Ryan Seacrest (5:18)

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Cough and cold season is coming, so make sure you're prepared and stock up on your family's favorite personal wellness products. Now through October 7th. Shop in store and online for savings on products like Mucinex, Kickstart Combo, Zyrtec Allergy Relief Tablets or liquid gels, Halls, cough drops and Mucinex Fast day and night so you and your family are armed and ready for the season ahead. Offerings October 7th restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

Host (5:48)

Have you ever felt stuck in darkness? Have you ever felt hopeless, like the world has lost all its color and joy? We've all experienced despair at some point in our lives, but there is no darkness so dense that the light of Jesus can't pierce through. This is the Jesus Podcast, and we're spending a month of April immersing ourselves in the events following Easter. We want to hear how the Resurrection transformed Jesus followers from faithless and fearful to faithful and fearless. As we follow along this epic tale, perhaps we will also discover a bit of courage and boldness to live a life in light of the Resurrection. If this podcast has blessed you, consider writing us a review to share your experience. We would love to hear from you. Today we walk down the dusty trail leading to the empty tomb of Jesus, where Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, and Joanna come to pay their respects to Jesus. These four followers of Jesus are overcome with grief. Understandably, although the sun is shining brightly and the garden is teeming with life, everything seems gray and lifeless to them. They, like many who have yet to experience life in Jesus, are caught in a cycle of despair. These faithful companions are about to be visited by an angel and given the most hopeful message humanity has ever heard. He is risen. Let's dive back into our story. Afterwards, we will unpack some of its meaning together and discover how we can live in light of the Resurrection.

Narrator (7:18)

The four companions walked the dirt path leading to the tomb. Mary Magdalene in particular, was inconsolable. She was lost without Jesus, caught in a sea of heartbreak and wounds from her past. As the four companions walked toward his tomb, her heart grew heavier and heavier. She stopped in her tracks as they approached the entrance to the garden. She was frozen in place, hands shaking from fear.

Advertiser 1 (7:50)

What if they come back?

Narrator (7:52)

She whispered, referring to the demons Jesus cast out of her. Seven times she was alone and lost before Christ came and redeemed her. He cast her tormentors out and gave her a life of purpose. But without him, she feared the worst.

Advertiser 1 (8:13)

Without Jesus, I might slip back into the darkness.

Narrator (8:18)

The other two women put their arms around her, silently affirming her fears while doing their best to comfort her. They descended the dirt path, unable to appreciate the chirping birds and the scent of freshly blooming jasmine.

Advertiser 1 (8:34)

What if they don't let us attend him?

Narrator (8:37)

Mary asked, concerned the guards may not.

Advertiser 1 (8:40)

Allow us to see him. And what then will our master go without a proper burial?

Narrator (8:45)

They will not turn us away, joanna said with a heavy, laden sigh. She was one of the maidens who had served the house of Pilate. With that came a modicum of dignity. No guard would keep her from honoring her master, not after everything that had happened. I will make sure of it, she said firmly. The women rounded the corner near an olive grove. That is when a great wind whistled through the trees, shaking leaves and olives from what was that? Joanna asked curiously. The wind shifted again, blowing from where the tomb resided. Something's wrong, joanna said, gesturing to the nearby tomb. The stone covering the entrance was rolled away, and a light radiated from within. The atmosphere changed around them, and it was as if the trees whispered a sweet secret to them through the wind. They quickened toward the tomb. But their strides were interrupted when the earth shook beneath them. Then, like a flash of lightning before them, an angel appeared in splendor. He had the appearance of a young man dressed in white, but his countenance was like the scattering of lightning. Although he wore a smile, there was something inhuman and terrifying about him. The women recoiled, with Mary, the mother of James, putting her arms out to protect the others. Do not be afraid, the angel told them with his hands, gesturing for them to be at ease. You have come to see Jesus of Nazareth, the one who was crucified, have you not? The women nodded with uncertainty. The angel's presence was palpable, and it felt like the ground beneath them was pulsating with power. The angel's position shifted instantly, and he sat on top of a stone beside the tomb. He gestured to the entrance and said, he is not here. Come and see for yourself. He is not in the place where they laid him. The women rushed to look inside. The angel was right. Jesus body was gone, and all that remained were the grave clothes folded neatly on the stone bed. Mary Magdalene fell to her knees, and Joanna held her face.

Advertiser 1 (11:22)

Where is he?

Narrator (11:25)

Joanna asked with bated breath. The angel's position shifted again with lightning speed. He was right beside them this time, standing over them with great intensity. He stood two feet above them, and his eyes revealed a depth of divine knowledge. He has risen. All the women looked up at the angel. The divine being pointed to the road. Hurry back and tell the disciples what I have told you, for he is returning soon to Galilee. You will see him just as I have told you. As the women turned to leave, the angel stopped them and said, and be sure to tell Peter. With that final word, the angel disappeared again in lightning. The four companions wasted no time. They dropped their baskets and ran up the dirt road of the garden. Fear, exhilaration, and anxiety battled within them. Yet a burning passion drove them forward to tell the others. For four days, the followers of Jesus had wallowed in a shadow of regret and confusion. But perhaps there was hope. Maybe this beautiful and strange event is what he had been telling them would happen all along. Uncertainty weighed down every thought. Doubt and wonder swirled through their minds as they raced to where the disciples hid. They ran, and with every step they were more convinced that the angelic figure was correct. Jesus had risen. As they ran, the green and yellow hues of the trees came into view, and the sound of songbirds flooded their hearts. The world was no longer dark and gray to them. Life, light, and hope were reborn in their hearts and the world.

Ryan Seacrest (13:30)

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Host (13:53)

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Advertiser 1 (14:01)

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Ryan Seacrest (14:59)

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway Cough and cold season is coming, so make sure you're prepared and stock up on your family's favorite personal wellness products now through October 7th. Shop in store and online for savings on products like Mucinex, Kickstart Combo, Zyrtec Allergy Relief Tablets or liquid gels, hulls, cough drops and Mucinex Fast day and night so you and your family are armed and ready for the season ahead. Offer ends October 7th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

Host (15:30)

God chose these women to be the first witnesses of the most transformative event in human history. They were the first to hear the angelic declaration, he is risen. They were the first to experience the inexplicable joy and wonder that comes from encountering an empty tomb where the body should have lain. This event was no doubt a beautiful example of how God dismantles social prejudice by intelligence, entrusting these women with the first gospel message, Jesus is alive. You see, during this time, women were not considered reliable witnesses. They weren't even allowed to testify in court. This is a sad reality of the time. However, it highlights God's plan to dismantle social prejudice. This event is a beautiful example of how God dismantles social and societal barriers. He entrusted these women with the gospel message. Jesus is alive. He has broken down these barriers before. Do you remember the first eyewitness of the newborn Jesus in Bethlehem were just lowly shepherds, largely considered outcasts in their time. But God gave them the precious testimony of his Son's birth. The Lord elevates the voices of the marginalized and affirms the dignity and worth of every human being. It's an important reminder that in the kingdom of God there are no second class citizens. We are all equal at the foot of the cross in the empty tomb. This episode also showcases Mary Magdalene's fear and grief. She was a woman from whom Jesus had cast out seven demons. We know this from reading the Book of Mark and the Book of Luke. Our story today vividly captures her dread of reverting back to a life controlled by demons, a life devoid of transformative power. Her grief was not just about loss. It was tied to her identity, her newfound purpose in Jesus, and most of all, her freedom from her demons. Many of us have parts of our lives where Jesus has set us free. And the thought of losing that can be deeply unsettling. But the Resurrection reminds us that Jesus power to redeem us, to cleanse us and to make us whole is not just a momentary event. It's an eternal reality. Something incredible happened as the women fled the garden to deliver the angel's message. The world was no longer dark and gray to them. The Resurrection changed everything, filling the world around them with color and endless possibilities. It wasn't that their circumstances had immediately changed. It was that their perspective had been radically altered. This serves as a vivid metaphor for what happens to us when we truly grasp the significance of the Resurrection. Life's troubles don't magically disappear, but we now see it as temporary, set against the backdrop and of eternal victory. The world is no longer a maze without an exit. It's a journey towards a glorious destination. As we contemplate these themes, let's remember that the Resurrection of Jesus is not just a historical event or a biblical fairy tale. It's not just something that happened 2,000 years ago. And it's not just something we celebrate on Easter. It's the linchpin of our faith, the reason we have hope, the reassurance of who we are and that we follow a God who conquered death. For every Mary Magdalene burdened by her past, for every voice marginalized and silenced by society, and for anyone looking at a seemingly gray and lifeless world, the Resurrection brings a message of hope, dignity and boundless possibilities. Let the joy and hope of the empty tomb color your world today. He is risen. He is risen indeed. In our next episode, we are going to highlight the tragedy of Mary and the restoration that comes afterwards. Thank you for joining me today on the Jesus Podcast. If you want to support this podcast, be sure to follow, subscribe and share. That way the entire world can hear these transformative gospel messages. For more prayers, devotions and epic Biblical stories, download the pray.com app today. God Bless.

Advertiser 1 (19:23)

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