“But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Mark 16.4-7
Can you imagine the surprise of these women when they went to the tomb and found it empty? Talk about a complete 180-degree shift! They were expecting to find the body of Jesus resting still, dead to the world, hopeless, and alone. But as they approached, the very large stone was rolled away, and a young man dressed in a white robe was sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
This angel of the Lord was there to bring good news, saying, “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'”
Notice what the angel said:
- You are looking for Jesus.
- He is not here.
- See where he was laid.
- Go tell the disciples.
- There you will see him.
Best. News. Ever!
Jesus had risen. The angel made the announcement, and the women were the first witnesses. They would go and tell Peter, and the proverbial cat was out of the bag. The world would never be the same again.
All the pain, suffering, loss, and humiliation that Jesus faced were completed as he conquered sin and death, defeated the devil, and rose to life again.
This is our legacy, this is our love. He is the one whom we worship and adore. He is our hope and our strong tower. Let us turn to him today, celebrate the resurrected Christ, and share his good news with the world.
“O Lord God, there is a battle going on for the hearts, minds, and souls of humanity. We see it everywhere. We see where the devil is trying to turn God’s creation on its head with perversion, sin, and shame. But Jesus, you are the victor. You have won, and in you we place our hope. Come now, Holy Spirit, fill us with your power and love. Help us find rest in you. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen