April 21st, 2019
Devotional
“The Empty Tomb” -
Luke 24: 1-12
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Monday: “The First Day” - Luke 24: 1
Jesus died around three o’clock in the afternoon on Friday. As the Sabbath was about to start at sundown, in a mere three hours, no one had time to properly prepare Jesus for burial. Instead, Joseph of Aramathea, a member of the Sanhediran, volunteered to give Jesus’ followers a place to lay the body of the one whom they loved. He and Nicodemus, brought over 100 pounds of precious oils and salts to prepare the body, but simply left them to be applied until after the celebration of the Sabbath.
Sunday morning, at the breaking of dawn, three of the women who had followed Jesus approached the tomb with more spices. They intended to give their Lord the proper burial he deserved. No one else had dared to visit the tomb over the Sabbath - Pilate had went as far as to post a guard in front of it at the prompting of the Jewish leaders to make sure that Jesus’ followers did not try to come and steal his body in order to claim that he had risen. The eleven were in hiding, fearing their own arrest and sorely disappointed themselves for abandoning Jesus in his time of need, just as he had predicted.
What do you weep over? Does it draw you closer to him or distract you from seeing him in the world around you?
Prayer: God, we thank you for these women who were compelled to go to the tomb on the first day of the week so long ago. We thank your for what they saw and experienced and how they went forth to testify. Raise a song in our hearts this week and send us out to testify, too, we pray. Amen.
Tuesday: “Tbe Stone” -Luke 24: 2-4
But the women were brave as they went to honor Jesus memory that morning in the best way that they knew how - by burying him properly. So Mary the mother of James, Mary Magedaline, and Salome took their spices and went to the grave. As they approached they started to wonder who would roll away the heavy stone for them. But a surprise awaited them at the tomb that morning as the sun rose in the sky - the stone had already been rolled away. A stone too heavy for one or two grown men to roll on their own was aside and two angels, in a white robes, messengers from God, were there and told them that Jesus has been raised and that he had been raised! Just as Jesus predicted!
What questions do you face when you look at the empty tomb?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for even allowing the stone that was rolled away to be part of the women’s testimony. Use all we are and all we experience to proclaim that you are risen! Risen indeed! Amen.
Wednesday: “Remember” - Luke 24: 5-9
Each of the four gospels tells the story slightly differently, but they share one central tenant in common - the idea that Jesus had been raised from the dead was unbelievable to those who heard it. Even to those who experienced the empty tomb with their own eyes and heard the messenger from God. Jesus had told them time and time again that this would be the case - that the grave would not even be able to hold him three days, but they still did not always remember everything Jesus had said or understand what they are experiencing.
But that is part of our faith story as well, isn’t it? Even in the midst of unbelief and a lack of fully understanding, we are beckoned to believe the unbelievable, because we worship a God who does not simply do what we expect or what we want or even what we are able and willing to believe. We worship a God who is bigger then our expectations! We worship a God who is found in the midst of the absurd and through that absurdity transforms people! Praise God!
This week is a week that begins in celebration and testimony. Are we compelled to go and tell the story?The story of who Jesus is in our lives and what the cross and empty tomb means in our lives. Are we willing to share our story, as Easter people?
How are you going to live into being an Easter Person? What does being an Easter Person mean to you?
Prayer: Lord, your love has transform us. Your grace has called us. Now send us as people who have encountered the power of the resurrection to go and share it. Send your Holy Spirit before us, so hearts and live can be touched by your mercy, we pray. Amen.
Thursday: “They Told” - Luke 24: 8-10
We may have doubts and question, but at the end of the day, the cross and empty tomb mean something to us. The empty tomb may not be as easy to portray in a picture or on a piece of jewelry, but it is just as important to our faith as the cross, for they go hand in hand. With the empty tomb, Jesus conquered death so we can say, “death where is your victory, O’ death where is your sting?” The empty tomb gives us hope, even in the midst of hopeless situations. It is why we can sing, “we have a hope in Jesus that all things will be well in the Lord!” The empty tomb proclaims into the darkness that God has victory over the powers of evil and sin and all that separates us from God.
For God gave humanity an uncontainable gift with the empty tomb, but we still must choose it. We must choose to let go of being slaves to sin and death. And there are those that we know, those whom we love and care for, who do not even know that they have a choice. Why would you keep that good news from them? We are forgiven and offered a priceless gift. What a message to share!
How do you embrace the empty tomb and make it’s victory a reality in your life?
Prayer: Lord, we know that this message of your resurrection is not meant to be kept a secret. Is it meant to be shared. So, O Lord, let your Holy Spirit lead us in the best ways to share it with our community! In Jesus’s name we pray. Amen.
Friday: “Amazed” - Luke 24: 11-12
We are a Resurrection people! We gather in community week after week to remind each other that the worst things in life will not last and we have a hope that sometimes doesn’t seem to make sense and sometimes seems absurd, but we believe it in anyway. In fact, our faith stands on it. Even when we doubt, even when we do not understand, we gather as a statement that the life, death, and resurrection of Christ matter and that on this day, the third day, all of the injustice in the world and power of hell, were defeated We gather together to live out our faith, and transform lives with our service and message. I can think of nothing else so exciting. I can think of nothing else that has transformed the world in such a powerful way. My hope and prayer, this week, is that it excites you to be part of that story as well.
How did you come to believe in Christ? How has the claim that “He is Risen” transformed your life?
Prayer: Lord, we stand amazed in your presence. We stand amazed at both the cross and the empty tomb. Lord, as we look back, it is hard to believe just how much you have changed our lives, in a way that only you can. Lord, thank you, this day and always, for Jesus Christ! Amen.
Saturday: Preparing for the Word
You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “The Eight Blessings” - Matthew 5: 3-12
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