Originally posted: 07/014/2019 

“But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you,’” (16:7).

The women went to the tomb, assuming they would find Him there. They longed to be in His presence, if only to “bring spices, so that they might come and anoint Him,” (16:1).

Their heads hung in grief, wondering how they might be able to get into the tomb, to be near Him, perhaps one last time; and when finally looking up, whether they recognized it or not, they saw the miraculous.

Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large, (16:4).

He wasn’t there, although the stone was extremely large. He wasn’t there, although His lifeless body had been so carefully placed. He wasn’t there; He was Going Ahead, Just as He Said.

Consider Him Who is Going Ahead, Just as He Said

The women went to the tomb, the place where His body was laid, but they had forgotten His words.

Grief can do that, wipe out the hard drive of our memory. He had told them He would rise and was Going Ahead, and now He expected His disciples to follow and meet Him, Just as He Said.

“Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. ⁷ But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you,’” (16:6-7).

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8); and He is one with the Father (John 10:30). He Has Forever Gone Ahead, Just as He Said, as revealed in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

• He Has Gone Ahead, Just as He Said, that His people would see Him.
  • “Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life…” (Deuteronomy 4:9).
    

• He Has Gone Ahead, Just as He Said, that His people would hear Him.
  • Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left, (Isaiah 30:21).

• He Has Gone Ahead, Just as He Said, that His people would follow Him.
  • The LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night, (Exodus 13:21).

• He Has Gone Ahead, Just as He Said, that His people would not fear or be dismayed.
  • The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed, (Deuteronomy 31:8).

• He Has Gone Ahead, Just as He Said, that His people would be set free.
  • “I will go before you and make the rough places smooth; I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars,” (Isaiah 45:2).

• He Has Gone Ahead, Just as He Said, that His people would teach His commands and make disciples.
  • These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

How do we respond to Him Who is Going Ahead, Just as He Said?

The days can be tumultuous; sorrows, worries and fears compete to take control of our thoughts. It can be tempting to hang our heads in grief; to just stay put or go back to the last place we were sure of.

But He has called us to go forward in faith because He is Going Ahead, Just as He Said.

• He is Going Ahead Just as He Said, that we would see Him.
  • “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him.⁷ But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you,’” (16:6-7).
    
  • “…He who has seen Me has seen the Father;” (John 14:9).

• He is Going Ahead Just as He Said, that we would hear Him.
  • “Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: ⁴⁸ he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built,” (Luke 6:47-48).

• He is Going Ahead Just as He Said, that we would follow Him.
  • And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17).

• He is Going Ahead Just as He Said, that we would not fear or be dismayed.
  • “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful,” (John 24:7).

• He is Going Ahead Just as He Said, that we would be set free.
  • “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

• He is Going Ahead Just as He Said, that we would teach His commands and make disciples.
  • And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” (Matthew 28:20).

Unless we intentionally seek Him in His Word, to meditate on and remind ourselves of His magnificent promises, we may find ourselves forgetting and shrinking back from following Him in obedience. Let us look up; beyond the familiar and known, expecting to see the miraculous, to see and follow Him Who is Going Ahead Just as He Said.

Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path, (Psalm 119:105).

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life,” (John 8:12).

Let’s Grow Together!