READING: Matthew 28, Mark 16
TEXTS AND APPLICATION: It was an amazing day. Jesus, the Son of God, had been crucified and buried. The women who went to the tomb to anoint His body found the tomb open and empty; indeed, an earthquake had occurred as an angel of the Lord had rolled the stone away. He did that, though, not so that Jesus could come out (in fact, He could walk through doors as He wished), but so that we could go in and find Him not there.
“Come and see the place where He lay” (Matt. 28:6b), said the angel to the women, “Then go quickly and tell His disciples” (Matt. 28:7).
When Mary Magdalene saw the resurrected Lord, she “went and reported to those who had been with Him, as they were mourning and weeping” (Mark 16:10).
Later, Jesus appeared to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, and they, too, “went and reported it to the rest” (Mark 16:13).
That’s the way it should work. We know the tomb is empty — and that truth should compel us to tell others. A faith that we can keep to ourselves is not a resurrection faith.
ACTION STEPS: Spend some time alone with the Lord today to consider this question: “If my faith were evaluated on the basis of how often I tell the story of Jesus to others, is my faith really a resurrection faith?”
PRAYER: “Lord, help me to listen with open and honest ears today. If my faith is not really a resurrection faith, take me back to the empty tomb. Drill into my heart the miracle of that day long ago so I live differently today.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Luke 24, John 20-21
