The tomb is empty. Jesus is alive, just as He said He would be.
“He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”Matthew 28:6 (KJV)
What does “Risen” mean in Matthew 28:6?
The verb translated is risen means He has been raised, which points to the Father's power at work. The angel invites the women to come and see the place where He lay, so that they can be sure with their own eyes.
Going deeper
Early on the first day of the week, two women came to the tomb expecting to find a grave. Instead they found an angel, a rolled-away stone, and an astonishing message: He is not here, for He is risen, as He said. Notice the last three words. Jesus had told His followers more than once that this would happen, and they had not understood. The resurrection is not a surprise to God. It is the keeping of a promise.
Easter is more than a remembered event. It is the reason the church exists and the ground of every Christian hope. If Christ is risen, then death does not have the final word, forgiveness is real, and our labor in Him is not in vain. Take a moment today to say the ancient greeting aloud: Christ is risen. Let the good news settle into places in your life that still feel like a tomb, and ask Him to bring light there.
Reflect
What part of your life still feels like a tomb, and what would it mean to bring it to the risen Jesus?
Pray
Risen Lord, thank You that the tomb is empty and that You are alive. Bring Your resurrection light into the places where I feel stuck or sad. In Jesus' name, amen.
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