Good morning. In the big city of Park Rapids, and to kids from Nevis where I grew up, it was a metropolis because it had a population of over 2,000!, there was a funeral home. Nothing unusual about that, but in Park Rapids the people who owned and operated the funeral home were also the people who owned and operated the ambulance service. Never once did I hear anyone suggest that this could be a conflict of interest, but….
When I began in preaching ministry in Staples, MN I was given a tour of the funeral home by the director, who by that time had become something of a fishing buddy. When he took me downstairs to the preparation area, I wasn’t afraid or at all sickened by what I saw (2 bodies on tables waiting my friend’s full attention), I was amazed. What was amazing to me was to think of Jesus rising from the dead after three days. When you see a physical form, devoid of life, one thing is absolutely clear: those who have passed away are no longer with us…they are gone!
But in that tomb outside of Jerusalem that truth was turned around. Jesus had returned to life, and death was pushed aside as life was restored.
John outraced Peter to the tomb soon after dawn of that morning, and he looked in but didn’t enter. Peter catches up and goes right in. What struck them was that a. Jesus wasn’t there, and b. Jesus left things neat! This is from John 20.3-9: 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. 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.
“Lying there” is specific and indicates that the strips of cloth used to wrap the body were stretched out on the stone slab. Apart from those pieces of linen was the cloth that had wrapped His face. It was neatly folded and set aside, most likely at the head of the slab of stone. Why, I wonder? One thing is clear, Jesus was not in a hurry. Can you see it with your mind’s eye? Jesus lays in the darkness, still and cold. He is, in fact, lifeless. But wait, as the dawn begins, there is a stirring from deep inside that lifeless body. It is a quiet murmur at first, but it grows in strength. Blood that has been still, for it would have gathered in the body nearest to the slab on which He lay, begins to move. Slowly, so slow that you could never tell at first, but it gathers speed and strength. The color slowly returns to skin that was gray and cold. Lungs that haven’t moved, there is no air left in them, suddenly begin to draw in breath. A finger twitches, a leg moves, His chest begins to lift and fall. His face, a face that was frozen in pain and anguish, begins to transform as well. The look of pain is gone, and it is replaced by…the turning up of His lips. Jesus is beginning to smile! It takes some moments, but soon the victory is won. Death is pushed aside, and life is renewed. Jesus sits, and then He stands. Once on His feet, Jesus lays out the strips of linen, just so. But he isn’t finished. Jesus reaches down and takes the cloth that had bound His face, He chuckles a bit as He does it, and He carefully folds it and puts it at the head of the slab of stone.
The stone that had sealed the tomb is huge, heavy, and sealed with resin. As Jesus wills that it be done, the stone screeches and cracks around the edge, the seal is breaking, the stone begins to roll away.
The eyes of the soldiers that are guarding the tomb bulge in fear. What they are seeing cannot be happening, but it is happening. In panic they pass out and fall to the ground.
Jesus steps into the gray first light of dawn. He breathes deeply, smiles broadly, for the price has been paid and the victory is won. His beloved will now be able to join Him in eternity.
I know, Easter was a couple of months ago. But I need to remember. Perhaps we all need to remember. He lives! And that is a promise shared by all who love Him.
God bless you in this life, as He prepares you for the next.
Vern