On Sunday morning, the women came to the tomb expecting Jesus to be dead. He was dead on Friday. They didn’t come expecting resurrection. What led them from unbelief to belief? What led them to find resurrection life? What does Jesus’ resurrection mean for us today?
The Path to Belief
Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25).
The women didn’t come to the tomb as believers in the resurrection. They came as unbelievers. And when they found that the body was gone, they went from unbelievers to skeptics.
The angel appeared to them and said, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” (Luke 24:5-6)
That’s when the women remembered, and that’s when they began to believe. Before the angel appeared to nudge them in the right direction, they wanted to believe. It’s hard to believe in something so unbelievable. You don’t want to get your hopes up. You don’t want to look like a fool.
They go from unbelievers to skeptics to confused … bewildered … not sure what to think.
Later, when they tell the other disciples about the empty tomb and the angel’s words, the Scripture reports bluntly that the disciples “did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense” (Luke 24:11). Well, it seemed like nonsense to them too … at first.
Why Did Jesus Rise Again?
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).
Jesus came to help – he came to save. Why is that so hard to believe?
We’re in too much pain. The world beats us down. Life steals something from us.
That’s the way it was for the disciples. It wasn’t until they saw Jesus that they believed. For Thomas, it wasn’t until he put his fingers in the nail hole scars.
Here’s what I know to be true about the resurrection.
I am a sinner. I know that much for sure. And, I know that my sin separates me from a holy and perfect God.
The Bible tells me that Jesus came to earth to show me how to live; that he died on the cross to carry my sins; and, that he rose again on the third day to conquer death once and for all. If I trust in Jesus, he will give me eternal life with God.
I can’t know that for certain until I give myself to Jesus and experience his love.
The Bible tells us in Romans 10:9 – “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
How do you know that to be true?
You don’t.
Until you let go.
You must let God take you in his arms, even though it might hurt at first. When you experience his love, he will begin to provide for you and take care of you.
It’s then, and only then, that your eyes are opened and you begin to see Jesus everywhere.
Finally, one day, you realize that he is real and you can say, “I believe because I know him.”
He truly is alive!
That’s called resurrection life.
Reflection: What will you do with Jesus? Will you trust him with your life?
