Day 10 · The Gospel: God’s Saving Grace · ; (NET2)
The empty tomb and the risen Jesus overturn despair. Jesus is not a memory or a disembodied spirit: he shows his disciples his hands and feet and eats before them. He opens their understanding of Scripture and commissions them to proclaim repentance for the forgiveness of sins, depending on power from above. Resurrection hope leads to witness, not private comfort alone.
Request
Father, strengthen my confidence in the risen Jesus. By your Spirit, open your Word to me and make me a faithful witness to his grace. Amen.
Read
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1 Now on the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the aromatic spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood beside them in dazzling attire. 5 The women were terribly frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has been raised! Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” 8 Then the women remembered his words, 9 and when they returned from the tomb, they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles. 11 But these words seemed like pure nonsense to them, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent down and saw only the strips of linen cloth; then he went home, wondering what had happened.
36 While they were saying these things, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 But they were startled and terrified, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 Then he said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet; it’s me! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones like you see I have.” 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still could not believe it (because of their joy) and were amazed, he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 So they gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in front of them.
44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it stands written that the Christ would suffer and would rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And look, I am sending you what my Father promised. But stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Scripture: NET Bible, Second Edition (NET2).
Reflect
- What does Jesus do to address his disciples' fear and disbelief, and how does he connect his resurrection with Scripture?
- How might his commission shape the way you speak about forgiveness and hope to someone today?
Restate
Explain how Jesus' resurrection leads to a message of repentance and forgiveness for the nations.
Respond
Let the passage guide your prayer. Use these prompts in your own words:
- Praise: Praise God for raising Jesus from the dead.
- Thanksgiving: Thank him for solid hope beyond sin and death.
- Confession: Confess the ways fear or unbelief silence your witness.
- Intercession: Pray for those taking the good news to people who have not heard.
- Petition: Ask for understanding and courage through the Holy Spirit.
Carry it into today: Speak one truthful word of Christian hope to someone, with gentleness and attention to their situation.