Luke 24:1-12
1But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they went in they did not find the body. 4While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. 6Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7that the Son of Man must be handed over to the hands of sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again.” 8Then they remembered his words, 9and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
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Of all the Gospel accounts of Easter, Luke’s is the only one that tells us when the women came to the tomb there were two men—angels—dressed in dazzling clothes who asked them a question. They said, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” It was a rhetorical question. It wasn’t looking for information. It was trying to push them. It was trying to show the women who Jesus really was and what he really came to do. The question was joyful, it was loving, and it was out to give life and newness.
The women came believing the tomb would be full. They didn’t expect the miracle of the resurrection. They had no idea it was going to happen. They believed Jesus Christ was dead among the other dead. Neither did the disciples, thinking the report of a risen Jesus was “an idle tale.” It was nonsense! But they soon discovered it was true! Jesus has been raised from the dead!
And what does that mean for you and for all? Among other things, Easter is the “first fruit” of God’s work “to be all in all”; it is about all things living with the life of God. The promise of Easter is that “one day all sad things will be made untrue through the life-giving spirit that is the body of the Risen Christ.” God is at work in Jesus Christ to heal everything and everyone that is broken—all of it will be undone. And, last of all, resurrection will happen, not just to dead bodies but to all things, not just in the future but backwards, to all of time so that all things will be as full with the glory of God! Happy Easter!
—Pastor Mark Nelson