They Worshipped

They Worshipped
THE RESURRECTED LIFE!
Terry R. Baughman

“The eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted” (Matthew 28:16-17 NKJ).

What do you do with a risen King? There was no protocols, no established required response to welcome royalty returning from the grave. This had never happened before!

Considering His claims and the prophecies fulfilled, the resurrection became a powerful testament of His Deity. Only the One who held the keys of death, hell, and the grave could break the bondage of the tomb and come out alive forevermore. 

Through the ministry of Jesus several (at least three) were resurrected to life. The widow’s son from Nain was restored to his mother in the middle of a funeral procession. 

Jarius’s twelve year old daughter was raised from her death bed and reunited with her family. The mourners were dismissed and the final arrangements were discarded. 

A desperate messenger was seemingly ignored when he brought word of the fatal illness of Lazarus. Jesus waited a few days before leading His disciples to Bethany. By the time they arrived Lazarus had been dead four days and was sealed in his tomb. Nevertheless, Jesus commanded the stone to be removed and commanded Lazarus to rise up and walk out of the tomb. 

Many came to believe in Jesus after the resurrection of Lazarus. John noted that, “The chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus” (John 12:10-11 NKJ). Consider the irony; how do you put to death one who has already been raised to life? How do you threaten one with death who is proclaimed to be “the resurrection and the life”? Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25 NKJ). 

Even at the death of Jesus on the cross, resurrection life ignited in graves as deceased believers were seen alive and walking into Jerusalem. Matthew wrote, “The graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many” (Matthew 27:52-53 NKJ). That should have been a good indication of what was to come!

Jesus predicted His own resurrection. He explained to the disciples, “that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again” (Mark 8:31 NKJ). He also taught, “as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40 NKJ). 

The grave was not permanent, but temporary. He didn’t need to own a tomb, a borrowed one worked just fine. The grave could not hold Him; death did not stop Him. Shred the death certificate, get a refund from the mourners, retract the obituary, because Jesus is no longer dead. The tomb is empty!
After the resurrection of Jesus there should have been no doubt of His deity. He was worthy of worship. The triumphant King who rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey was now clothed in resplendent glory. The plan of redemption was completed and the Savior lives forever. 

Disciples met Jesus in the prearranged location. When He arrived on the mountain the disciples worshipped Him. Their teaching forbade worship of men or angels, but revelation was now evident that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the Lord of Glory with them. 

Yet, there were some disciples who entertained lingering doubts. Jesus had been with them for three years. He ate with them, slept with them. He was so … human. Yet, He had performed incredible, impossible miracles. This revelation came more slowly to some. Jesus WAS God AND man! And, He was worthy of worship! Let us come to the same conclusion today!

Theme passage:
“For although he was crucified as a ‘weakling,’ now he lives robed with God’s power. And we also are ‘weak ones’ in our co-crucifixion with him, but now we live in God’s triumphant power together with him” (2 Corinthians 13:4 TPT).