My Bible reading this morning brought me to Matthew 27. It reads like an overview of Jesus’ last day on earth. 

• Judas takes his own life by hanging
• Pilate facing an angry mob with a dilemma: release Jesus or Barabbas
• The mockery of the soldiers and the passers-by of Jesus before and on the cross
• His death and the open tombs of the already dead saints
• Joseph requesting the body and the burial of Jesus. (Matthew says specifically that some of the ladies were watching the process. So much for the “wrong tomb” theory.
• Sealing the tomb and placing guards

Well…if that was the end, it is pitiful. But I kept reading into chapter 28. 

• The ladies went to the tomb
• They are met by an angel proclaiming Jesus was not there but alive
• On the way to tell His disciples, Jesus meets them
• The guards report the missing body (empty tomb) and are bribed to lie (real fine upstanding religious leaders wouldn’t you say?)
• Jesus appears to the disciples and give them the Great Commission: “Go.” “Teach.” “Baptize.” “Teach.” 
• It ends with a promise- “I will be with you.” 

Quite an eventful few days! Summarized like this:

1. Mockery to Exaltation
2. Defeat to Victory
3. Death to Life

“Because He Lives I can face tomorrow,” so the song goes. 

No greater truth gives men/me hope than that.