Daily Devotional--8/30/2010

Matthew 28:1-10

¹After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

²There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

⁸So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

The Greek behind our English translation of the angels’ words “for he has risen” in verse 6 is in the passive voice. In other words, Jesus did not actively raise Himself from the dead but was acted upon by someone else who brought Him to life. Historically Christianity affirms that God the Father, by means of the Holy Spirit, raised Christ from the dead.

• Have you entrusted yourself to the one who is able to raise you from death?
• What difference might it make if you were to fully entrust yourself to the one who possesses the power to raise your life from the dead? How might that be freeing & liberating?
• How might that move you to greater involvement in God’s redemptive mission in His world?