Revealed At A Garden Tomb!

April 9, 2026

Revealed At A Garden Tomb!

It would make no sense for the power of God’s love to raise the Son of God (Jesus) from death to life if there were no witnesses.  The one event that changes everything for our life today and for our life beyond the grave would make little difference if there were no first-hand witnesses of the miracle.

During the month of April, I would like to draw your attention to four occasions in which the Risen Christ revealed Himself to other people.  The first is when Jesus revealed Himself in a cemetery.  We hear the report from the Apostle John.

In John 20:11-18 we hear; “But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb.  As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.  They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’  She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’  When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?  Whom are you looking for?’  Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’  Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher).  Jesus said to her, ‘Do not touch me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father.  But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’  Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord,’ and she told them that he had said these things to her.”

John tells us a woman by the name of Mary Magdalene was the first to see the risen Jesus.  Mary witnesses the risen Christ in a cemetery.  She not only sees the Risen Savior, Mary has a conversation with Him.  The encounter is made more intimate and personal when the Risen Lord calls Mary by name. 

Although it is initially a challenge for Mary to remain focused on the Risen Son of God (see keeps looking back into the empty tomb!), she finally recognizes Him.  Mary is so moved by the revelation of the Risen Jesus that she goes to find the disciples and tell them, “I have seen the Lord…”

To see the Lord God face-to-face released awe and wonder.  However, the experience would have also released anxiety and fear.  In the old days, it was believed that if you saw the Lord God face-to-face, you would die. 

In Genesis 16:13 we hear; “So she named the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are El-roi,’ for she said, ‘Have I really seen God and remained alive after seeing him?’” 

On another occasion, we hear a similar expression of fear after seeing the Lord God face-to-face.  In Genesis 32:30 we hear; “So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘For I have seen God face to face, yet my life is preserved.’”

The Risen Christ reveals Himself to a woman in a cemetery.  In the first century, most women were considered little more than a piece of property; they had few rights, little value beyond producing male children, and no right to an opinion on important matters.  In addition, a cemetery was considered an unclean place.  And yet, the Risen Lord reveals Himself to a woman in a cemetery.  It is amazing!

I imagine you know someone who feels like they have no rights or no value or no respect.  If Jesus were to appear today like He appeared in that cemetery in first century Jerusalem, would Jesus reveal Himself to the person you know who feels so inadequate, so unimportant, and so marginalized? 

If Jesus would reveal Himself to the person you know, what difference might it make to them?  If they believed Jesus knew their name, could they experience His glory, His beauty, and His power?  If so, how could that revelation change their life?

I imagine their life will be immediately filled with joy and peace and hope.  I imagine they could not help but tell others about the amazing love of the Risen Savior.  I imagine their life and their witness would be changed forever.

I invite you share a witness of the Risen Christ with that person this week.  Maybe they will see the love of the Risen Savior flowing in you and through you to them.  What a delight that would be!

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug