God's not finished John 18:1-19:42 & Luke 24:1-12

There's no better point in time to see the difference between human inability and God's ability than in Jesus' death and resurrection. Preparing for Easter its good to see Jesus death and resurrection as a whole story. If you read John 19-20 instead of just John 20:1-18 you'll hear both Jesus words to his friends from the cross "It's finished" and the joy Mary finds in meeting Jesus again. If you read Luke 22:1-24:12 instead of Luke 24:1-12 you'll hear the despair of the people who met Jesus on the way to die and on the cross and you hear the joy of God's resurrecting power.

There's tension in seeing human inability and God's ability at the same time. The best word to describe what happened is δε in Greek translated in English as now or but. Luke 24:1 hangs on this word. Τη δε μια των σαββάτων ορθρου βαθέως επι το μνημα... (Matthew Black, The Greek New Testament,) This was God's now/but moment. Humanities power had stopped. But/now God was on the move, "But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came unto the tomb..." (American Standard Version.)

On the cross Jesus cried out, "It is finished."

There's nothing more anyone on earth can do for him.

He saved others but he wouldn't save himself.

He's there on the cross or at least his body's still there.

Do you still call that body by His name Jesus?

Do you still call the corpse that walked on water by name?

He cried out it's finished. Now he's in the grave.

Mary came just after dawn to pay last respects at the grave.

Somehow someway in that dark tomb he rose from dead.

He had been left dead to decay; now He's risen

He's not in the tomb or at least his body isn't there.

Mary thought someone, maybe a gardner took His body.

Jesus met her and sent her to tell the others

God's not finished, not with him and not for you,

Easter Greetings.

John