He is not here

He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." – Matthew 28.6-7

I love history and historical events. I like to try imagine what it would have been like at various times and places and while the events were taking place. There are several times I can think about that I would have loved to have seen.

But nothing captures my attention like the moment that the women walked up to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. I can’t imagine how it would have felt. Jesus, their friend no companion and teacher was gone. Three days earlier He had been nailed to cross and suffered the shame and pain and suffering and agony of being hung on a brutal cross.

He had suffered.
He had bled.
He had died.

And now came the onerous task of going to the grave and applying the burial spices to His body.

I wonder how they felt as they walked up and saw the stone covered the tomb and a man sitting outside it?

As they approached he spoke to them. ‘He is not here. Why are looking for the living among the dead? He has risen just like He said He would. Come and look where He was laid.’

What went through their minds? Confusion? Joy? Questioning? Did someone take His body?

Did any of them think back to words Jesus had said about rising on the third day?

But, at the end of the day – the body was gone.

And that changed everything.

Death was crushed to death because it could not keep Jesus in the grave. The grave lost its sting and death lost its victory.

We rejoice today because of those wonderful words ‘He is not here, He is risen’ because it gives us assurance that death is nothing for us to fear and we can live in the victory today.

He is risen.
He is risen indeed.