A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES

Ashley Albert

Central Truth

Jesus draws our sight to His empty tomb, so that we may personally experience the mystery of the Gospel. Our knee-jerk response is to tremble in amazement. For the first time, we finally see what Jesus said He would do: defeat death once-and-for-all.

And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. (Mark 16:4)

The Resurrection

1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” 8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

The women came to visit Jesus’ tomb in their mourning. The tomb was empty. Jesus was not there. They left trembling and astonished at what they saw.

Jesus turns our mourning into an opportunity to be completely floored by the sight of the empty tomb. Three women, who faithfully followed Christ throughout His life, trembled in amazement over what they saw. Mary, His mother, knew that His birth was a miracle from God. Even she trembled in amazement. Mary Magdalene knew the power of Jesus’ healing after He cast out seven demons from her. Even she trembled in amazement. Salome, mother of John and James, witnessed the gravity of Christ’s death. Even she trembled in amazement.

Jesus plainly told His followers that they would see Him rise and go to Galilee. Earlier in Mark 14:27-28, on the night that Jesus was betrayed, He said to His disciples, "You will all fall away, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee."

Sure enough in Mark 16:7, the angel directs the women to "go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you." It is not just because of the miracle of seeing the empty tomb that we tremble in amazement, but because we finally see, with our own eyes, Jesus fulfill exactly what He said He would do.

The gospel becomes real when you personally experience the empty tomb during your journey to know the Lord. I saw the empty tomb five years ago in college. Yet, just like the disciples, I can look back at other times when God made clear His love for me, and I just could not see it then. Yet, it only took one sight of the empty tomb for me to be convinced that Christ defeated death. To this day, I still scratch my head with amazement over my one glance at the empty tomb.

1. How do you see the gospel play out in your life?

2. How does the gospel move you to respond?

3. Can you recall the day that you saw the empty tomb with your own eyes? If so, how has it impacted your personal relationship with the Lord?