He is Risen Devo

April 16th, 2017

Devotional

“He is Risen!” - John 20: 1-18

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Monday: “They Have Taken the Lord” - John 20:1-2

Have you ever went to go about a task only to find your plans disrupted? Mary Magdalene had resolved to go and do for Jesus what she was unable to a few days before. On Friday, she watched as Jesus, her teacher and friend, was arrested, beaten, and hung on the cross to die. She helplessly watched as the crowds mocked him and spat at him. When he breathed his final breath the Sabbath was quickly approaching. Some of the men were able to get his body into the tomb before sundown, but there wasn’t time to prepare the body with spices and oils.

So Mary Magdalene set out that Sunday morning, after the Sabbath was finished to prepare Jesus’s body for a proper burial. She went before the sun even had a chance to rise, anxious to go about her task, but when she arrived things were not as they should have been. The stone blocking the entrance to the tomb had been moved.

How many times do we go about our tasks and callings only to find things were not as we expected they would be? 

How would you have responded if you were Mary at the tomb that morning?

How do you respond when your plans are disrupted? 

Prayer: Loving God, we so badly want to serve you in many ways. But often there is a disruption between the visions of what it looks like to serve you that we carry in our heads and what actually takes place. Strengthen us to respond in ways that honor and glorify you, even when things are not as we think they should be. Amen. 

Tuesday: “Running ” - John 20: 3-4

I have confessed before that I’m not the most athletic of persons. In fact, I have successfully managed to avoid most gym classes and foot races. But I remember when I was a child that you ran simply because everyone else did. If others were running a certain direction, they must be going to see something - something you didn’t want to miss.

The disciples also ran in today’s scripture passage. They ran not because there was something that they didn’t want to miss, but because they had just heard news they didn’t want to believe “They have taken the Lord.” Ironically, the Roman guards had been scared that it was Jesus’ followers who would steal his body and now, as if a cruel joke has been played, it seems like someone else has taken and hid the body of the one they loved.

 So two of the disciples - Simon Peter and the other disciples - took off like a shot. Mary probably ran behind them, to see the event that had just caused her to dash to these disciples through their eyes. To relive the pain of not knowing where Jesus’ body lay. 

What do you think was going through the disciples minds and hearts are they raced towards the tomb? How would you have responded to Mary’s news?

When is a time that you ran for or towards Christ? What was that experience like for you? 

Prayer:  Lord, sometimes we run hard toward you, but we confess that sometimes we also run away from you. And sometimes Lord we don’t know what we are running after at all. Help us, O Lord, to chase after you. To follow you with all that we are. Amen. 

Wednesday: “The Empty Tomb” - John 20:5-10

I can’t begin to imagine the questions and emotions that must have been present between the disciples and Mary Magdalene. But I would guess that their first thoughts were simply about the incomprehensibility of the situation. Like most of us, they jumped to a logical conclusion - the body was gone, someone must have taken it. Who? Why? When? Where? How? 

  We too face questions at the face of the empty of tomb. How is my life changed by the risen Christ? Why does this day matter? Is this true? 

But our questions, just like the disciples, are not bad. In fact, without questioning, they never would have ran. Without reaching the tomb they would have never went in. And without going in they never would have come to believe. It’s okay to have questions, even questions that we may never have answered in this lifetime, because questions show that we care. Question shows that something has peaked an interest in our spirit - something that has driven us to look into the empty tomb today as well.

Out of the disciples questions belief did come, but not belief as we may define it. For when the other disciple, the one who reached the tomb first, followed Peter into the tomb we are told that he saw and believed, but that he didn’t understand that Jesus had been raised from the dead. We may go as far as to say his belief was only partial. But he did believe in the glory of Christ. That the cross wasn’t the final word and that it lead to Jesus’ magnification, not death. The message of Christ could not be contained.

What questions do you have for the Lord today? 

How are questions and belief connected in your faith life?

Prayer: Lord, we come before you with many questions in our hearts - some that we give voice to, some that we try to ignore and keep silent. But today, O Lord, we hand our questions over to you, asking that out of them faith may spring up. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. 

Thursday: “Why are You Weeping” - John 20: 11-16

The other disciple believed. He and Simon Peter returned home. But Mary, Mary who ran to get them in the first place, doesn’t have that same belief. And she cannot leave the empty tomb, which her Lord has been taken from. So she stands outside and weeps. As she is weeping, she bends down again to get another look and sees angels standing there. They question her, “Why are you weeping?” And even after though she has saw angels, she still doesn’t believe. 

 She stands up, still crying and is met by another person she thinks is the gardener. He took asks her why she is weeping and she begs him to tell him where he has taken her Lord. But then Jesus calls her by name, “Mary” and she grabs him, clinging too him. 

  Sometimes looking into the empty tomb is not enough to start our faith journey. Sometimes we are so caught up in our own pain, that we cannot see the message of hope through our own tears. We too are asked “Why are you weeping?” and have so many answers. Weeping for the pain that we carry around that others do not know about. Weeping for loved ones gone too soon. Weeping for a world at war. Weeping for children that go to bed hungry. So much to grieve over. We cannot see Christ through our tears.

  We need Jesus to call us by name. We need to listen for the voice of Christ, when coming to see is not enough. That voice may sound different for each of us. Questions and invitations may be placing us in the path where Christ can meet us and speak to us. We may not recognize his voice at first, but slowly and surely over time, we notice that it is a voice that is unlike any other. The voice of our teacher that speaks to us in a deep way.

Tell of a time when you heard Christ calling your name. What was the experience like for you?

How do you respond when you hear the voice of Christ in your life? Is it difficult or easy? Why?

Prayer: Lord, you encourage us to listen to your voice and know that you are speaking to our hearts. Open us up to receive whatever word you may have for us, precious Lord. Call us, once again by name. Amen. 

Friday: “Go” - John 20: 17-18

Whether we see and believe or hear the voice of Christ speaking our name, we are left with the same question - what are we going to do when we leave worship this morning? Are we going to go, like Mary, and proclaim the good news, “I have seen the Lord! He is Risen” or are we simply going to return to life as usual? Are we going to live as Easter people who follow God, no matter how many questions we may have, or are we going to return home and pretend that day never happened? Are we going to go out and let our voices ring? Are we going to live as if we are empowered by the Lord? Will we go on to live victorious? Will you live like the resurrection means something for your life?

Where do you discern that God is calling you to go to spread the good news? How will you respond?

Prayer: God, help us to go about the work of your kingdom. Helps us proclaim your message. Use us, O Lord. Amen. 

Saturday: Preparing for the Word

You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “The Seven Next Words of Christ: Who are You Looking For?” - John 20: 1-18

Family Activity: Talk about what Easter means to your family. How do you celebrate? How do you remember the resurrection of Jesus? What does that mean for your daily lives?