World English Bible translation
Today's Scripture
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. 16:2 Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 16:3 They were saying among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" 16:4 for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back. Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed. 16:6 He said to them, "Don't be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him! 16:7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.'"Today's Lesson
Jesus had been crucified on the day before the Sabbath. The chief priest and the scribes had handed Him over to the Romans so that Jesus would not create a disruption during the most important days of the feast. They had rushed His execution so that it would be over before the Sabbath. After He died, Joseph of Aramethia took His body and, wrapping Him in a linen shroud, laid Him in a tomb.
When the Sabbath was over, three women set out to anoint the body of Jesus. His body had not been properly prepared for burial in the rush before the Sabbath. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out at sunrise bringing spices. When they arrived at the tomb they noticed that the stone had been roled away from the entrance of the grave.
When they entered the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the inside. This man that was dressed in a white robe was an angel that gave them good news. He told them that Jesus of Nazareth that had been crucified was now risen. He showed them the place where the body had been laid. Then he told them to go back and tell the disciples what they had seen and that Jesus had gone on before them into Galilee.
The proclamation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the single-most important teaching of the church. Paul said that if Jesus was not raised from the dead then our faith was worthless. The resurrection is God's validation of Jesus. It is the stamp of approval for everything that He did and said. The resurrection also represents our own hope for eternal life. Jesus was the first-born from among the dead. If He was raised up, then we believe that we will be raised up with Him.
It was the preaching of the resurrection that caused the early church to explode in size and strength so rapidly. Whenever the resurrection is preached the Spirit of God expands and enlarges the church. The resurrection is God's gift to all people. It was proclaimed first to these women who came out to the grave. Just as the death of Christ was for all men, so the resurrection is for all.
The power of the resurrection has been unleashed on the world. The angel told them, "He has risen." The word has gone forth from that day to this. Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again!
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