Jesus is Alive

 

Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, from a tomb much like this one.

It felt like the middle of the night when I got up. It practically was. My phone alarm jolted me up at 4:30, and I tumbled out of bed. I was surprised at how awake I felt, but I knew today would be long. After changing into the nicest pants I had brought and a red and blue plaid shirt, I went outside to test the temperature. I quickly decided to take off the sweater I had put on. It was already warm in the darkness of the morning.

Two millennia ago, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene also arose and came to the tomb where Jesus was laid (John 20:1). It was probably right before sunrise because Mark records that Mary and two other women came to the tomb “when the sun had risen” (Mark 16:2). They came to bring spices and anoint their dead Lord, but what they found astonished and shocked them. 

The other students and I quietly gathered in front of the dimly lit hotel reception. The night receptionist peered sleepily through the window as we waited for our bus to arrive. It was foggy and quiet, and although we were excited for the day to begin, the heavy air seemed like it wanted to dampen any celebrations.

I sat near the back of our bus on the way to Jerusalem and turned to my favorite Bible story. John 20 tells how Mary Magdalene stands weeping at the tomb after finding it empty. Taking a look into the tomb through misty eyes, she sees two angels in white. Matthew says the angel who first came and rolls away the stone looked like lightning. These angles probably looked the same. Yet, amid her unbearable grief, she doesn't seem to be shocked at their amazing appearance. John records, 

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.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” 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 Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for 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 that he had said these things to her. 

- John 20:11-18, ESV

This is such a beautiful description of grief turned to joy as Jesus promises to his disciples in John 16:20, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.”

As we reached our destination, the brightness of the sky dawned on me. All the mist had vanished. We made our way to an already crowded line of people waiting at the entrance of the Garden Tomb. This garden is north of Damascus Gate, outside the northern side of the Old City. It’s operated by volunteers from across the world who seek to proclaim the gospel to whoever visits.

I was excited, but more so to see the people than the garden. Every Easter, people from all over the world squeeze into every available seat–or simply find a place to stand–for multiple services. A staff member pointed us to a spot near the garden's tomb when we arrived. As it happened, I was seated about 10 feet in front of the tomb. Since it's from an earlier period, the tomb isn't the one Jesus rose from, but it gives a good mental picture of what such a tomb would look like. Its low opening was carved out of the limestone cliff and opened into an antechamber with the burial place to the right. 

When we entered the garden, several women were singing hymns. I felt a respectful hush but I saw an undercurrent of excitement in people's faces. One man in a bright orange button-up waltzed in with a walker to sit behind us. He said he had been coming here each year since 1970. The garden’s director, Simon Holland approached the podium to give a brief introduction. I couldn’t see him from where I was seated, but I heard his British-sounding accent wafting through the garden. 

After singing several songs, another preacher’s voice came through the speakers. He started talking about the importance of the resurrection. “The history of Jerusalem is the history of the world,” he said. That certainly sounded profound but I wasn’t quite sure what he meant. As he spoke, I realized he was referring to Jesus’ resurrection. That event was more than just a miracle--it was a turning point in the history of the world.

But how do we know it happened? The preacher asked this question and then brought up several proofs of the resurrection. One of these is the lack of a definite sight for Jesus’ burial. Other religions have a place where their leader is buried or revered, he said, but for the first three hundred years of Christian history, Jesus’ followers didn’t venerate the tomb. They had no need to because He wasn’t there. There was also a multitude of witnesses to the risen Lord. Not only did Jesus appear to all eleven disciples and several women, but he also showed himself to 500 people at once (1 Cor 15:6). Finally, in the rest of the New Testament, we see a complete transformation of Jesus’ disciples to follow him and face death so they could proclaim this message of life. Why would they give up everything for a dead rabbi? 

I’ve heard many of these arguments before, but I felt encouraged as I pondered them once again. I often don’t think about the joy I can experience now because of the resurrection.

A few hours later, my friends and I were sitting at a coffee shop about a ten-minute walk into downtown Jerusalem from the garden tomb. I was sitting outside, enjoying a yogurt cup, and reading a book about the life of Christ. An old man bounded up to the shop. Wearing a huge smile, he started going to everyone he saw announcing, “Jesus is alive!” He even went up to the barista and proclaimed this good news to her. I have no idea what his intentions were, but seeing his excitement stirred something in me. Yes, Jesus is alive, and that’s worthy of a proclamation on the streets. He is not dead, He has risen!