The Empty Tomb
READ
At the start of our journey through Mark 16, we find ourselves standing with the women at the empty tomb—the moment when all of human history pivoted on the axis of resurrection. The faithful women who came expecting death instead encountered the first whispers of new life, inviting us to consider how God works beyond our limited expectations.
Let’s take a moment to read Mark 16:1-8:
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
REFLECT
As they approached the tomb early Sunday morning, a practical concern dominated their thoughts: "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" This massive barrier—both literally and symbolically—stood between them and their beloved teacher.
How human this moment feels. These faithful women, devastated by Jesus' death, sought only to perform one final act of love and devotion. They didn't come expecting resurrection; they came expecting to encounter death. They worried about practical obstacles like the stone. Their question reveals their limited perspective—focused on a problem that, in God's economy, had already been solved.
Isn't this so often our story too? We approach our challenges with tunnel vision, fixating on the obstacles directly before us while God is working on a solution beyond our imagination. We worry about rolling away stones while God is busy raising the dead.
When the women arrived, they discovered the stone—which Mark describes as "very large"—had already been rolled away. But that was just the beginning of the surprises. Instead of finding Jesus' body, they encountered a young man in white who delivered the most astonishing news: "He has risen; he is not here."
The empty tomb represents God's ultimate "yes" in the face of death's "no." It's the divine reversal of everything that seemed irreversible. The women came expecting an ending but encountered a beginning. They came to anoint a body but found life instead.
Mark's account ends with the women fleeing in "trembling and astonishment," overcome with fear. This honest portrayal of their response reminds us that encountering God's power doesn't always produce immediate joy or understanding. Sometimes it first produces holy fear and bewilderment. Resurrection isn't just good news; it's disruptive news that challenges everything we thought we knew.
The women's fear reminds us that faith isn't about having everything figured out. It's about continuing the journey even when we're trembling. Their story invites us to consider what "stones" we're worried about, what endings we're grieving, and what resurrection might look like in our own lives.
RESPOND
Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.
The women came to the tomb expecting one reality but encountered something entirely different. When has God surprised you by transforming an ending into a beginning?
How do you typically respond to unexpected encounters with God's power in your life? With fear, joy, confusion, or something else?
REST
Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:
Lord of resurrection, help me to trust that you are working even when I see only obstacles. Transform my vision to see beyond the stones I worry about. Give me courage when I tremble in the face of your unexpected work in my life. Amen.