Rolling (Grave)stones

Early Sunday morning on the outskirts of Jerusalem, three women found a crucified Jewish man’s tomb empty.

On Thursday night, Jewish leaders set in motion their plan to execute Jesus—a teacher and miracle worker from Nazareth who had a large following—on blasphemy charges. Unable to execute people without Roman approval, they put Jesus before the Roman authorities, Pilate and Herod. Though the Romans found Jesus “not guilty of any of your charges,” they put him to death by crucifixion on Friday afternoon to avoid Jewish rebellion.

On Sunday morning, when the Sabbath was over, some women who had followed Jesus went to his tomb. But the entrance to the tomb was open, with the stone that had been sealing the entrance moved to the side. The tomb’s guards had fallen “like dead men,” and two angels reportedly appeared and told the women that Jesus “is not here, but has risen.” 

The Jewish leaders claim that Jesus’s disciples stole his body. But his disciples and others now claim to have seen him alive, proclaiming that he’s the Messiah.

RADIATE HOPE
The resurrection of Jesus is the greatest headline we’ll ever write—the only one that will still be earth-shaking news 10,000 years from now, the one that is thoroughly good for our broken world and our sin-twisted hearts. Praise God that death can no longer sting those who are in Christ.

“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15:56-58 (CSB) (read full passage)