4/24/11 John 20:1-8 He is Not Here! Easter

¹ Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴ Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.

(Peter and John running to the tomb-
Eugene Burnard 1898)

Thoughts: The first reaction to the resurrection was not expectation, but surprise and curiosity.  Mary went to the leaders asking for help for she did not know where Jesus' body was.  There is also excitement- for Peter and John were running.  There was no doubt in the eyes of John, Peter, and Mary that the tomb was empty.  Mary wondered where someone placed the stolen body- but she did not doubt the emptiness of the tomb.  John believed in the resurrection of Jesus.  How much evidence does it take for us to believe in God?  Are we willing to believe, or are we more willing to doubt and be skeptical.  Faith has its first motion in a willingness to believe. 

Prayer: When I see you at work, help me to believe.  Help me to believe in the power of your resurrection.