April 25, 2025
Easter - Part 5
John 20:8-10
04/25/2025
8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb
first, also went in, and he saw and believed;
9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture,
that he must rise from the dead.
10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
(ESV)
The eyewitness accounts of the life of Jesus Christ, of the
early Church, do not always put the disciples in the best of
light. Indeed, they are frequently shown to be slow to
understand and slow to act. This certainly is true of the
written events of Easter morning.
After Mary Magdalene had seen the tomb, that the stone had
been rolled away, she quickly went to tell Peter and John. They,
in turn, ran to the tomb. John looked in and saw the empty tomb,
while Peter entered and looked at the burial cloths.
Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb
first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as
yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must
rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to
their homes.
Did John, at this point, believe that Jesus had risen from
the dead? So it seems, but that belief was not very strong.
Only after they had learned from the Scriptures, from the Old
Testament prophecies about the Messiah, the Christ, the Savior,
did they understand what they had actually witnessed.
Jesus' resurrection is a necessary part of our salvation
from sin and death. His death paid the price of our sin. His
resurrection proves His power over death, which says that we also
shall rise on the last day.
That is the message of hope which we proclaim each Sunday
morning at 9:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church. Please join
us, even if this coming Sunday is not the day of Easter, to hear
more of Christ's work to redeem you, to give to you life
everlasting.
Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia! Amen.