Enter the Tomb

I have been a Christian for nearly 26 years, and I've heard it all. But I heard someone say yesterday at church something I've never heard before. It is a saying that's sounds cheeky, but is somewhat profound. Here it is:

"The stone wasn't rolled away to let Jesus out, but to let the disciples in."

My mind immediately drifted off to John 20:19: "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'"

Jesus didn't need to sneak in through a door or window. He just showed up. First of all, He is God. Though He did (and still does) have a physical body, He is not restricted to one location. Second, He had a new resurrection boyd. We don't know much about how it is made up, but Paul writes, starting in 1 Corinthians 15:35, that the new body will not have the same limitations that our current bodies do.

So it made sense. Jesus didn't need an opening in the tomb to get out. He could've walked through the stone walls. He could've just "transported" Himself to wherever He needed to be. Then why was the stone rolled away?

The stone is just one more piece of evidence for us to see that the Resurrection is true. There is so much contained in the Gospels and the writings of Paul that confirms that Jesus is alive.

Praise God that He gave us this evidence and recorded it in Scripture. Without the Resurrection, "our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (1 Cor. 15:14). And if "we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied" (1 Cor. 15:19).

Enter into the tomb. Stare at the place where His corpse had once rested. Listen to the angel say, "He is not here, for he has risen." He is risen indeed!