FIRST CHURCH OF PALM COAST

                                                                                                                                                                                                    April 19,  2024

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” - John 20:1-10

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After what they interpreted as a failure on Good Friday the disciples were predisposed to misinterpret Sunday morning’s victory. On Good Friday they saw him nailed to a cross. On Good Friday they saw him pierced in the side. On Good Friday they saw him placed in a tomb that was sealed by a 2000-pound stone and guarded by seasoned soldiers. On Resurrection morning they didn’t expect to see Jesus.

Verse 1 of our text tells us that in the darkness of Easter morning, Mary and several other female disciples came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been rolled away. Because of the darkness of the morning and her darkened spiritual condition Mary concluded Jesus’ enemies had taken away his body. She was frightened because the stone had been rolled away. She was frightened because all the guards had abandoned their post. She was frightened because the body of Jesus was not lying in the tomb. She didn’t engage in any further examination of the tomb because she was afraid. She left the other women who accompanied her to the tomb and ran to Peter and John telling them they have stolen the body of our Lord and we don’t know where they have put him.

Mary saw the 2000 pounds stone lying flat on the grass and concluded it had been removed so that Jesus’ body could be taken out of the tomb. The stone was removed to indicate that the grave had been overcome. The stone was removed to indicate that victory had been achieved. The stone was removed so that John could look in but not go in. The stone was removed so that Peter and John might be able to enter and see that the tomb was empty.

Like many of us, Mary forgot that God is in the business of rolling away stones our enemies place in our path to keep us down. Have you forgotten?

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Yours In Community Transformation.

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 Rev. Gillard S. Glover

 

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