The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, "Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn't here! He is risen from the dead!" Luke 24:5-6a
Without the resurrection of Jesus, we would not have anything to celebrate. The day that Jesus died would be the darkest, most hopeless day in history. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then His life and ministry would have ended at His death. Praise God, however, that this is not where Jesus' story ends. You see, after a bleak two days, Jesus rose from the grave, conquering sin and death.
Luke 24 tells us that after a somber Saturday following Jesus' death, a group of women went to Jesus' tomb to see Him and anoint Him with spices to keep His body from decomposing for as long as possible. When they arrived at his tomb, they were shocked to find that the sealed stone covering the entrance of the tomb had been rolled away. Confused, they walked into the tomb. When they walked into the tomb, they found that Jesus body was not there. Suddenly two angels appeared to them and asked: "Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?" (Luke 24:5b). Then, they added, "He isn't here! He is risen from the dead!" (Luke 24:6a). It was at this point that these women remembered that Jesus had predicted His death and resurrection. These women then went to tell Jesus' 11 disciples, "and everyone else," what had happened (Luke 24:10). Thinking the story of these women sounded "like nonsense," no one, not even Jesus' disciples, believed them (Luke 24:11). They would not believe until they, themselves, saw Jesus. They had just been told the best news they would ever hear, and they missed it.
This was the greatest day in history. We celebrated Easter over the weekend because of Jesus' resurrection, signifying hope for humanity. Because of Jesus' resurrection, sin and death have been conquered, and we have hope of eternal life with Him. That's the good news of Easter that changed the course of human history. My friend, because there was a resurrection, you get to celebrate and have a restored relationship with God if you believe in Him.
Some of us are so familiar with the story of Jesus' resurrection that it loses its significance. My friend, Jesus' resurrection is the most significant event that has ever taken place. Take a moment to read the verses from the Going Deeper section, and then, when you finish reading, re-read them. Read them slowly the second time and then soak them in. Take a moment and marvel at the fact that Jesus defeated sin and death through His death and resurrection.
Read Luke 24:1-12 (NLT)
But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.
The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”
Then they remembered that he had said this. So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.
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