Used to be preached within visitation ministry to youths,
under the Youth Meeting of St. George church, Agouza, Egypt.

Published first in St. Mark Washington D.C.’s bulletin,
Year#7, Issue#3, in Celebration of Easter.

Link to a Photo of the Published Article 
Another Photo of the Published Article 
 الـنـسـخـة الـعـربـيـة لـلـكـلـمـة   

     One interesting part of the glorious story of resurrection that goes unnoticed by many is the one played by the roman guards.

  Those guards were graciously privileged to be the only human witnesses of the very moments of the resurrection.

  For while the women were still on their way, and the angels were celebrating the risen Lord, and rolling the stone away to reveal the empty tomb; the only men who enjoyed the honor of witnessing this moment were the roman guards. With all that honor and privilege they had enjoyed, they accepted a bribe to give a false testimony regarding the resurrection of the Lord.

  Let us not be quick in condemning those guards. We have closer people to condemn, ourselves.

  Time after time, we receive bribe from the world to deny the truth of  the resurrection.

  People outside the church observe our lives, we Christians, to see if our Lord is really living in us as the bible and the church tell.

  It is through sharing the people of the world their carnal works and ways of death that we share the guards their  false testimony telling people, 'look, we are dead no less than you are. There is no living Christ, so do not believe the gospel, the disciples stole His body, and that is it.'

  But it is also through our Christian lives that we can testify for the truth of the resurrection with the angels, the women, and the apostles chanting in joy and triumph, 'Hallelujah, Christ is risen, He is risen and dead no more. Here is the evidence, He is living in us, and we are therefore living according to His promise.'

  There is the angels’  preaching  and the guards’ false report.

Which testimony shall we second?

  There is the world’s bribe of death and the Lord’s gift of life.

Which reward shall we accept?