April 22, 2025
Easter - Part 2
John 20:1-2
04/22/2025
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene
came to the tomb early, while it was still dark,
and saw that the stone had been taken away from
the tomb.
2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other
disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to
them, ``They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,
and we do not know where they have laid him.''
(ESV)
Without Easter, without Jesus physically rising from the
dead, the Christian Church has no reason for existence. Only
because the Church can point to the empty tomb, only because
Jesus lives and reigns through all eternity, can the Church bring
the hope of the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting to those
who are terrified by their transgressions.
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to
the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that
the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she
ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the
one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ``They have
taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know
where they have laid him.''
Mary Magdalene and the other women who went to Jesus' tomb
to properly prepare Him for burial had a real problem. On Friday
evening, minutes before the beginning of the Sabbath, they had
watched as Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus sealed the door of
the tomb with a large rock. Now the tomb was open, and they were
afraid of what they would find.
Mary Magdalene knew the best people to inform were the
leaders of the disciples, Peter and John. She could do nothing,
but she thought these two followers of Jesus might have an idea
of what had happened.
When we have questions, when we are perplexed by the changes
and chances of this world, do we also turn to the disciples? Do
we turn to the clear truth of God's Word? Can we trust that the
tomb is indeed empty, and Jesus lives now and forever?
Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia! Amen.