let this be just another Easter Sunday. Surrender fully and completely to Jesus Christ. He’s been waiting.