What do you do the morning after the crucifixion? If
you are Pilate and the chief priests, you send soldiers
to seal the tomb shut, once and for all! They prefer that Jesus
be dead and buried. They want to squelch the crazy rumors
that he might rise from the dead. They want to kill the story
of hope so things can get back to normal.
Next day, the Marys go to the same place to see the
tomb. Matthew doesn’t tell us what they seek. Maybe they
just aren’t finished following Jesus. When an angel unseals
the stone to reveal an empty tomb, they run to spread the
word—the Pharisees’ worst fear. The great good news
couldn’t simply die on a cross. Jesus lived on through
changed lives: hungry fed, lame healed, lost found, outsiders
welcomed. You can’t shut that down! Jesus lives in the
beloved community. As disciples follow Jesus beyond the
tomb, Jesus lives.
Last June, nine African American Christians were shot
dead in a cold-blooded act of racial hatred. What did the
families of the dead do? They went to see the tomb. They
returned to the scene of the crime, the church. They forgave
the gunman and told him to ask for God’s mercy, saying,
“It’ll be all right.” That’s what disciples of Jesus Christ do.
Standing in the shadow of death they tell the story of “Jesus
and his love.” They turn hate to love, death to life.
Wherever you stand today on the last day of General
Conference, ask yourself where you are headed. What have
you seen? What story will you tell? A story of death and
curse? Or of life and blessing?
By Elaine J. W. Stanovsky from The Upper Room: 60 Days of Prayer for General Conference 2016