Well, the passage we're about to look at is John very carefully chronicling for us very natural human reactions to a stunning supernatural event, the kind of event that it's nearly impossible for a normal, rational human being to believe. And we get to see those reactions played out for us as John records the history. This is John 20:1-10.
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. (Important detail!) Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.
So, you get the scene. Mary goes to visit the tomb of Jesus; she's obviously grieving. She thinks, "Maybe I can just be near the body." And she gets there, and the stone is rolled away. It's dark, so she can't see into the tomb yet, but she thinks they've just added indignity to indignity. Now they not only crucified, but they've taken his body. And she runs to report that to Peter and to John. By the time she gets there and then they run to the tomb, it is now light enough for them to see into the tomb.
They can see that the body is not there, but then they go into the tomb, and they see something that is a giveaway. The grave clothes are there. And even the face cloth is carefully folded. That would never happen if the body was stolen. They wouldn't have undressed the body before they took it. So, something else has happened.
John records his own heart at that moment and says at that moment "he believed." He knew that something supernatural had taken place. Even though they didn't fully understand the prophecies, that they surely had been exposed to, that Jesus would rise again from the dead. In fact, Jesus in his own ministry, talked about that they would destroy the temple, and in three days, it would be built again. So, I love how this history is recorded for us. It's just human natural reactions to what is incredibly unpredictable to the normal human mind.
And yet there is this spark of faith that perhaps the story has not ended. Perhaps there's more to come. Why does John take all this time in all these passages with all of these details? It gives us time to be assured in our weak faith that these things really did happen. It gives us time to take in the historical significance, the redemptive significance of this moment. It gives us time to take in the reality that Jesus does have the power to defeat sin, that there's no bad or evil things in this life, in our life, that he is not able to defeat. We're given time to take in the glory of what's been done for us!
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion
1. As you read the account of the natural, human reactions of Mary, Peter, and John in this passage, how do you see yourself today in their responses to the empty tomb back then? Are you comforted by their reactions? Outraged? Confused? Empathetic? Take a moment to write down how you think you would have reacted to seeing the empty tomb of Jesus on that morning.
2. Why does the empty tomb show us that Jesus has the power to defeat sin? How is Jesus currently working through his Spirit to defeat sin in your life? Where have you seen a heart change in yourself as you've walked with God over time? In what ways do you still want to change and eliminate specific sin in your life?
3. What do the empty grave clothes and folded head covering say to you today when it comes to the redemptive significance of the resurrection? How does its historical significance validate its redemptive significance?
4. As we currently live in the "already" of our salvation and the "not yet" of our homegoing, how can we live each day knowing that the end of the story is coming soon, but hasn't yet arrived?
Conversation Prompts to Use with Children
For Younger Children:
• How do you think you would've responded or acted if you were one of the disciples who initially found Jesus' tomb empty?
• What happened three days after Jesus died on the cross? What does Jesus' resurrection mean to you and me today even though it happened over 2,000 years ago?
• Why is there always hope for the Christian, knowing that Jesus is alive right now and not dead?
For Older Children:
• How do you think you would've responded or acted if you were one of the disciples who initially found Jesus' tomb empty?
• Why does the empty tomb of Jesus matter to you and me today? Even though the resurrection happened over 2,000 years ago, how is it currently changing you right now? How do you see it changing me?
• Why is there always hope for the Christian, knowing that Jesus is alive right now and not dead?
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