SEVEN VERSES REVEAL HOW—JESUS CHANGED—EVERYTHING!
VERSE 1—
(Mark 16: 1-7 NASB)
“When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might come and anoint Him.
VERSE 2—
And very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.
VERSE 3—
They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance
of the tomb for us?”
VERSE 4—
And looking up, they noticed that the stone had been rolled away; for it was extremely large.
VERSE 5—
And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe;
and they were amazed.
VERSE 6—
But he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified.
He has risen;
He is not here;
see, here is the place where they laid Him.
VERSE 7—
“But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee;
there you will see Him, just as He told you.’ “
Seven verses that reveal THE EMPTY TOMB!
Seven verses that change EVERYTHING!
Seven verses that bring humanity HOPE!
- Jesus prepared His disciples for His upcoming crucifixion during the week of Passover, knowing how they would be distraught when He was betrayed and arrested.
- Jesus predicted to Peter how he would deny the Savior three times.
- Jesus prayed to the Father, asking for this horrible “cup” to be taken from Him.
THEN
- Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested, even performing a miracle by healing the slave’s ear when violence broke out and swords were drawn.
- Jesus stood silent before His tormentors, only proclaiming the truth when they accused Him of being the King of the Jews.
- Jesus uttered no words as they placed the crown of thorns upon His head, the thorns He grew upon the vine.
THEN
- Jesus carried His cross, with the help of Simon, a man pulled from the crowd, up Golgotha’s hill.
- Jesus stretched out His arms and died upon the tree He grew!
- Jesus spoke to one of the two criminals hanging there, paying for their crimes, & Jesus saved the man, promising him how he too would be in Paradise with God because He believed in Jesus.
THEN
- Jesus gave up His life and died there upon Calvary’s hill.
- Jesus was buried in the tomb carved from the rock.
- Jesus remained dead there within the tomb while guards stood outside the large stone they had rolled over the opening.
AND THEN THREE DAYS LATER—
JESUS AROSE FROM THE DEAD, overcoming death for you and for me!
“And entering the tomb,
(Mark 16: 5-7 NASB)
[“very early on the first day of the week”]
they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed.
[“Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome”]
But he said to them,
[a young man, an angel of God, sitting at the right, wearing a white robe;”]
“Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified.
He has risen;
He is not here;
see, here is the place where they laid Him.
[HALLELUJAH! PRAISE GOD! THANK YOU JESUS!]
But go, tell His disciples and Peter,
‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee;
[Jesus Christ the Risen Messiah]
there you will see Him
[Jesus, the Son of God]
just as He told you.’ “
Seven verses that reveal THE EMPTY TOMB!
Seven verses that change EVERYTHING!
Seven verses that bring humanity HOPE!
Peter was not perfect this side of heaven; he proved it when he denied knowing Jesus three times on the night of Jesus’ crucifixion. That night would not be the last time Peter would sin. Just like us, Peter failed God over and over, convicted by the Holy Spirit as Peter walked through the rest of his life. NEVERTHELESS—
The angel of God instructed the women who came to the tomb that early morning to “go, tell His disciples and Peter, . . .”
- Like Peter, we too fail God.
- Like Peter, we too deny knowing Jesus when pressed to witness.
- Like Peter, we are ashamed for our sins against God.
- Like Peter, we run and hide, afraid the world might notice our discipleship.
- Like Peter, we often will not believe the miracles of God until we see them with our own eyes.
- Like Peter, we too can run to the tomb & SEE!
- Like Peter, we too can testify what JESUS CHRIST, THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD HAS DONE FOR MANKIND!
“Nevertheless, Peter got up and ran to the tomb; and when he stooped and looked in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling what had happened.”
(Luke 24: 12 NASB)
Austin French sings “Rest For Your Soul,” a melody that reminds us through song just what we must do, time and again, as we see our sins against God, as we stumble through our days, as we wearily stumble under the load of our burden. THE TRUTH—WE CAN COME TO JESUS!
During this Holy Week, may we pause and dwell there in the tomb.
- As we walk toward Resurrection Sunday, may we hear the angel’s words spoken directly to our soul.
- As we prepare for Easter, preparing our hearts for the celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection, may we be reminded of exactly what Jesus has done!
- As we walk through all the days we are given to live, may we always be ready to testify, to “Go and Tell” the world—JUST WHAT OUR SAVIOR HAS DONE FOR EACH ONE OF US!
Seven verses—
Reveal THE EMPTY TOMB of JESUS—&
Change EVERYTHING once we BELIEVE IN JESUS—&
Bring humanity—GOD’S ETERNAL HOPE—FOUND ONLY THROUGH JESUS!