Focal Passage: Luke 24:1-12
What a spectacle! Jesus – the long-awaited prophet, the Messiah – was coming into Jerusalem, the city of David. This, the crowd must have thought, is the moment all will be made right: the Jewish nation will be freed from their oppressors, free to enjoy the blessings of God’s imminent glory as He delivers His people from the Romans. What a day! Men, woman and children line the streets, palms in hand, waving, welcoming – Hosanna, Hosanna! Finally, Hosanna!
We pick up the account one week later. The Messiah has died. The One who hushed the raging sea with a word, hung publicly on a cross like a criminal – beaten, humiliated. Crucify Him! Crucify Him! The crowds were ruthless.
The Son of Man’s mangled body was laid in a borrowed tomb. Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary, the mother of James, prepared ointments and spices to anoint the body as needed to be done. But Sabbath was approaching, the darkest in history, and God’s commandment was to rest on the Sabbath, so they rested.
At early dawn the next day, as soon as they could, the women went to the tomb with their spices. The stone was out of place; the body was gone. Hosanna, Hosanna!
Confused and frightened, the women saw two dazzling men appear – “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen. Remember?” Jesus had told them this would happen.
As Jesus told His disciples that He must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, crucified and on the third day rise by the power of His Father, so it happened. His words were true.
Today, we also have the Word of God – we know Jesus was resurrected, and He is living today in a real body that is restored and glorified. His resurrection – the raising up of what was dead to what is alive again – reveals the future history of all believers.
One with Christ, we will be raised to life after death just as He was raised. He has risen, and so shall we.