In this sermon, the speaker begins by describing the events of Jesus' crucifixion on the Sabbath day. He explains that the soldiers were commanded to break the legs of the criminals on the cross to ensure they were dead before sunset, as it was forbidden for anyone to be on the cross during the Sabbath. The speaker then emphasizes the contrast between starting in glory and ending in shame, urging the listeners to prioritize their faith over worldly pursuits. He highlights the devotion of the women who came to Jesus' grave early in the morning, despite the practical obstacles they faced. The sermon concludes with the message that those who truly seek the Lord with all their hearts will be blessed, while those who seek worldly pleasures are like the prodigal son.

We find our text in Luke 24, from the first verse. Now, on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they and certain other women with them came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, Why do you seek the living among the dead? Saying, The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words. Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. We'll read thus far. Now we've read here about the women who went early in the morning to the tomb of Sunday morning seeking Jesus. When they got there, they didn't find him. In other Gospels it refers to more details like, who will roll away the stone for us? For his grave was that of a rich man. Rich men didn't have graves just like the ordinary people who would just dig a hole in the ground. But they would have stone masons to dig into the rock of the side of a hill and create a sepulcher in it. Then outside they would have a door, not just a tiny little door like at a hut, but a full wooden door. They wouldn't have a wooden door, but they would use a huge stone that would be specially crafted so that it would be able to roll across the entrance, which was somewhat square so this round stone would have to roll and be much bigger than the entrance so that it would cover everything above and below. There are some who estimate that that stone could have weighed anything from two to three tons or even three and a half tons. Then they would use leverages so that they would be able to lever this stone into the These days we saw something similar when heavy equipment arrived for Akwele, some of the machines, and you couldn't just move around a machine of five tons. You had to have proper equipment to carefully move it. Now this stone was huge and very heavy, and they had to have the right things to be able to move this heavy stone. And they would move it, it would be moved bit by bit. And it was round so that it could be rolled. Had it been square, it's too difficult to be able to adjust. So they would move it after the corpses laid in the sepulchre, then they would move the stone and fix it across the entrance. In the sepulchre, they would make a place where they'd dig inside of this cave where they could place the corpse. It was only the royalty and the wealthy who could afford such sepulchres. Joseph of Arimathea said, I will offer my sepulchre for Jesus to be laid in. What a wonderful man. So when he, Joseph, and Nicodemus had then come to wrap him in the grave clothes, they would have used anything up to 40 pounds or kg of ointment to wrap him up in. If you think in pounds, 100 pounds or around about 40 kg. If you think of the technique of putting plaster of Paris around a broken limb, they would wrap this around which has this plaster of Paris and it becomes hard afterwards. Now in a similar way, they would wrap the corpse from the feet right up the body and the arms and that. And then they would do with another process again, they would wrap the head. It would be a very heavy thing and it would set and be hard. But I wouldn't miss not just softness but And so, they would rap, not with just a thin thing like my handkerchief, but they would rap it very solidly, the corpse, and it was there to protect from decay, like you find some bodies mummified even from thousands of years ago. And then the women, early in the morning, they were not asleep while others were asleep, they came early, seeking the Lord, they had perfumes and different spices, things that were used also in the burial process that they wanted to anoint him with as well, and they chatted to each other on the way, asking, wondering, who will move the tombstone for us? But despite the fact that they knew they would never have the strength themselves to roll away the stone, they continued on their way to the tomb. It is said of women that they are the weaker vessel, but in some things they surpass men. Women also have ways of being accepted where men would be turned away, and where men would be pushed away, they would allow a woman to come, use that authority that you have. They would allow a woman to come, use that authority that you have. And the Bible also prophesies that in the last days there will be a great company of preachers, of female preachers, who will go out and spread the Gospel. You should be part of that, or are you busy thinking about how much money you can earn, just getting to the city, buying your BM, and if your mind is set on that, and that takes first place and not the Lord Jesus, then your faith is dead. The Bible also prophesies that in the last days there will be a great company of preachers, You should be part of that, or are you busy thinking about how much money you can earn, just getting to the city, buying your BM, and if your mind is set on that, and that takes first place and not the Lord Jesus, then your faith is dead. You should be part of that, or are you busy thinking about how much money you can earn, just getting to the city, buying your BM, and if your mind is set on that, then your faith is dead. And it seems like these three women who came early to the grave, they didn't think of these things. Their love was so overwhelming for the Lord that it seemed to blind them from some of the practicalities, such as the huge stones, such as the seal that was across the tomb, such as the gods who were sitting and watching over the tomb. But such foolishness, But such foolishness I love, far rather than being wise and intelligent and not using it for the Lord. And when they got there, for they persevered, some, they never finish what they've set out to do, but they got there, and when they found the grave, they discovered that the tombstone was already rolled away, and that there were angels in shining garments brightest the sun. And these two men said, Their intention was very clear to heaven. There was no misinterpretation of whom they were seeking, and even heaven was stirred and moved to send on these angels to answer this need of their seeking the Lord Jesus. And let me tell you, if you seek the Lord with all your heart, all of heaven stands together If you don't seek the Lord with all your heart, all of heaven stands together I will seek the Lord, I will seek the Lord, I will go to heaven If you seek with him, you must seek with me Because I am the Lord You can't say that I am the Lord, I am the Lord of all You can't say that I am the Lord who is God, I am the Lord of all Blessed are they who seek the Lord truly with all their hearts, in comparison to those who, like the prodigal son, seek the world. They say, give me my share, let me go, and they seek the world, but they don't even get the world. Eventually they end up just in the pigsty, and some have gone beyond that and are dead in the grave today because of AIDS. I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story. They had said, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no Dr. Luke, who records this account, he doesn't write who these two men were, but no doubt, these were messengers from heaven, sent in their shining garments, and even though their names aren't recorded, we are certain these were messengers sent from heaven What had stirred them, what caused them to come from heaven and be here, it was because of these three women that sought Jesus And as they discussed along the way as to who would move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where they could move the tombstone for them, they didn't even get to the point where These men who ask this question, why do you seek the living among the dead, they knew their purpose. They didn't have to inquire and ask why they had even come, for they knew in heaven they had been touched and stirred, and so too if you seek the Lord with all your heart, heaven is moved. Or is it the case that they are ashamed and they have to shroud themselves in shame as they see what you do? These men did not rebuke the women and accuse them harshly and ask them questions like, questions of logic and their stupidity, not at all, for they knew, they understood the desire of these women for the Lord Jesus. And then they said, why do you seek the dead among the living, for he is not, or the living among the dead, for he is not here, he is risen. They said, don't you remember how when he was in Galilee with you that he spoke to you that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and die and on the third day be raised again? But how? It was then that it dawned upon them and they said, yes, we do remember now, what a pity that people forget the Lord speaks and years later you don't remember what the Lord has spoken to you. It's heartbreaking that we forget what Jesus has told us in the past. It's not only a pity, it's a tragedy. And a serious one too. Why do you forget what Jesus has told you? Very often the heathen, they remember it, but you Christians have forgotten it. Shame upon you! Why do you forget what Jesus has told you? Don't forget what the Lord has spoken to you. If you need to then write it down, make a note of it, remind yourself every day what the Lord has spoken to you. There was a certain man who was a preacher in Germany, Wilhelm Busch was his name, he was also bald, he was greatly gifted in preaching. In a certain place there was a family, the mother, the father, the son, the wife, the daughter, the mother, the son, the wife, the daughter, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son, the son and the children had plenty of hair but the father was bald and the children were constantly upset and asked the mother why doesn't dad have hair? The mother replied, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I don't have hair, I can't take a child too lightly. They are sharp, and they take note of what you say. Now, I don't know whether it was 60 or 70 years ago, there was a certain preacher from England known as Guy Thorne. He wrote a book. And he wrote that a certain archaeologist who was doing exploration in Palestine came across a grave and a corpse in the grave with a certain letter written on it which said, I, Joseph of Arimathea, I have stolen the body of Jesus and I hid it in this grave. And in that era, when that was announced, it caused great consternation among the Christians and many were saying, what, we thought he had arisen, so he actually never arose again. Many Christians were greatly confused and upset. They said, but we know about the resurrection, what is this? Because here is a body found and even the proof that this was placed there by Joseph of Arimathea. Some even began to say, what's the truth then? How are we going to believe what is a lie and what is true? We are confused. Some even considered forsaking the fact, they said, well, here is the proof. We thought Jesus was alive, he had risen again, but here is now the letter of proof from Joseph of Arimathea that he had actually stolen Jesus' body and put it here. I've often said there are no greater fools than Christians. If you want to find foolish people, go to Christians. It wasn't long after that, that it was discovered to be a hoax. It was an absolute hoax and that it was a lie. You can never receive praise in believing lies. These two men said, now what are you doing looking among the dead for the living? Didn't he tell you that on the third day he would rise again? There is a certain Muslim here in South Africa who used to go up and down the country holding meetings and public meetings and that way he would say, Jesus never died, it was all just a hoax. In Cape Town he even preached to 3,000 people, his name being Didet. At one time, I even invited him to come to Cape Town I wanted him to come and stay here for some time. I determined not to preach to him, but just to let him see how we live in our eating, drinking, our daily life, that he would witness it for himself. I determined to do what the Lord says to wives to do, not to preach to their husbands, but to win them without word. I did what the Lord told me to do, not to preach, not to preach, not to preach, not to preach, but to win them without word. So, I went up to Cape Town, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed, I prayed If you really treat your husband properly, Even if he's just a drunkard of a man, but if you show real love towards him and give him everything that he needs, go beyond that, regarding bringing a bowl to wash his feet as in the Zulu custom, looking after him, he can discern very clearly between a cheeky wife and a submissive loving wife. If your husband is a drunkard, he can discern whether you're a cheeky one, a naughty girl, or somebody who's got the spirit of Christ. If your husband is a drunkard, he can discern whether you're a cheeky one, a naughty girl, or somebody who's got the spirit of Christ. I determined that if Dedat comes, I want to win him with my life and without preaching to him, just to see how I live and what happens in my daily life, but he never came. I think the demons with him, in him, just stopped him from wanting to come. He continued with his proclaiming, Jesus never rose again. He continued using arguments against the resurrection of Jesus. He would say, but if he died then on Friday, and the Bible says that he was to be in the grave for three days, Friday and then rising early Sunday, not even three days, he would say. Not knowing, perhaps ignoring or not knowing the fact that the Hebrew day would be counted from the late afternoon. He would say, but if he died then on Friday, and the Bible says that he was to be in the grave for three days, Friday and then rising early Sunday, not even three days, he would Not knowing, perhaps ignoring or not knowing the fact that the Hebrew day would be counted from the late afternoon. He would say. He would say, but if he died then on Friday, and the Bible says that he was to be in the grave for three days, Friday and then rising early Sunday, not even three days, he would And because it was going into the Sabbath, late on that day, the soldiers were commanded that they should make sure the men were dead, otherwise it's a curse if anybody is on the cross in the Sabbath. So they were instructed then to break the legs of these criminals, and you saw in that film how they broke their legs. You heard how they cried out, including the one who blasphemed them as they used that big hammer to break their legs. Because it was going on for three o'clock, and by five in that afternoon, they should no longer be hanging there on the crosses. But let's finish the story I started with, Didat. Didat. So Jesus died before the Sabbath began. And in Hebrew counting, that would be counted as a whole day. Then it was the Sabbath day, that evening going through into Saturday afternoon. That's the second day. And counting the part of the next day from the late afternoon Saturday until the next day, that's counted as a day. Therefore three days. In the beginning. In the beginning it says, in the beginning of the Bible when God created all things, he began creating, he started in that day, and then towards the end of the day it was called a day and a night. From evening till morning was the first day. That's how God counts. We say the first day is from morning till evening. But God says from evening till morning, the first day. We say from morning till evening. That's just exactly how man is. We start in the morning. With the dawn of the day. With the rays of the morning. And we end with sunset. That's how we are. We start big. And small. Start in glory. End in shame and disgrace. Even many politicians. They start in the morning. But they end in disgrace and shame. In darkness. But God starts when it is dark. And he works and works. And he stops when it's dawn of the day. When it's bright. That's the difference between you and God. And your doing and his doing. Now I'm sure then you won't be confused by this Islamic argument. There are even some preachers who used to debate with Tidat. Who were confused and were overcome by his arguments. Some even converted to Islam. And some were like, I'm not going to believe this. I'm not going to believe it. I don't believe it. I don't believe it. But Tidat He used to say to him. I'm going to believe it. He used to say to him. Then, some pastors in Durban, for that's where he resided, including Indian pastors, they wrote him a letter. They said, Mr. Didat, you're free to speak what you want to speak, but don't blaspheme our Lord. Don't blaspheme Christ and His death and resurrection. You can speak for your religion, but don't attack Christ, otherwise we hand you over to God. But how did he behave or respond with stubbornness, as some women do, and men, who are foolish? He was so stubborn, as some women are. You're finding yourself in bad company. Of course, there are some foolish men as well, that imitate you. Didat continued boldly in his blasphemous campaign. But these Indian pastors, these Indian men who had converted out of other religions like Hinduism, they prayed, they said, Lord, he's been blaspheming for so long. You work now. He then had a certain type of stroke that struck him dumb. It's now many years that he is speechless. The Lord closed his mouth completely. I have long since wanted to visit him, to go and see him. And I still hope for the opportunity, not now, in the near future, because of Tuesday He was taken after that stroke to Middle Eastern specialists, to German specialists, flown with expensive planes all over the world for attention. Nothing could help. These men said, but why are you looking for the living among the dead? Don't you remember what he said to you in Galilee? Then it dawned on them, they said, oh, we had forgotten. Legal professors, professors of law, judges, and those who inspect legal history. Testify that there is no event historically that has got so many sources of evidence as this historical evidence of his resurrection. They say there is no event in history with so much historical evidence attesting to the fact of it as the resurrection of Jesus. The Jews said there is no body in the grave. Even in the Roman law, they wrote that his tomb was empty. So, when these women came, and not just them, there were others also, they found this tombstone rolled away. God, in his own strength, had just cast this tombstone aside. It didn't need somebody to heave and push and slowly move it away, leaving tracks behind. God has brushed it aside. Neither was the tomb opened to release Jesus out of it, no, it was opened so that the disciples would be able to look inside it. Remember this. The disciples had been behind lock and key, afraid because of the circumstances, and the Jesus, and the Lord Jesus, was able to simply appear. He didn't have to knock at the door and open, he could just walk right through. Let me just mention a few proofs of Jesus' resurrection. The Romans put a Roman sign, a seal, upon the grave. And should you tamper with that seal, you would be seen as affronting the Roman Empire itself. Secondly, the authority of the Roman Empire's authority was being challenged if you tried to tamper with their seal. And history tells us that anybody that would tamper with the Roman seal would be severely punished. It was said that a person that would break a Roman seal would even be crucified on a cross, on a tree, would be nailed head down, feet up, as a punishment. Of tampering with their seal. Before I continue with that theme of the seal, something I've forgotten. The Bible had prophesied that not a bone of his body, that is of the Lord Jesus, would be broken. You saw how in the film, those thieves on either side of him, they had their bones broken from the feet up till they were broken in pieces. And the second thief the same. That is how they were finished off. And they couldn't breathe properly, so they would stiffen their legs for support to be able to breathe. And that was therefore the technique in breaking their legs, they lost that support so that they would drown or suffocate. And they would die immediately. When they came to Jesus, the one said, no don't break his bones, he's already dead. They said, no it can't be, how could he die so quickly? And to make sure he speared him, he pushed that spear in his side through to the heart. The moment the spear pierced him, out flowed, out poured blood and water. I don't have time to go into the exact details of that, but you saw how it was depicted. That this poured out also upon those who were standing below the cross. And it signified that he wasn't killed through the nails or through the beating, he died of a broken heart. Broken heart because of you sinner, you who go in your own rebellious ways, not wanting to be obedient to him. That's what broke his heart. He saw you. You who go back to sin, you confess it and go back to it and continue with those things. That's what breaks his heart. Where you say, is that indeed so? Does he spear me again? Does he press the thorns deeper into my brow yet again? Now let me go back to the Romans. The Roman law that should you tamper with the Roman seal, you would be crucified, your head down. Nobody dared tamper with the Roman seal because you would be seen as an insurrectionist. If the disciples who were so afraid that they were even behind locked doors, afraid to even come out, how would they have ever dared to go and tamper with the seal? Not only the seal being there, but also the Roman soldiers guarding. Secondly, there was no person in the sepulchre. When they came, the body was gone. The disciples needed strong, real evidence. If they were to be emboldened to preach the crucified risen Lord, they who had been trembling and afraid and had denied him, they wouldn't have had any courage to stand before the council, the Sanhedrin, and later proclaim, he whom you crucified is risen again. He had indeed risen. Thirdly, the guards or police there ran away. They fled like scared rats because of the sudden earthquake and the rolling away of the stone. History has it that there were no soldiers as disciplined as the Roman soldier. Roman soldiers were fiercely faithful to their duties. If they were made as sentries to watch over a spot, they would remain at that spot not to be moved by anything. Even if a wall would collapse on them, they would remain motionless at that spot. It was said there were no soldiers as disciplined as the Roman soldiers. They even had a law at the time. That's why Roman soldiers were so disciplined. So that is why they were so disciplined. They knew the punishment and they would not move from their post as a sentry. The Romans had conquered the whole world. There was no kingdom like theirs. But you know what brought their empire down? Sexual immorality. That broke down the Roman empire. purity and of a wife being faithful and purity in sexuality, that nation eventually collapses. It cannot survive, and it happens to any nation, whether it's to you blacks or the English, whoever, you will be destroyed by your own immorality. The empire must fail. But that's why the Lord said to the women who were crying as He carried His cross, and He said, daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, weep for yourselves and for your own sins. immorality. Here in South Africa now even homosexual marriage is being condoned, legalized. Just think. Passing laws that would imitate Sodom and Gomorrah, it has said, well, that's our human rights. That which even animals don't do, people will do, that is the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah. But here is the risen Christ. He is alive and all that fear and trembling and the hiding away and all that disappeared when they realized He is risen. And all their authority just came crumbling down when Jesus arose. The soldiers then went and said to the priests what had happened. The high priest then took some money and said why don't you just say that the disciples came at night and stole away His body. They said what? How could we say that because it is death that we would face then. But He was able to persuade them with money. Another fact that Jesus rose. All of you faggots. Not your hand. You faggots. The disciples that came to see the grave, after the women had come and informed them what had happened, they ran. Peter and John, John being the younger, got there first and stood at the entrance and looked inside. Peter then went right inside and they were immediately convinced He is risen. What struck Peter and John? Not the stone that was thrown away but the clothes. The clothes. It was the grave clothes that convinced them, not the rolling away of the stone. Why? What did they notice about the grave clothes? Remember I said that those linen clothes wrapped around Him would They saw these grave clothes lying there neatly and the one for the head lying there. Now your shirt. What is your shirt, your collar size? I'm size 51. What is yours? inch. grab idea. Here we were finding out president of this country. As a woman. I was unable to tell anybody what a person was. They don't tell anybody. And I didn't know the person. The grave clothes thoroughly convinced them. They knew then he's not stolen by thieves. He's arisen. Finally, the last point. Jesus himself revealed himself to them. Even behind closed doors, he was suddenly among them saying, peace be to you. Some were afraid, lest it is his spirit and it's not really real. He said no. A spirit has no flesh or body. Have you any food? Bring some fish. He took and ate of it. They saw indeed he had arisen. And then he disappeared from their sight. They said to Thomas, but he has arisen. He said, nonsense, what proof do you have? He said, because he had been absent when the Lord Jesus appeared to the disciples the first time. He said, unless I put my fingers into his wounds and feel it for myself, I will not believe. Then suddenly Jesus was in their midst again. He said, Thomas, stretch out your hand. Feel my side and my wounds in my hands. That proved overwhelming, Thomas. He fell on his knees and said, my Lord and my God. Jesus didn't reveal himself just to these, but also to others, even later on to Saul of Tarsus, where he appeared and said, Saul, why do you persecute me? He was still an enemy. As Paul also records, that at one time, the one who was converted from being Saul, he says that at one time Jesus revealed himself as the resurrected Lord to over 500 disciples at one time. Over 500. And he said, some of those are still alive, you can go and question them. This would stand the test of any court. In fact, it is perfectly clear, and lawyers that have delved into it say the evidence is overwhelming. He must have risen. He's risen. Then Jesus said to his disciples, you will be my witnesses here in Jerusalem, then to Judea and Samaria, then to the uttermost parts of the earth. You've heard of the testimony of Jesus' resurrection. Have you got that testimony that he is risen? John and Peter, they had the proof and the assurance that he had arisen. Do you have that proof? Is there that assurance that he has indeed arisen? Has Jesus entered into you? As Jesus promised, behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man open to me, I will come in and sup with him. Has he entered into your life? Do you know that special fellowship? When he eats with you, and you eat it. Not only you eat with your darling wife. Forget about the wife for a while. Or your husband, or your children. You alone. Have you had fellowship with him? And are you having fellowship with him? And the song of songs? She seeks him in the night and goes to the guards, the watchman of the city and says, have you seen him? Him whom my soul loves. Why said he? She said, then I went just a little beyond them and I found him. He was like these women. That search for Jesus. He were woke at night. He could not sleep any longer. And he searched and looked for the one whom his soul loves. He found those guards. He said, have you seen the man whom my soul loves? And he just went past them a short distance and he found him. He found him. He did not got stuck with the guards. With the people. He just went a bit further. That guard could be your wife. And you say, my wife, have you seen whom my soul loves? And you pass your wife a bit. Then you find him. Pass your husband. Pass your children. Pass your parents. Only then you will find him. Don't get stuck with your wife. With your children. And even with your ministers. And your preacher. Go a step further. And then you will find him. These women got up early. While the others were still comfortable in bed, resting. They went. They passed the seal. They passed the guards. Just a little. And then they met the two men and said, we know you're looking for Jesus. He's not here. He's risen. As he had told you. Oh, now we remember. Now my closing question. Have you passed everything? And found him? Press through? Write to him? Flex whites, yellow, red, green, whatever color you are. Even those who are green behind their ears. Have you met him? Are you already dead? Are you with him? If not, you're still lost. On the way to hell. Let's stand together and we'll pray. Thank you, Lord. That we can serve the one who is alive. Not like other religions who serve their leaders. Whether they're Muslims or Hindus or Buddhists or whatever. Where their leaders are dead and just white bones. But Lord Jesus, we serve you, the risen Christ. So that you, the living one, can reside in us and live in us. And that we are able to sup with you with heavenly food. Amen.