He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. – Matthew 28:6
An 8-year-old boy named Philip who had Down’s syndrome attended a Sunday school class at his church. The other boys and girls didn’t readily accept Philip but were slowly beginning to see him as part of their group thanks to the work of the teacher.
One Easter Sunday, the teacher brought in a bunch of egg-shaped pantyhose containers and gave one to each of the children in her class. Then she told them to go outside, find a symbol for new life, place it in the egg, and bring it back in to show the class.
After running around outside for about 20 minutes, the children came back into the class and placed their eggs on the table. The teacher began to open them one by one – each time followed by oohs and aahs from the class as they saw things like flowers, leaves, and butterflies emerge from the containers.
Then one was opened, revealing nothing inside. The children exclaimed, “That’s not fair. Somebody didn’t do their assignment!”
Philip spoke up, “That’s mine. It’s empty because the tomb was empty!”
The Easter message is so simple but so incredibly profound. The tomb is empty because Jesus has risen from the dead. Rejoice in that hope today!
Prayer Challenge
Ask God to give you new eyes to appreciate both the simplicity and profound wonder of the resurrection.
Questions for Thought
What does it say about Jesus that, unlike other religious figures, he didn’t leave a body in a grave?
How does the simple truth of the resurrection give you hope today?