John 20:1-10 – Where is Jesus?

Read John 20:1-10

Can you imagine how Mary Magdalene felt when she found the tomb empty? What emotions do you think she felt? Surprise. Fear. Anger. Curiosity. Feel free to elaborate in the comments. She couldn’t keep this to herself. She had to find Peter and the other disciples.

Where could Jesus have gone? They had seen him do so many miracles to help others. But he had died. He was buried in the tomb. Somebody must have taken him. Surely, there was no other explanation.

I would have run, too. Not sure I would have outrun Peter, but that shows the motivation to get to the bottom of this mystery. Where was Jesus? Peter didn’t waste any time. He went inside to look around and see if there were any clues left behind. The other disciple also checked it out.

What did they see? Not Jesus, but the cloths Jesus had been wrapped in were strewn about. But the cloth from his head was nicely folded. Why the inconsistency? Was there any significance to the folded cloth being separate?

Then the other disciple had an “a-ha” moment. It finally clicked for him what the Scriptures had said. Jesus would rise from the dead. Of course, if that was true, Jesus wouldn’t be there. He had risen and was no longer dead. But where was he?

The last sentence is a bit anticlimactic didn’t you think? “Then they went home.” How could you just go home? But where would you go? It wasn’t necessarily safe for Jesus’ followers to be seen. He had just been killed. Were the disciples next?

But what would they do at home? I suppose they would wait. They would wait for Jesus to arrive. Surely he would visit them, wouldn’t he? Jesus would want to see his friends again and let them know of God’s victory over death? Where else would he go?

What a powerful morning. When they got up that day, their mood was low and sad. They had just lost their friend. Jesus had died such a horrible death. If they didn’t truly understand all that Jesus had told them, their mourning would have been all the more devastating. But now it had all changed.

Now there was hope. There was still uncertainty, but it felt as if the clouds had lifted and the sun was shining through. Jesus was alive. He would come for them. They must have been so sure of that.

Where is Jesus in your life? Is he front and center or in the back seat? Have you given him the permission to direct your life, to fill you with his Spirit, to be your master and friend?

Let’s pray. Lord, you may be absent from my sight, but I know you are present with me every step of the way. The power of the resurrection is alive and well. Thank you that I can tap into that power and be filled with your presence. Help me in focusing this power in the direction you have for me. I am so grateful You have brought me to this beautiful moment. In Jesus’ name. Amen.