April 3 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Mark 16:1–8

Devotional

It was early in the morning when the women left home to go to the grave of their Lord. They thought the only thing they could do for Him was to embalm His body in order to delay the process of death as long as possible. But coming to the grave they found the stone rolled away and the grave empty. Standing at the grave was an angel from heaven who proclaimed to them that Christ was raised from the dead.

What an unspeakable joy! The women came to seek a dead Jesus, but a living Jesus was proclaimed to them. They received a message from a heavenly ambassador, a message that the risen King left behind at His grave for His disciples. The contents of the message contain eternal importance. It is a message intended for all the disciples individually. That message is that Christ is surely raised.

Christ is raised. Is He raised personally for you? You rejoice and sing praises about a living Christ on Easter day. But do you know that He lives for you personally? Do you want to know this? Listen then to the message announced at the gravesite. It is a disappointing message for self-righteous persons but it exceeds the expectation of sinners, for it is a message full of grace and truth.

The angel had a message from the risen Christ for His disciples. You too will understand this message when you pay attention to what had recently transpired. The disciples’ actions had been deplorable. While Christ laid wrestling in the agonies of hell in Gethsemane, the disciples lay sleeping. When He was taken prisoner, there was not one who remained with Him. They all fled. Later Peter came back, but by so doing he made the situation worse, for in the hall of Caiaphas he testified under oath that he did not know Him. What dismal behavior from His own disciples! They should have spent these days in sorrow because of their unfaithfulness. They had promised that they would not deny Him—they would even die with Him—but they all fled. Not only did the Jews, Caiaphas, Pilate, and the soldiers fill the cup of Jesus’ suffering, but His own disciples also made His suffering bitter for Him. Surely Satan, scoffing, asks Christ, “Must you enter into death for such people?” But Jesus loved His own, even when they forsook and denied Him.

To be sure, with the disciples it was different than with others. For instance, Caiaphas had no feeling at all for what he had done to the Son of God. Pilate also returned to the normal business of the day. The soldiers did not think about it anymore and the Pharisees again stood in the temple offering their thanks. But the disciples could not forget that they had deeply offended their Master. That is the great difference between those who fear God and those who fear Him not. An unconverted person will overlook sin. At best his conscience speaks for fear of the consequences of sin. But with the disciples and all of God’s children, not only does their conscience speak, but above all their heart speaks. For they have sinned against love. Because of love their sin leaves a bitter taste in their mouth and makes them hurt within. Those who follow Jesus recognize their sin and can never forgive themselves. Therefore, it is overwhelming that from God’s side, their guilt can still be forgiven. But this is the message the risen Christ gives to His unworthy people.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.