Mary Magdalene was distraught. She had gone up to Jesus’ tomb very early on the first Easter Sunday, along with Joanna, Salome, and Mary the mother of James. They were carrying spices with which to anoint their Master’s body, but when they arrived at the tomb there was nobody there. Literally, no body. Jesus had gone!

Verse 11 of John 20 tells us, ‘…Mary stood outside the tomb crying.’ But her tears were short lived. A minute later her weeping turned to joy as she suddenly realised that Jesus was standing right in front of her. The empty tomb had changed from a fear that Jesus’ body had been stolen to a sign that he had risen, just as he said he would.

Let’s take a minute to reflect on what the empty tomb means for you and me:

• The empty tomb is full of hope. It meant hope for Mary Magdalene and the disciples and it means hope for us today. It is the evidence that Jesus is who he said he was – the very Son of God.
• The empty tomb means that because he lives forever, we will live forever. Jesus has opened up a new living way. Death is vanquished and as 1 Corinthians 15:22 tells us, ‘…in Christ all will be made alive.’ 
• The empty tomb means that Christ has united himself with us for eternity. Out of that tomb stepped something that had never existed before – a resurrected, and glorified human being. God is now permanently united with humankind. And humankind is now permanently united with God. As Romans 6:5 puts it: ‘For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.’

‘…the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!’ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

And all because Jesus left the tomb empty.

Local congregation:
Grace Communion International Central Glasgow 
Garnethill Room
Conference Suite
St Andrews West
260 Bath Street
Glasgow
G2 4JP

Meeting time:
Sunday 11:15 am

Local congregational contact:   
GCI, Glasgow. glasgow@gracecom.church

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church