There are a lot of familiar stories. Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The Three Little Pigs. Little Red Riding Hood. Though it may not be embraced or believed, the story of Easter is familiar to most of the world.
It has been said that the stone was rolled back, not so Jesus could get out of the tomb, but so the world could see in. It was in fact, not just an empty tomb; it was an open tomb. It was empty so that the victory of God could be revealed. It was open so that those who dared look inside could believe and tell others the good news.
John’s gospel account of the resurrection (John 20:1-10) portrays this very thing. On the first day of the week Mary Magdelene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been rolled away. As quickly as possible she found the disciples and reported her findings. Peter and John raced to the garden. John arrived first, but Peter went in first. After Peter’s examination of the tomb, John looked for himself. That look inside the tomb represented a turning point in their lives. The Bible says that when they looked, they believed.
But they didn’t just believe, they returned to report their findings to others. And they kept reporting their findings until their deaths.
We know the story. Jesus died, was buried, then on the third day rose again, following which he appeared in public until he ascended into heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-3). But what are we doing with the story? The story of Easter is your invitation to look for yourself and believe. But it doesn’t end there. Good news is meant to be shared.
