Chapter Overview
Women followers of Jesus come to the tomb early on Sunday morning, hoping to anoint His body with spices. They arrive to see the stone rolled away. A young man is sitting inside the tomb, an angel of the Lord, who tells them the most wonderful thing about Jesus: “He has risen.” Jesus then appears to Mary Magdalene and sends her to report to the disciples. When they hear, they refuse to believe. Jesus appears to two other disciples. They report it to the apostles, who still will not believe. Jesus then comes to the eleven and reproaches them for their unbelief. He charges them to go and preach the gospel to all, performing miracles to confirm His word. They witness Jesus ascend into heaven and immediately begin spreading His message.
The empty tomb is the most life-changing event of all time. It took some time for the disciples to believe it, as they had always struggled to understand the death portion of Jesus’ ministry. But His resurrected appearance in the flesh changed all of that. The followers of Christ went from fear to faith, committing themselves to sharing the power of Jesus over death. Having watched Him ascend into heaven, they gave their lives teaching others that He would once again return. If we believe in His resurrection, then our hopes are forever secure, our fear is taken away, and we can live for Jesus in full assurance of faith, sharing His message everywhere and with everyone.
Great Father of Power, we believe. We believe that the grave is empty. We believe Jesus has forever defeated Satan, sin, and death. Thank You for the testimony of eyewitnesses and all the evidence of His resurrection. Please provide us opportunities to share this message with others and open their hearts to move from fear to faith, from unbelief to absolute assurance. Father, we are committed to the ministry charged to believers. Please help us to be so certain of Christ’s ascension and return that we will share the gospel in any environment and with everyone we know.
Thought Questions
- 1Why do you believe Jesus was raised from the dead? How important are the proofs of His resurrection to know and share?
- 2Christ’s resurrection changed the Apostles forever. How is your life changed by the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus?
- 3We are not apostles, but we are messengers of Christ. What can you do today to share saving belief and baptism with someone you love?