Idle Tale or Reality?
Christ is Risen!
“Very early Sunday morning, the women came to the tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. They brought the sweet-smelling spices they had prepared. They saw that the heavy stone that covered the entrance had been rolled away. They went in, but they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.”
Luke 24:1-3 ERV
We often receive with amazement news about humans rescued alive after being trapped for days underneath split rocks from volcanic eruptions or collapsed buildings. We also hear with marvel accounts of men of God doing mighty miracles for Jesus, including raising dead people to life! So as I read the Bible’s account of Peter’s reaction to the testimony of the resurrection of a man he watched killed and buried, I can identify with Peter’s confusion.
“But Peter got up and ran to the tomb to see. He looked in, but he saw only the cloth that Jesus’ body had been wrapped in. It was just lying there. Peter went away to be alone, WONDERING WHAT HAD HAPPENED“
Luke 24:12 ERV
The story of the Lord’s resurrection as narrated by Joanna, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and the ‘other women’ in Luke 24: 1-12, sounded too good to be true, it sounded like an idle tale. Unlike Peter, the other disciples didn’t exercise much control, their reaction easily fits a fair definition of unbelief.
“These women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary, the mother of James, and some others. They told the apostles everything that happened. But the apostles did not believe what they said. It sounded like nonsense.“
Luke 24:10-11 ERV
How would you have reacted? Imagine that you witnessed the gruesome murder of your spiritual leader and while you and his other followers were still trying to come to terms with his death, someone storms into your mourning room and announces that your leader is alive! Three kinds of feelings are likely to rush through your entire frame at once;
- FEAR (that a ghost may be lurking around)
- cautious EXCITEMENT (while you ascertain the mental state of the news bearer)
- CONFUSION…
It seems to me that the disciples displayed all 3 reactions. Those that felt the women had lost it, were right. It all seemed like an idle tale and only a self-righteous being would fault their unbelief. Jesus died, was buried and they saw it!
Probably the most exciting part for me in all of this, is the believe of the 2 Marys and Joanna. They became so convinced of a resurrection to the point of sharing the news with the others. Luke 24:8, tells us why…..they remembered what Jesus said!
“Jesus is not here. He has risen from death. Do you remember what he said in Galilee? He said the Son of Man must be handed over to the control of sinful men, be killed on a cross, and rise from death on the third day.” Then the women REMEMBERED WHAT JESUS HAD SAID.“
Luke 24:6-8 ERV
What has the Lord said concerning that baffling situation you are faced with today? Don’t be afraid or confused, believe the Word of the Lord.
The tomb was empty when the women got there, and remained empty till Peter got his peep of it. So all the display of bewilderment, confusion, unbelief or excitement by the apostles did NOT change the reality that the tomb was empty.
He is risen! Just as He said He would. What the Lord says is what matters, not what we see or how we feel.
Christ is Risen! This is NOT an Idle Tale but Reality. The Tomb is EMPTY! Christ IS Risen Indeed.
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