Eggs #11: Stone at the Tomb
"The huge stone that had covered the tomb was found rolled away.
Read: Matthew 28:1-3
A large stone - bigger than a door and as heavy as a car - was placed over the opening of a tomb to prevent grave robbers from stealing the body of a dead person or valuables in the tomb that had belonged to the dead.
In the case of Jesus, the Pharisees were worried Jesus's discipes or other followers would take the body, and then say Jesus had risen from the dead. In order to prevent this, Pilate had soldiers guard the tomb.
Pilate even had the soldiers close the tomb with an official Roman seal (or stamp) on the edge of the stone. Pilate and the soldiers were sure this would keep the disciples from stealing Jesus's body because the penalty for breaking this seal was death. The Roman soldiers also knew the penalty for them was death if anyone broke the seal during their watch over the tomb.
When Mary Magdalene and other Mary went to the tomb of Jesus to anoint His body with spices, they were shocked to see that the stone had been moved away from the tomb. The soldiers were even gone, and all that the women found in the tomb were Jesus's empty grave clothes! They were fearful and didn't know what to do. They didn't remember Jesus had told them He would rise from the dead.
If only they'd remembered Jesus's words. If they had, Mary Magadelene and the other Mary would have had faith instead of fear and confusion. Are there things in your life that cause you to be afraid and confused?
Because we don't remember or don't know God's Word, the Bible, we don't have faith. But God wants us to remember His words. His words give us faith, hope, joy, courage, and direction - even when life is scary or confusing.
Words about the stone being miraculously rolled away and about Jesus's resurrection from the dead are the most encouraging and hope-giving words a Christian could ever have!"
Resurrection Eggs Randal Lee Walti
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