(Today’s audio reading on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5rbtR53RDH8xsvFAE3eQ1T)
But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. (Luke 24:1-3)
Step One: Death
The crucifixion means death
No getting out of it
No escape
No surprise ending where the guy on the cross actually survives
It’s over
Bodily and human finality
End of the murderous torture of an innocent man
End of life
Step Two: Burial
Removal of body from sight
Underground, or buried in a cave
No longer to be seen
Gotta do something with the body: put it in a grave, in the place of dead people
Step Three: Resurrection?!
Hmm!
That’s not in the script!
Not usual!
Not how it works!
Not possible!
No trips to the cemetery which go like this: “Here’s where George is buried; ah, wait, he’s not here any more, I guess he got resurrected and is gone!” (No, that conversation doesn’t happen).
But wait: Jesus wasn’t like anyone else who ever lived…
Fully God, Fully Man
And up from the Grave He Arose!
Alive again!
Reversing the effects of both the crucifixion (which removes life), and the burial (which gets deadness out of sight);
because the resurrection restores life,
and nullifies the burial which just happened…
Why do you look for the living among the dead?
He is not here!
He has risen!
See ya, death!
See ya, burial!
Ya’ll don’t have the last word.
He does!
And it is: I Resurrected! I’m Alive Again!
“Lord, thank you for bringing life out of crucifixion in a most miraculous way. You reversed the effects of sin. You have brought us to a place of new life. You have overcome death. You have shown us the Way! Hallelujah!”
Freddy Boswell 