Scripture: Mark 16: Verse 6
Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome had followed Jesus of Galilee all the way to Calvary to the Cross. They had seen how Jesus had suffered; bore the sins of man in his body on the cross; crucified and died for mankind.
They had seen him laid in the grave as a common criminal and prisoner, guarded by soldiers and a big stone rolled against the entrance of the tomb. Jesus was physically dead in the grave but God would not leave him there, nor suffer him to see corruption of the body.
The day before the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome went and bought sweet spices to anoint the body of Jesus out of their love and affection for him. As soon as the Sabbath was ended these faithful followers of Jesus set out very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun, on the first day of the week to the sepulcher to anoint the body of Jesus.
On their journey to the tomb, they inquired among themselves who would roll away the large stone from the door of the sepulcher. Their concern was to roll away the stone. They were not deterred or discouraged by the soldiers guarding the sepulcher. They were determined that the show of force and the military would not stop them from going to the tomb to anoint the body of their saviour, messiah and king.
As they came near to the sepulcher, they observed that the stone was removed. They entered the sepulcher and behold, they discovered a young man, an angel, sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment.
They were afraid at the sight of the man, not expecting such a vision. They had aspired to see the body of their Lord. The man proclaimed: “Jesus the Nazarene who had been crucified is risen as he said. He is not in the grave.”
Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome learned that Jesus is not stolen away by the soldiers; he is not removed to another place; he is risen from the dead by the power of his Father and by his own power.
They were divinely instructed to go to Galilee to meet Jesus, to bear witness, testify and spread the message to the disciples, especially Peter, of the good news of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to remove their sorrow, comfort them, revive their faith and proclaim that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.
These are still the words to us today. Jesus is risen from the dead. He is alive. He lives in our hearts. He walks with us. He talks with us. It is standing upon the Resurrection of Jesus Christ that we obtain justification and salvation of God.
