The empty tomb of Jesus was the last thing the women thought they would experience that first Resurrection Sunday. When Jesus died on the cross on Good Friday all seemed like it was lost. Mark 15:46 Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid. [1]
The sadness that the people experienced on Good Friday must have been dramatic. They didn’t realize this was not the end of the story. Jesus had told the disciples several times of His upcoming death and resurrection, but only His death seemed to register in their hearts. Matthew 17:22 After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. 23 He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” And the disciples were filled with grief. [2]
Come and See
Seeing is believing. As the women arrived at the tomb of Jesus, an angel waited for them to tell them something amazing. Matthew 28:1Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. 2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it… 5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come see where his body was lying.[3]
The women were concerned about how they could move the stone to apply the spices to Jesus, and now they were confronted with an angel telling them Jesus had risen from the dead! Come and see the angel said as the women were thinking about what they were seeing. The angel gave the women solid evidence that Jesus had risen from the dead. The women found an empty tomb and the angel instructed them to go and tell the disciples.
Come and See Today
The angel told the women to come and see the empty tomb, and the Lord also tells us to come and see. Not the empty tomb, but to come and see what happens when you place your faith in me (Jesus). There is something about taking a step of faith guided by the Holy Spirit. This is when people place their faith in Jesus. In a spiritual sense, they go from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. When we place our faith in Jesus, we see life through a different lens and truly see.
To learn more about the empty tomb, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/jesus-resurrection
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.