Easter 2024

“The Disciples Peter and John Running to the Sepulchre on the Morning of the Resurrection” by Eugene Burnand

On Easter morning 2000 years ago, John and Peter ran outside the city gates to see if it was true.

Their last three days had been filled with more grief than they could have ever imagined. Their Messiah, the one in whom they trusted—He had failed to save them. All of the confidence they had in Him was shattered. He was not who they thought He was.

Then Mary came to them crying, saying the tomb was empty. What? Wait—John remembered something Jesus had said. And he took off running.

John ran in desperation and in hope. Could it really be true? Was the bad dream about to end? Was the sad about to become untrue?

Everything, all of his hope, his meaning, his future——it was dependent on what he and Peter found in the tomb. So they ran and ran.

When John reached it, he couldn’t go in. Then Peter came and went inside, and John finally followed him. Could it really be true?

Standing in the middle of an empty tomb, seeing the linen cloth that once held Jesus’ dead body, John’s doubt melted away. Reality hit him. It really was true.

John saw and believed. He didn’t understand it all, but he had seen enough to believe. This was no grave robbery; it was the promised resurrection.

And it meant Jesus actually was trustworthy.

It meant death wouldn’t and couldn’t be the end, because Life had triumphed over it.

It meant darkness would not reign forever, but Light would shine in the darkness, and the darkness would never overcome it.

The resurrection is our hope. If God really did raise Jesus, then everything, for us who call Him “King,” is going to be okay.

The grave and the darkness are not our home. He has—and He will—raise us from it. We may have to endure dark, horrible nights, but the new day will dawn, and we will be home.

His resurrection says so.

The King is risen, and He is worthy. In hope, and sometimes in desperation, we believe. Belief can be a struggle, and that’s okay. The struggle makes us realize how deeply we need Him. And anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.

“Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” —— John 20:29