Good Morning!

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:1-10 ESV).

The Garden Tomb is an alternative to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as the actual site of Jesus' burial in Jerusalem. It was discovered in 1867 and is especially popular with many Protestants as a place of devotion. It is easy to see why the Garden Tomb is a popular site for Protestant piety. It is clearly located outside the walls, it is next to a place that looks like a skull, it conforms to what one imagines when reading the Gospel accounts, and it is far easier to pray and contemplate here than in the crowded Church of the Holy Sepulchre. There are, however, some compelling reasons to place the actual site of Jesus’ burial at the church. Regardless, both draw our attention to the undeniable fact that the tomb is empty. Sometimes, I try to imagine the fear, the confusion, the shock, and the awe that the women might have felt when they first encountered the empty tomb. An angel proclaims “Do not be afraid” to assuage their fear. To hear the angel’s knowledge of why they are there must have ministered peace to their unsettled minds. The explanation of the Lord’s rising from the dead would still have been a shock until they realized that it was “just as He said.” Jesus had told them. There was no need for fear, confusion, or shock because their Lord had told them before it ever happened. That is the great news of this day. Even when we are face-to-face with death, there is no need to fear. The Apostle Paul says it best: Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57 ESV).