Readings
Acts 10:34-43
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
1 Corinthians 15:19-26
Luke 24:1-12
Devotion
Photo Credit: Amber Sue Photography, www.ambersuephotography.com
Peace be with you!
After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women go back to the tomb with burial spices they have prepared (Luke 24:1), only to find the stone only from the tomb (Luke 24:2). The women go in the tomb and discover Jesus’ body is missing (Luke 24:3). First, their Lord, who they had followed for three years, was brutally killed and now his body is missing. All of the women saw Joseph of Arimathea place Jesus’ linen-wrapped body wrapped in the tomb two nights ago. Where could it have gone? Who would take it?
Then the women are confused when they suddenly see two angels (Luke 24:4) who frighten them. However, the angels say, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again” (Luke 24:5-7). Jesus told them he would not be there on the third day, and yet the angels needed to remind the women. Then a light bulb goes off in the women’s heads and they remember what Jesus had said (Luke 24:8).
Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women race back to tell the eleven disciples about what the angels told them (Luke 24:9-10). The disciples are mystified by the news and do not believe the women (Luke 24:11). However, Peter runs to the tomb, looks in, and sees the linen cloths laying there (Luke 24:12a). Peter goes home and is amazed (Luke 24:12b).
One difficult part of faith is believing in the impossible. How can a man can rise again after being dead for three days? Like Peter, you want to see it for yourself,. Sure, Jesus said he would rise again, but it is impossible in our minds. How can it be? God the Father creates a way through Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son and our Lord
At Bible camp, “trust falls” are frequently used to illustrate what it means to put your faith in someone. One person falls backward into the arms of another. This is a tough part of faith: falling back and trusting Jesus will catch you. After all, in real life, how many times do we put our trust in someone only to have them to let us fall? We have done it countless times. We just cannot trust Jesus’ words when he says he will rise again and we will rise with him. It sounds like a fairy tale – all of our dreams will come true.
The last difficult part about faith is that we will be criticized for believing in the unseen. We will be asked (as the women asked the angels) how it can be so.
Yet having faith in the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit – gives us such peace. God the Father sent Jesus to die for our sins to give us love, peace, grace, and forgiveness. We cannot earn our way into the Kingdom of God on our own merit. We need Jesus to die on cross, to rise again, and to ascend into heaven to be with God the Father. This is the truly amazing gift of Easter – the life-giving gift that Jesus gave us when he overcame death. He provided us with a way into the Kingdom of God.
Thanks be to God!
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for showing us the empty tomb. Help us to grasp the Easter miracle as we go about our day. Remind us that you will catch us when we fall. Thank you for your love, peace, grace, and forgiveness. Amen.
Works Cited
Thanks to the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Reflective Questions
Please answer the following reflective questions in the comments below. Please agree to disagree and be respectful to each other. (If you have not already done so, please also take a moment, to sign the comment covenant.) You can answer as many questions as you would like.
1. When did you find the empty tomb?
2. What is difficult about faith for you? How does faith give you peace?