WALK with the little band of heartbroken women early Sunday morning as they make their way to the place of interment (Mk.16:1-2). In their final act of tender homage, the ladies hope to anoint the deceased body of Jesus with spices and fragrant oils (Lk. 23:55-56; cf. Jn. 11:39).1
WORRY with the women as they grapple with who might maneuver the heavy stone and grant them inner access to the tomb (Mk. 16:3). Surprisingly, when they reach their destination, they discover that the stone has already been rolled aside (Lk. 24:2).2
WATCH with the women as they enter the sepulcher and begin their astonishing survey. There are linen burial garments, but there is no crucified Savior (Lk. 24:3; Jn. 20:7). There are two angelic pallbearers arrayed in shining apparel (cf. Mat. 17:2; Acts 1:10),3 but the sinless One who briefly lodged there is conspicuously absent (Jn. 20:12; Mat.12:40). Had His body been stolen by enemies (Jn. 20:2, 13; cf. Mat. 27:64)?
WONDER lastly—and listen as the angels speak to the frightened women. “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!” (Mk. 16:5-6; Lk. 24:5b-6a).4 It is irrational for the women to be looking for the Resurrection and the Life in a place reserved for a corpse (Jn. 11:25; Rev. 1:18).
Good Christian, you’ve no doubt retraced this wondrous journey many times in your mind in the context of the Lord’s Supper (Lk. 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:24-25), and/or the death of Christ. You too have walked, worried, watched, and wondered with these very same women, but have you considered the personal and practical side of his inspired narrative—especially as it pertains to the empty tomb and your own life in Christ?
Think about it. Why were the women in these gospel accounts searching for the living Lord in a grave…? Jesus had predicted His resurrection on multiple occasions (Mat. 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19; 26:2; 27:63), so the women should have been expecting it, right (Mat. 12:20; cf. 27:63; Mk. 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34)? For that matter, knowing that truth, why did they even bring spices to anoint Him in the first place?
But revisit the question posed by the angels, “Why do you seek the living (Jesus) among the dead (in a tomb)?” Since the women knew that Jesus would be raised, and since the tomb was vacant, it made no sense for them to be looking for Him there.
Here’s the point. If the resurrected Christ couldn’t be found in the tomb, WHY would a child of God want to linger there today? To borrow from Paul, “How can [a Christian—mb] who DIED to sin STILL LIVE IN [sin]?” (Rom. 6:2b ESV; cf. Rom. 13:14; Eph. 2:3). The obvious answer is, “He can’t” (1 Jn. 3:9). When a person dies to self, is buried in the watery grave, and then RAISED to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-4; 17-18), wouldn’t you agree that it’s incongruous for him to later be found lingering back in the old grave of sin and death (1 Jn. 2:15-17; cf. Col. 3:5-10)? “Why seek the living among the dead…?”
A raised person simply doesn’t dwell in, live or abide in, or make his home in the tomb. “He is not here!”
A raised person won’t be found in the tomb of addiction. “He is not here!”
A raised person refuses to lie down in the dark sepulcher of fornication. “He is not here!”
He doesn’t wander around in the cemetery of deceit, lies, or dishonesty. “He is not here!”
He doesn’t lodge in the spiritual death-sphere of gossip and backbiting. “He is not here!”
A raised person refuses to settle near the cadaverous realm of anger, wrath, and hatred. “He is not here!”
He doesn’t dwell in tomb-gutter of filthy language and blasphemy. He is not here!”
He won’t sit in the putrefying seat of the scornful. “He is not here!”
He refuses to tarry in black hallows of worldliness. The angels proclaimed, “HE IS NOT HERE!”
That was all in the past, back at the grave—but the grave is empty now (Col. 3:1; Rom. 6:4), and the sinner has conquered the black abyss of sin through obedient faith and the resurrection power of Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:3-4).
Lovingly but firmly, may I ask, dear brother, “Where is your habitation at this moment? Are you walking with the risen Christ, or are you still lingering back at the tomb?” Think about it.
1 Joseph and Nicodemus had initiated the preparation of Jesus’ body on Friday by wrapping it in linen (Lk. 23:50-53), and now Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, Joanna, and other women seek to finish this ministry on Sunday (Lk. 24:1, 10).
2 The woman may not have known about the Roman detachment assigned on the Sabbath by Pilate to watch the tomb (Mat. 27:62-66). The guards, terrified by the great earthquake and the appearance of angels, fled their post, returned to the city, and then reported their experiences to the Jewish leaders (Mat. 28:2-4, 11).
3 Reminiscent of the winged cherubim separated by the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant (Mat. 28:2; Mk. 16:5; Lk. 24:4; Jn. 20:12; cf. Exo. 25:10-22).
4 See Acts 2:24, 32; 3:15, 26; 4:10; 5:30; 10:40; 13:30, 33, 34, 37.
INCARNATE 