He Is Not Here, He has Risen

According to Scripture, Jesus was crucified the day before the Jewish Sabbath, which was called the Day of Preparation (Christians call it Good Friday). Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling council) and Pilate took place in the early morning while it was still dark. Jesus was likely crucified at first light and he was dead well before noon. Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for Jesus body and had it placed in his tomb before sundown on Friday, which was the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath when no work could be done. That is why the women who were following Jesus had no time to embalm his body for burial and were obliged to come back to the tomb at first light on Sunday. Of course, when the women arrived, they found the large stone rolled away, the tomb empty and a man dressed in white who informed them: "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene who was crucified. He is not here, he has risen." Since Jesus' female disciples discovered the tomb empty at first light, it has been a tradition of Christians around the world to gather at first light on Easter Sunday to celebrate the Resurrection. Zach had a chance to drive to the top of the mountain overlooking Port-au-Prince on Easter morning. Besides celebrating the Resurrection, Zach joined in a prayer for the city of Port-au-Prince, the capital and center of political, economic and social life in Haiti. Besides the continuing effort to rebuild after the earthquake, Port-au-Prince faces huge struggles. There has been some investment in infastructure and some efforts to decentralize the population, but at the end of the day, there are over two million people trying to live in a very small and crowded space perched precariously on top of mountains, steep hills, and the edges of ravines. Many people have little or no access to potable water because they can't pay one USD for five gallons of treated water. There is the ever present danger of flooding as well (even a small rain can cause destructive flash flooding on hillsides). As we prayed for Port-au-Prince, the sun shown over the mountains to the southeast (see picture above), and the ultimate solution for Port-au-Prince became clear--the power of the Risen Son of God to deliver his people from the shadow of sin and the darkness of the Evil One. It is true that nature has her fury (which we all know), but the majority of our problems we make ourselves. Please pray for the power of Easter to bring new life to the Haitian people and those who minister among them.