The Three Day Rule (Jesus and Thomas)

Reading through John, I realized that Jesus was the creator of the "No Call For Three Day Rule"... You know...you meet a girl and get the digits...the law is that you have to wait three days, right? Stolen from Jesus!!

Most of us know the story: They laid Jesus in the cave and three days later he walked out...Resurrected!! Awesomeness.

Now...as shocking as coming back from the dead is, Jesus had told everyone he was going to do this. So, there was an earthquake on the third day and when Mary Magdaline and another Mary (not His mom) went to annoint the corpse (ritual) they found the boulder moved!! Mary immediately ran to Peter and John to tell them that Jesus' body had been moved...

Well...Peter and John ran to see the empty tomb for himself. An interesting note into John's mentality...he writes: "The two were running together, but the other disciple (John writing about himself) outran Peter and got to the tomb first.".......I love that he takes time to record that he was a faster runner than Peter!! They saw the wrappings and then "believed"...and went home.

But Mary hung out crying...still thinking that someone had moved the body.

There were two angels chilling in the cave waiting...

** I apologize, but for some reason I always think of Angels as Starsky and Hutch type characters...You know 70's bad boy good guys...I have NO idea why... **

So these two angels are lounging around on the rocks in the cave probably discussing who just got their supafly wings, demonstrating knew kung-fu theatre flaming sword moves, or something. Mary walks into the cave crying (still sad) and is astonished...not so much about the angels, but that Jesus is gone.

"Que Pasa? Why you crying chica?" said the hispanic angel.

"Dry up those tears woman! Y'all needs to recognize what's goin down!" said the Shaft Angel.

Mary turns around and see a human man...it takes a minute and then they recognize that it's Jesus! Sweet!

She ran out and immediately informed the disciples of His resurrection. Now, these are guys that had spent every moment with Jesus!! I mean eating, sleeping, walking, running, dying...They knew Jesus better than any...So what's their response?

Thomas was absent. And the others were just "amazed"...I bet they were!!

Jesus visits all of them that evening (except Thomas) and confirms that he has risen. Thomas heard of this and basically said "Whatever clever! Did you feel the holes in his palms?? Then how do you really know."

STOP! This dude had walked with Jesus for a long time and seen miracle after miracle...AND...heard from The Man's very mouth that he would come back!!! Really dude??

So a few days later Jesus met up with Thomas. Thomas immediately knew it was the real deal and exclaimed "My Lord and my God!!"

For the record, Thomas (Doubting Thomas) has been remembered for this mistake, but by all accounts he was a pretty gutsy dude. In the book of John, Jesus is wanting to return to a very hostile land of Judea...the other disciples are resisting...but Thomas jumps up and basically says "Grab your panties you wusses...we're following This Guy where ever He goes...and He's going to Judea!"

Thomas also is the only apostle recorded to have went outside the Roman Empire (known world) to preach the gospel. He traveled well into The PErsian Empire and India. Think about it: This would be like one of us going into The Congo to talk to Warlords about democratic reform!! THAT'S impressive!!

You know...there are a lot of things in this story that make me think...but one thing I can't get over is how Peter and John saw the wraps and believed...then went home. And how the disciples were "amazed" as they were told of Jesus's return...but stayed locked in their house.

But as hard as that is for me to believe...Are we not in the same situation today?? We go to church on Sunday...hear the Gospel...Believe...Be Amazed...then go home. End of story?? Am I going to wait for Jesus to personally come and visit me...show me the scar on His side...let me feel the holes in His hands...before I take ACTION??

I encourage us all to take action...I encourage us all NOT to be content with our own personal knowledge that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was ressurected three days later...But to go out and share this knowledge with the world around us!! Wear it on your sleeve!! Let those around you know!! Don't keep your belief and amazement locked up in your house waiting for Jesus to return!!

"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." -John 20:29