“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay."
{Matthew 28:5-6}
After a faulty trial, beating, scourging, mocking mistreatment and ridicule, the innocent King of Kings was nailed to a cross where he hung to die between 2 guilty men. Christ-followers & believers of the day who looked on at the gruelsome death scene thought that was the end of it all. He couldn't be the Messiah & die - so they thought.
Although Jesus had pre-told them of His upcoming death & resurrection, His disciples didn't understand the full extent of His words. Yet 3 days later, on what we celebrate as Easter, a rolled away stone, empty tomb & graveclothes are little snippets we get from the Gospel accounts of that glorious day. That day when the Savior of the World who bore the weight of the world's sin for us, so we could be washed in His blood & be spiritually renewed, defeated the grave & rose from the dead!
“'O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, & the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." {1 Corinthians 15:55-57}
In Matthew 28, the angel comforts Mary Magdalene & Mary who had come to Jesus's tomb by telling them the good news: The One you seek isn't here. He is risen! There is an everlasting hope & assurance we have when we reject trying to save ourselves & surrender our lives to Him who died that we may live.
If you're in the NoVA/DC area, I invite you to visit one of our MBC campuses on Friday night, Saturday, Sunday or Monday, & hear more about the story of Jesus & how His resurrection from the dead changed the course of humanity & can do the same for you!
