Read Luke 24:1-12. “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” (Lk 24:5). What a thing to say! It sounds like a riddle, a trick question. It sounds like, “You’ll never guess what I’m going to tell you!” No-one would expect these poor women to know that Jesus was risen. But, actually, the disciples had been told. Jesus had told them. “...The Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again” (v 7). It was known, but it had been forgotten. It was too much to take in at the time.
Of course, they were not looking for the living among the dead. They were looking for a dead person. They were looking for the dead corpse of Jesus. They didn’t expect him to be alive.
Many people today don’t expect to find Jesus alive. They think that he is a figure of history. They think that he just exists in people’s thoughts. They think that the Christian religion is like spices, just something that smells agreeable and helps to mask the unpleasant facts of life and death.
The women came with spices, but there was no chance to use them. They came prepared to service the dead, but instead they were served with a message of life.
What about us?
We have the message of life, but sometimes it seems that God sees us in the cemetery. Maybe we look for the living among the dead. We might think that we are seeking Christ, but we are really caught in practices that serve the dead. Church committees and Sunday Schools and jumble sales and prayer chains can all be wonderful things, but they can also be dead. Sometimes we serve the dead shell of a former great thing, instead of seeking the life force that can make it work.
What about non-Christians?
In Luke’s story today, nobody sees Jesus in the cemetery after his resurrection. There is just the open tomb and the folded graveclothes. The women there must listen, remember Jesus’ words, and believe. When the women return home, the disciples there should listen, trust, and believe. These are faithful women whom they know. But the men don’t believe them! Most of them reject the women’s news, saying it’s an “idle tale”.
If we share Jesus’ story, we can often expect the same. Some people aren’t ready to listen. But we should still tell the story.
Why did the men reject the story? People who are living under a dark cloud often aren’t ready for help. The disciples were in the darkness of mourning for Jesus and didn’t want to hear about strange men in dazzling bright clothes.
But Peter was different. Maybe the dazzling clothes reminded him of that time when he saw Jesus transfigured on the mountain. Jesus shone – clothes and face. Maybe Peter remembered that he himself was part of a miracle – walking on water. It worked while he had the eyes of faith. Anyway, Peter responded. He ran to see for himself.
That’s why we should be keen to share our own story in Jesus, simply and honestly. Among eleven, maybe only one responds. But that one person may, through God, bring many to Christ. So it was with Peter! Hallelujah!
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