April 15, 2012

The Easter eggs have been found, but the tomb is still empty!

The Easter eggs have been found. The candy wrappers are now empty. The pastel colored bunnies have been tucked away for another year and the ham leftovers are a distant memory. All visible signs of the Easter celebration have disappeared.

But what about the heart of what that Sunday is all about?

After all, I was not really supposed to be looking for missing eggs, but instead considering the missing body from a tomb.

It's way too easy for me to think about Easter in respect to the cross and an empty tomb and then package the story up for the year. Rejoice in the Resurrection: Absolutely. Each year as I consider what the empty tomb really means. How easy it is though to leave that to Easter time.

But wait! That’s not the end of the story. 

It’s just the beginning.

It was AFTER the resurrection that:

Mary Magdalene, the very woman whom Jesus had freed from demons, was blessed to see His risen form first (Mark 16:9). She would begin telling others what had happened yet they would not believe.

Two more would meet them on the road…and as they went to report to others…more unbelief (Mark 16:12-13)

Peter ran to the tomb himself upon hearing the news, only to find just the linens. (Luke 24:12)

The eleven were admonished by the risen Lord for their unbelief. (Mark 16:14)

Doubting Thomas touched the Lord’s hands and side…and proclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20: 28)

And Christ proclaimed: 

“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:46-48)

The disciples ate breakfast on the shore with Jesus. And Peter, who had denied the Lord three times prior to his death, now responded to Him three times, “You know that I love you.” (John 21: 15,16,17)

Peter who had denied Him would soon preach in Jerusalem. 120 believers gathered together in Jerusalem before Jesus’ death turned to 3000 after Peter preached.

Yes, God has a lot “around the corner” (after the empty tomb).

In fact, Jesus was fairly straightforward that there was more to do: 

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

And for some reason I still struggle to comprehend…that includes using me.

When I’m searching for what God to do with my life, how He wants to use me…I need to remember it starts with just following Mary’s example.

Recognizing the empty tomb and telling someone about it.