Read

Luke 24:1-6a “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… They found the stone rolled away… but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus… the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!’”

Think

They weren’t expecting a miracle. The women came with spices, not celebration. Their arms carried the tools of mourning. Their hearts carried the weight of loss. The One they had followed, trusted, and loved was gone. Hope had been crucified.

But when they arrived, everything had changed.

The stone wasn’t guarding the grave anymore. The body wasn’t where they had laid it. The silence of Saturday had given way to the miracle of Sunday.

He is not here. He is risen.

These are more than history’s most famous words—they are the hinge of all human hope. If the tomb is empty, everything Jesus said is true. Sin is defeated. Shame is undone. Death is not the end. And no matter how dark Friday felt, Sunday proves God always has the last word.

But here’s what’s beautiful: the women didn’t encounter Jesus because they had it all together. They found him in their grief. They showed up anyway—broken, unsure, faithful in the small things. And God met them in the middle of their mourning with resurrection power.

That’s the story of Easter. Not that we climb our way back to God, but that he broke through every barrier to reach us. The stone wasn’t rolled away so Jesus could get out—it was so we could see in.

And what we see changes everything.

We see a Savior who keeps his promises. A God who is stronger than the grave. A love that went all the way to death and then walked right out of it.

If you walked into Easter carrying something—grief, guilt, questions, fear—don’t miss this: you’re exactly who Jesus came for. The cross took your sin. The tomb took your shame. And the resurrection offers you freedom.

This isn’t just good news. It’s the best news. And it’s meant to be shared.

Because when you've seen the empty tomb, you can’t live the same. You can’t keep quiet. Resurrection doesn’t just change your eternity—it changes your today.

Apply

Take a walk today. Find a quiet moment outside—no music, no distractions. As you walk, reflect on what the resurrection really means for you right now. Whisper a prayer of thanks. Breathe in the beauty of new life. Let the truth of Easter settle deep in your soul—not just as a story, but as your reality.

Pray

Jesus, thank you for the cross—and thank you even more for the empty tomb. You are alive, and because of that, hope is alive too. Help me live today in light of your resurrection. Fill me with joy, boldness, and gratitude. Let your life in me bring hope to others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.