Getting to Know Jesus' Passion #17

We left off yesterday with Jesus' body laid in the tomb to rest during the Sabbath, while those women who had faithfully followed Him went home to prepare spices to anoint Him.

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.
9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

This was the most overwhelming day of their lives, and in a sense ours as well.  What brought them back to earth and brought joy back to their hearts is found in verse 8: they remembered His words. Yes, this was all part of the plan all along. They now had a message to take back to encourage the others who were waiting and wondering what was next.  They did not have it all figured out at that point; they didn't have to.  All they needed, and all we needed, is the assurance that Christ is Risen, and we need to trust Him for what comes next.