a daily read to Pentecost: day 2

It’s the week leading up to Pentecost, the giving of the Spirit and the birth of the Church.

The morning of the third day arrives. Quiet and at sunrise, certain women come to honor the dead with precious spices to the place where He is buried: the Resurrection.

“Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, ‘Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?’ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away –for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples –and Peter– that He is going before you in to Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.’ So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”

Mark 16:1-8 (NKJV)

The report of the women that morning is shocking and astonishing (Luke 24:22-24)! None of the followers of Jesus expect to hear their words, “He’s alive!” They had seen His death; they would deny His life. Only visible proof would appeal to their disbelieving senses, so off they run! John and Peter make short work getting to the tomb (John, proving his youth by arriving there first). Into the empty tomb walks Peter, bold yet marveling. He sees the grave linens and the folded face cloth. John soon follows him “and he saw and believed” (John 20:8). What could this mean?

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know — Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.”

Acts 2:22-24 (NKJV)

“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.”

1 Corinthians 15:20-21 (NKJV)

The empty tomb serves as an undying covenant of Jesus’ victory over death and ours as well through faith in His success. It is a reminder to the followers of Christ that death itself is not our final enemy. There is life on the other side of death. And though our bodies may fail and this flesh give up its hold on the earth, because Jesus rose to new life again we can embrace the promise that we also will rise to new life again just as He did. We need not fear the unknown, but like Peter, let us walk with boldness and marvel at the miracle of God in Christ on our behalf.

“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection . . . . Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.”

Romans 6:5, 8-9 (NKJV)

“The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.”

1 Corinthians 15:47-49 (NKJV)

“For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

2 Corinthians 5:1 (NKJV)

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (NKJV)