The Day after Resurrection Sunday
Jesus said unto her (Martha), I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. John 11:25
Jesus revealed that He was the resurrection, and the life, and yet those who were closest to Him assumed He was forever dead. The Roman guards understood what He had said and saw to it that they guarded His tomb well.
The scene on Resurrection morning was dramatic. The doorway of the tomb stood open, as the stone had been rolled away. Mary Magdalene had come to the tomb early and immediately thought that someone had taken Christ away, perhaps Roman officials or even some of the enemies of Christ. There definitely were many who understood what He had said and they would have wanted to make sure that He would not come out of that grave on His own.
Peter and John then came to the grave and like Mary did not anticipate the possibility of a resurrection. When they saw what had taken place, they ran to report it to the rest of the disciples with great emotion of both fear and joy.
The scene in the tomb was orderly. The grave clothes lay just as they were when wrapped around the body of Christ. It is apparent that Jesus rose through the grave clothes without disturbing them.
In John 20, the apostle uses three different words in the Greek for “seeing” in the account.
- Mary saw – blepo (20:1).
- Peter beheld – theoreo (20:6).
- John saw – eiden (20:8) and believed.
It is apparent that John recognized that Jesus had risen from the dead just as He had said (Matthew 16:21; Luke 24:46; Acts 26:23).
If John’s Gospel would have ended with the nineteenth chapter, it would have been an exceptional biography of Jesus Christ since all biographies end in death. However, the resurrection scene in chapter twenty is dramatic, supernatural, and impossible to the natural mind. Jesus kept His Word, doing exactly what He said he would do. Just as He kept His promise, all who believe on Him will also be given everlasting life (John 3:16, 36; 5:24; 6:40, 47). His promise is just as certain for us. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection (Romans 6:5).
A matter stands out in this text that you should not miss. That matter is the faithfulness and devotion of some at both the crucifixion and resurrection. This stands out because His disciples had forsaken the Lord and were in hiding.
This morning, Easter is now past, many of us experienced some great Easter services. However, what does the resurrection of Jesus Christ mean to you day-to-day in your life?
Many unsaved people fear death and some of them even think that death is the end of everything. Some Christians also fear death, but the promises of God concerning our passage into glory should erase all fear. One Christian told me, “I do not fear death, but I do fear the process!”
We must be courageous recognizing that Christ’s resurrection was a reality. Nothing like that had ever happened before. Since then, every true believer who has died, immediately finds himself in the presence of the risen Christ. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord (II Corinthians 5:8) and yes, as verse 7 states, we walk by faith and not by sight.
The women on that first Easter morning came looking for Jesus. Have you looked for Him lately? Do you see Him in His work of creation (Genesis 1; Colossians 1:16; Romans 1:20)? Have you seen Him in the lives of others who have been saved by His grace (II Corinthians 5:17)? Thank Him for His presence in your life by His Spirit. Thank Him for His mercy, grace and love extended to you in redemption. Thank Him for forgiving you of all sin, past, present and future. Worship Him this morning, celebrating Who He is and what He has done for you!
The early church grew so quickly as the resurrection of Jesus Christ was taught and preached. It was the central message of the early believers (Acts 2:31, 32; 3:14, 15, 4:10; 5:29, 30; 10:39, 40; 13:29, 30; 17:31, 32; 23:5, 6, 26:22, 23. Christ died to save us from our sins. If he did not rise from the grave, He could not save us. Our future in glory is just as certain as His resurrection. C. S. Lewis wrote, “Christianity in its last analysis consists of two elements, a Person and a fact – Jesus and the resurrection.”
Praise Him today for His power, sovereign authority, even over death and thank Him afresh for saving your soul. This was the greatest gift ever given (II Corinthian s 9:15) — the gift of salvation and an everlasting relationship with Almighty God.
George Stiekes held successful pastorates in churches in Michigan and Washington among other places. He currently resides in North Carolina and blogs at Reverent Reflections. We recommend his ministry and republish his material by permission.