He Is Risen - Easter Countdown Day 12

EASTER – Day 12 – “The Empty Tomb” stands as one of many testaments of Christ’s Resurrection. 

Matthew 28:5-7

“And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.   And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.”

 Luke 24:36-51

“And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.  But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.  And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?  Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.  And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.  And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?  And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.  And he took it, and did eat before them.

 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.  Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.   And ye are witnesses of these things.

 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.”

John 10:14-16

“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.  As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.   And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”

 After appearing in his resurrected form to his disciples in Jerusalem, Christ visited his “other sheep”.  He reveals that the people living in ancient America, the people of the Book of Mormon, are some of those other sheep.  The Book of Mormon shares the account of the resurrected Christ’s visit to the American continent.  Here is an excerpt:

 

3 Nephi 11: 10-15    

“Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.

 And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cupwhich the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.

 

 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been prophesied among them that Christ should showhimself unto them after his ascension into heaven.  And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying:

 

 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the Godof Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

 

 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and didfeel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.”

 

3 Nephi 15:13-17 and 24  (Christ knows all of his “sheep” and his infinite Atonement covers all peoples of every land and every time in the earth’s history.) 

“And behold, this is the land of your inheritance; and the Father hath given it unto you.  And not at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should tell it unto your brethren at Jerusalem.  Neither at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should tell unto them concerning the other tribes of the house of Israel, whom the Father hath led away out of the land.  This much did the Father command me, that I should tell unto them:  That other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd…. ye have both heard my voice, and seen me; and ye are my sheep, and ye are numbered among those whom the Father hath given me.”