Joy Comes In The Morning Luke 24:1-12
Luke tells us in chapter 23 that at noon on Friday, as Jesus hung on the cross, darkness fell over the whole land. He tells us how the breath of life slipped out of our Lord, and how Joseph of Arimathea opened a tomb for Jesus to be laid in. They prepared our Lord’s body with linen, spices, and perfume, and sealed his tomb with a rock.
All their hopes and dreams had come to a despairing end that Friday as Jesus was laid in the tomb.
“But on the first day of the week,” Joy Came in the Morning, for they found the stone rolled away and the Lord Jesus risen from the dead.
Let us consider how this great event related to 3 different people:
I) MARY MAGDALENE: THE DARKNESS OF DESPAIR
Mark 16:9-10 - A woman who had once lived in the fearful state of demon possession had found deliverance and freedom when Jesus commanded the 7 demons to leave her. But on that dark Friday, she saw her dreams turn to despair as Jesus died on the cross. Did it mean there was no hope? Did it mean Satan was the victor? Did it mean she was doomed to have the slavery of sin and the bondage of demons on her again?
Matthew 27:55, 56, 61 - She was there at Calvary that day. She saw her Lord crucified. She was there when they took his lifeless body down and laid it in the tomb. It was over. She would never see Him again.
John 20:11-16 - But then came the morning and the darkness of despair gave way to the joy of hope.
II) PETER: THE DARKNESS OF DENIAL
Luke 22:54-62 - Here Peter denies knowing the Lord 3 times.
John 21:15-17 - The darkness of denial gave way to the joy of forgiveness and love.
“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”
“Tend my lambs.”
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”
“Shepherd my sheep.
Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
“Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
“Tend my sheep.”
III) THOMAS: THE DARKNESS OF DOUBT
John. 20:24-28 - The darkness of doubt gives way to the joy of faith.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:13 - But now abide faith, hope, love these three - but the greatest of these is love.
We see this sometimes at family home goings. Family is gathered around the loved one. They watch their loved one in their last hour. And then the loved one rises up, lifts their arms to heaven, hands outstretched as if to touch heaven, with a smile on their lips, with face lit up… And then they watch their loved one cross over. In the darkest hour, they see the Joy of the Morning - faith, hope, love.
This is what Jesus brings, Joy in the Morning, for all who believe in Him.
Published: 03/29/2021
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