It Never Grows Old!

The last verses of John 19 reads;

At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. (John 19:41-42)

When you read these verses at face value they seem pretty bleak. Death by crucifixion, a hurried funeral and a borrowed tomb. Too often in life, we focus on bleakness of defeat, believe me it does not get any bleaker than John 19:41-42. However that is not the end of the story. For the next chapter of John begins;

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!"

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. John 20:1-8

Everything still looks bleak, especially in the eyes of Mary, note her words; "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" However, we see a ray of hope in the actions of the apostle John; He saw and believed - He saw what? A folded piece if cloth? An empty tomb? He certainly did not see Jesus (that would come later that same day) No, but he saw enough to believe something had happen that would change the world forever. He did not understand everything but he did believe. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday and once again we will tell the story that never grows old - Jesus is alive. Thousands will meet in churches around the world to celebrate that fact that we serve a risen savior. You may have heard the account in John's gospel 20 times or you may be reading it for the first time today, but I promise you this if you will believe the words this account will never grow old in your life and one day when you see Jesus face to face you will be glad you chose to believe!