From: "Beverly French" <frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us>
To: "C & P Greene" <greenehouse72@juno.com>
Subject: Easter Greetings
Date: Sunday, April 23, 2000 6:16 AM

                    "HE IS NOT HERE, FOR HE HAS RISEN!"
These words were spoken in Matthew, Mark and Luke.  And each was accompanied
by a statement indicating that they should have known this for Jesus Himself
told them so.
In Matthew 28:6, an angel said to the women who came to the tomb,"He is not
here, for He has risen, just as He said.

Luke 24:6, "He is not here, but He has risen.  Remember how He spoke to you
while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered
into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise
again."

Mark 16:6-7, speaking to the women who came to anoint Jesus' body,
"And he said to them, 'Do not be amazed...He has risen; He is not here...He
is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He said to
you.'"

Matthew and Mark give us Jesus' words concerning this.
"But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee."  Matthew
26:32 and Mark 14:32

The account in Luke26 goes on to say,
"And they remembered His words, and returned from the tomb and reported all
these things to the eleven and to all the rest...telling these things to the
apostles."
And  what was the response to this wonderful news?
"And these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe
them."  Vs. 9-11

Mark 16:11, "And when they heard that He was alive, and had been seen by her
(Mary Magdalene), they refused to believe it."

 John 20:26-29 gives the account of the Apostle Thomas's unbelief which
says in part (be sure to read the whole passage),
"Then He said to Thomas, 'Reach here your finger and see My hands; reach
here your hand, and put it into my side; and be not unbelieving, but
believing.' Vs 27

Two thousand years later is this not the world's response to the news that
Jesus died for sin, was raised from the dead and is now seated at the right
hand
of the Father?

We see, as John 20:28-29 continues, "Thomas answered and said to Him, 'my
Lord and my God!'  Jesus said to him, 'Because you have seen Me, have you
believed?  Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.'"

What grace has been bestowed on those who believe; hearts made ready
to receive the Good News and to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on)
Jesus
our Lord.
"By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it
is the gift of God."  Ephesians 2:8

Man says, seeing is believing.  But God's way is to believe and you will
come to know.  And this is our hearts' desire to KNOW our Lord in a greater
measure.  Therefore, let us take to heart the words of Jesus in Matthew
7:7-8 that we may come into a greater knowledge of the things of God,

"Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it
shall be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks
finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened."

How gracious and loving is our God who has provided The Way of
reconciliation to Himself.  Let us worship and adore the Lord giving Him all
honor, praise and glory now and always.  Amen.