ELEVEN WORDS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

"ELEVEN WORDS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD”

MATTHEW 28:6 “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.”

I have some questions. They go like this. What is it that truly changes a man? What is it that can take a person from the gutter to grace, from the depths of drugs to the height of happiness? What is it that changes a shy school girl into a dynamic missionary that interprets scripture into the native language of the Indians of Ecuador? What is it that changes a rebellious teenager into a wholesome father who picks up toddlers and nuzzles their necks until they’re giddy with laughter?

Come on, you tell me. You’ve seen it. Change. I mean good old-fashioned honest-to-goodness change. They acted one way, and now they have totally changed directions.

Several years ago I was asked to return to my high school for a special dinner to celebrate my wrestling coach’s tenth anniversary in the sport. The athletic director invited all the former captains to sit at the head table and say a few words to honor our former mat-side mentor.

Well into the evening the athletic director stepped to the microphone and began to invite us to the podium for our one minute tribute to our former boss. My senior year was my coach’s rookie year; thus, the two other tri-captains and I went first. Mr. Mountain called for the first tri-captain of the 1975 Tigers, “Ben Matwey” (now there is an appropriate name for a wrestler.). He gave his remarks and returned to his seat. Next we have “David Outten.” Dave headed to the front and shared some well deserved praises. It was then that I noticed a smile and suddenly a slight chuckle come to the face of our well seasoned director of sports. He stepped to the microphone and said:

“I find this next name to be quite interesting. It’s not really the name as much as the title. Our next presenter is, “Rev. Stephen P. Rhoades.” As I was making my way to the middle of the table, he said the following: “Now this is one person that I would have never believed I would be introducing as a ‘Reverend.’ But I guess anything is possible.”

I laughed along with everyone else (some harder than others), voiced my prepared words and returned to my seat.

At the conclusion of the tribute, my former teacher and now fellow professional walked up to me and said, “Was that for real, or were you just playing a joke?”

I told him, “It’s true. I’ve been a pastor now for six years.”

He just looked with an odd tilt to his head started to walk away and then said, “BOY, HAVE YOU CHANGED!” FOUR WORDS THAT WOKE MY WORLD!!

The only “ME” he knew was the old me. Self-proclaimed school hater. One who would sooner cut class than sit through it. He now had to settle for the “changed ME.” A rebel turned Reverend.

Only one thing could have made that change: the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The one moment in history that cannot be overlooked. The landmark turning point that no human being can ignore. In his book, “The Life of Christ,” Fulton Sheen shares this insight: “In the history of the world only one tomb has ever had a rock rolled in front of it, and a soldier set to watch it, thus preventing the dead man within from rising: that was the tomb of Christ on Good Friday evening. What spectacle could be more ridiculous than armed soldiers keeping their eyes on a corpse? But sentinels were set, in case the dead man walked, the silent man spoke, or the pierced heart quickened to life.

They said he was dead; they knew he was dead; they said he would not rise again, but yet they watched! They openly called him a deceiver. But would they all be deceived? He had compared himself to Jonah. He recalled that Jonah had been in the belly of the whale for three days and that he would be in the belly of the earth three days and then rise again.”

Two women named Mary were the first to hear the happy words of a heavenly messenger. At the moment of the message, man’s misery was now laid motionless.

The great doors of change swing on very small hinges, and this moment was no different. “He is not here, he is risen, just as he said.” Eleven words that can change your sorrow into joy, your mourning into dancing and your struggle into strength..

Yes, a man can change. Mr. Mountain says so.