Reflection:  The scene is a graveyard early in the morning. Two world-weary women are unable to let go. They’ve followed Jesus from Galilee, they’ve gone through the trauma of seeing him die and their hopes and dreams die with him, and now they’ve come to see his grave. For them, everything has come to an end; they see it, they feel it and they know it.

Graves speak so eloquently. When you gaze upon a grave you come face to face with the dreadful reality of the human condition. Humanity’s last and greatest enemy has won. It’s thoughts like these that no doubt filled the minds and broken hearts of the two Marys as they made their way to Jesus’ tomb just before daybreak on Easter Sunday.

Until they turn that final corner in the twilight of dawn and are almost blinded by one whose  appearance is like lightening. Instantly their hearts are gripped with fear. He’s seated on the huge stone that should have been blocking the entrance to Jesus’ tomb. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid…”.  And then he spoke words that would unleash a turmoil of emotions, words that would change the world
forever: ‘Jesus isn’t here. He’s risen from the dead. Just like he said he would (Matthew 16:21; 17:9; 17:23 and 20:19). Come and see for yourself.’

The angel tells the women to come, see, go and tell. Come. See. Go. Tell. Let’s look at each of these very briefly.

Through the angel, the Lord was inviting them to come and see that Jesus had risen. Through the preaching of the gospel, God invites you to come to him. He is speaking to you when he says in Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened…” Have you come? Have you obeyed that invitation?

See. Come and see. What should we see when we look upon that empty tomb? Firstly, we should see the condescension of Jesus Christ, that he would die for us. Second, we should see the horror of our sin, because it was our sin that put him there. Third, as we look into that tomb we should be reminded that we too will die. Fourthly, and most importantly, when we look into that tomb we must see that Jesus is not there. He is risen. He has conquered death. And fifthly, as we look into the tomb, we learn that we shall also rise from the dead just as he did if we are joined with him. Are you joined with him? He has conquered death and through him we can too.

All that remains then is to ‘go and tell’. Now that we have come and seen the good news of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ through the testimony that has been handed down to us, it is over to us to go and tell others, just as they did.

Question:  Do you see how Jesus’ death and resurrection changes everything? Are you obeying his call to go and tell others the good news?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we praise you that through the work of your Son, humankind’s greatest enemy has been defeated. We praise you that through Jesus, we no longer need to live in fear of death. Thank you, so much, that as Christians we can now live the fullest and happiest and most meaningful lives possible on earth, in anticipation of eternal life with Jesus to come. Amen.