HOLY WEEK DEVOTIONS: Easter Sunday, The Empty Tomb

CLICK HERE TO READ Mark 16:1-8

From Brother Mike: 

I took this photograph from inside Saint Catherine’s Monastery which sits at the base of Mount Sinai in Egypt.

I have an affinity for photos like this that show the power of light. It does not take very much light to help us see. Even reflected light, like from our moon, can change the way we see everything. In the photo behind the tree, the men, and the truck you can see the reflection of some direct sun light – it is enough to overpower this exposure.

Pictures like this one make me think of the empty tomb; of the possibilities of more and better light. But I think that perhaps this is just the opposite of what happened that first Easter morning. I think that on Easter morning there was more light coming out of the tomb than there was going in. After all Jesus is the light of the world and in him there is no darkness at all. The light of Christ shines and the darkness will never overcome it!

The Easter story in Mark 16 is my favorite. Here is how I read it: John Mark is the Gospel writer. John Mark traveled with Paul and Barnabas, then with just Barnabas, then again with Paul, and finally with Peter John Mark listened to Peter’s Gospel story many, many times over the years they traveled together and it is Peter’s Gospel story that we have in the Gospel of Mark.

It takes a bit less than three hours to read the Gospel of Mark out loud. And this is the story that Peter would tell his listeners. Peter would end the three-hour story just like we have it here in Mark 16:8: “When the women ran from the tomb, they were confused and shaking all over. They were too afraid to tell anyone what had happened.”

Can you imagine the reaction Peter got when he then got up to leave? “Wait! What do you mean they didn’t tell anyone? How did you find out?” Peter would smile and say, “Come back tomorrow night and I will tell you more.” The hook was set: Peter knew how to fish for people!

Do you want to know more? Ask, search, and knock. There is so much more!

Have a joyous Easter!
Brother Mike