“He is not here, He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.” Matthew 28:6 (NIV)
After a quiet yet distressing Sabbath, Mary and Mary rushed to Jesus’ tomb with heavy hearts.
Their beloved teacher, the One who knew them, the One who loved them, had died.
It was still too much to comprehend.
The day literally began with a bang. On the way to the tomb, there was a violent earthquake. The shaking of the ground could not begin to compare with the quaking of their hearts. How to process the death of their dear Jesus?
At the tomb, what did the ladies find? The expected guard detail was all unconscious and the tomb was not sealed, as it should be. In fact, the stone had been rolled away.
Atop said stone sat yet another surprise: an angel, glowing white.
Heaping shock and surprise on their already fragile minds, Mary and Mary listened to his words, “He is not here, He has risen just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.”
Peering into the tomb, it appeared the angel knew something; Jesus was not there!
Too much had happened. It was too hard to know what to think! Shaken and fearful from recent events the ladies hurried to find the disciples.
As their feet fairly flew down the path, an indescribable, unmistakable joy welled up inside each one. What if the angel were right? Jesus had said He would rise up again. No one gave it much thought, after all it had never happened before.
The tomb was empty.
The tomb was empty.
The angel reported Jesus had risen. If Jesus walked out of that tomb, that changes everything!
Though it may have taken ages to process they would find the truth. Jesus really was the Son of God. Why did He die? He chose to follow the Father’s bidding and offer Himself as a perfect sacrifice to obliterate the deadly eternal consequences of sin on humanity. Through His death and resurrection He created a bridge between God and us.
That empty tomb changed how Mary and Mary mourned Jesus’ death.
The empty tomb changed how the disciples counted their time with Jesus.
The empty tomb should change how we do life.
Jesus truly is God’s son. He was perfect, without sin. He willingly obeyed His Father when He was sent to bear the burden of humanity’s (yours and my) sin.
We no longer need to shed innocent blood like a sacrificial lamb, (See Leviticus) to approach God. We only need to believe in Jesus and ask for forgiveness in His name.
Yes, the empty tomb changed everything. It changed everything for those alive 2000 years ago and for every person who lived since.
How has it impacted you?
Prayer: Dear Father God, I pray that as I repeatedly hear Your love story of my salvation, I don’t allow familiarity to dull my senses. Your love is the greatest love the world has ever known. May I know that love personally and reciprocate it to You. May Your love shine through me and my interactions with others. Amen.