Daily Devotion

The Jewish Sabbath, our Saturday, is the last day of the week and commemorates the rest of God after the work of creation. The Christian Sunday is the first day of the week and commemorates the resurrection of Jesus. On this first Christian Sunday, the women went to the tomb to carry out the last acts of love for the dear dead, and to embalm Jesus' body with their spices.

 

Just here we have one of those discrepancies in the accounts of the resurrection of which the opponents of Christianity make so much of. In Mark, the messenger in the tomb is a young man in a long white robe (Mark 16:5); in Matthew, he is an angel of the Lord (Matthew 28:2). Here it is two men in flashing raiment, and in John, it is two angels (John 20:12). It is true the differences are there; it is also true that, whatever the attendant description, the basic fact of the empty tomb never varies, and that is the fact that matters. No two people described the same episode in the same terms; nothing so wonderful as the resurrection ever escaped a certain embroidery as it was repeatedly told. However, at the heart of this story that all-important fact of the empty tomb remains.

 

The women returned with their story to tell the rest of the disciples, but they refused to believe them. They called it an idle tale. Only Peter went out to see if it might not possibly be true. The very fact that Peter was there says much for him. The story of his denial of his Master was not something that could be kept silent, yet he had the moral courage to face those who knew his shame. There was something of the hero in Peter as well as something of the coward.

The all-important, and challenging question in this story from the messenger who was in the tomb is this:"Why are you looking for him who is alive among the dead?" Many are still looking for Jesus among the dead.

Life Application: Where is Jesus in your world? Is He still in the grave? Has He risen from the grave, and waiting for you to get to Heaven? Do you pray as though He is dead, and unable to answer, or is He alive in Heaven ready to answer your prayer?

 

Praise/Prayer: Dear Father, I am so thankful for those You have blessed with the talent to write songs. Here are two of my favorites: Charles Wesley's:

"Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!

Where's thy victory, boasting Grave? Alleluia!

Another was written by Alfred Ackley, "He Lives."

"I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today;

I know that He is living, whatever men may say;

I see his hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,

And just the time I need Him, He's always near.

Hallelujah! Amen!