Jesus Revealed Pt. 18 - Processing DeathSample

The Empty Tomb  

Thoughts on the Passage

We see three people who saw the empty tomb and we have three different responses.

Mary Magdalene.
She sees the moved stone, the empty tomb, and concludes that someone came and removed the body of Jesus. Moving the stone required serious manpower and authority to take away the Roman soldiers. Therefore she concludes that the authorities probably moved Jesus’ body to prevent His followers from knowing where to come and mourn.

Peter.
He sees, but really does not comprehend what he is seeing. He cannot put everything together and ends up just going home. Something else will be needed for Peter to believe. We know that it is Jesus showing up.

John.
He sees, and he believes, but still does not really understand what this all means. So he goes home as well. To believe but not really understand the implications of a risen Saviour is something that most of us identify with – because that is where we are at!

What does it mean to truly understand about the risen Saviour? Look at Peter’s message on Pentecost. Peter declared Jesus as Lord and Christ. That was an amazing declaration and came because Peter now saw Jesus for who He now is – the Messiah seated at the right hand of God.

Application

How many times have you seen something in God’s Word but it never changed your heart or actions? Ask God to make sure that does not happen again!

Take time to reflect – many people see, but do not really see. They hear the message, but they cannot understand what they heard. Pray for them to have a heart to see.

Time to Pray

Father, there have been too many times when I did not understand what I saw or heard. Forgive me I pray. Help me today to understand what I hear and see, not just in my head but in my heart. I desire to have the privilege that Mary, John and Peter had. I also desire to understand what those moments reveal – that takes Your Spirit speaking into my life and me having ears to hear. So I ask for both, in Jesus’ name, Amen.