The resurrection account is one of the most dramatic stories in the Bible. Jesus had been telling his disciples about this event, but until it happened, it must have been too grand to believe.
Today, as followers of Jesus, we can proclaim the resurrection confidently because we have history and tradition to fall back on. However, the original witnesses had to be convinced that it had occurred.
In Luke 24, we see that, first thing in the morning, the women come to the tomb with their spices, fully expecting to find Jesus’ body there. All the accounts agree that it was early morning. Matthew 28:1 and Mark 16:2 refer to the dawn or early morning, while John 20:1 notes that it was still dark when they started their journey.
It’s important to make sure we understand: these women did not go expecting to find Jesus alive. They took spices along to anoint Jesus’ body thus showing what they expected to find. In some sense they were the first skeptics to become convinced that Jesus was raised! But it didn’t take much convincing. The real and present power of God was all they needed.
The first indication that something strange had happened that morning was that the stone had been rolled away. It was not rolled away so that Jesus could come out. It was rolled away so that his disciples might see that He was not there. Do we live today in a way that displays Jesus is alive and that we have seen an empty tomb? Or do we see Him incorrectly as powerless and distant?
Mark 16:5-6 says, “And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.”
As we remember that Jesus is risen today, may we be in awe of the power of God the Father, the faithfulness of the God the Son, and the continual presence of God the Spirit. Take time this morning to discover in new ways that Jesus resurrected is the validation of your faith and the fuel of your relationship with God.