It is Good Friday, April 2, 2021. The resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Paul makes this point when he wrote to believers some 30 years after the fact, saying “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.”

The story is so familiar, but it is anything but ordinary!!! Let the wonder and amazement recapture us as we read and ponder on it again!!!

[Luke 24.1-12]

1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” 8 And they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ Who rolled the stone away from the tomb (Matthew 28.2)? If Jesus, in His resurrected body, could walk through material barriers, why was the stone rolled away from the tomb?

+ What does the reaction of the women (and later the disciples) tell you about their expectations after the crucifixion of Jesus? Why is this important?

+ What brought the women from being “perplexed” to believing and understanding what had happened? Scripture is clear that Jesus told his disciples several times of His upcoming death and resurrection (Luke 18.31-33 is just one example). Why then were they perplexed or thought what the women said was “an idle tale”? BTW, the term used here describes the babbling of a fevered or insane person!!!

+ All four Gospels report that women were the first to see and report about the risen Jesus. Why is this important?

+ Read the other Resurrection accounts in Matthew 28.1-10, Mark16.1-11, and John 20.1-18 and compare and contrast them.

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ The women saw the empty grave, conversed with two angelic beings, but until they remembered the word of the Lord, they didn’t truly understand the resurrection. From the Enduring Word Commentary on Luke 24 by David Guzik:

You can know (mental ascent) that Jesus rose from the dead, but unless you know (belief in your heart) His words, it won’t make sense. Without knowing the life and teachings of Jesus:

+ You don’t know that the resurrection means that the payment that Jesus offered on the cross was perfect and complete.

+ You don’t know that the cross was the payment and the empty tomb is the receipt.

+ You don’t know that death has no hold on redeemed man(kind).

+ You don’t know that when God’s love and man’s hate battled at the cross, God’s love won.

+ You don’t know that because Jesus was raised from the dead, we can be resurrected in Him.

+ 1 Corinthians 15.16-22:

16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

+ HE IS RISEN, and our response?

HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?