Day 8: Easter Sunday

This devotional comes from BibleProject

Death is not the end of the story for Jesus of Nazareth. As the firstborn of new creation (Col. 1:15, 18) and the heir of all things (Heb.1:2), he is showing humanity that death is not the end of our story either. It’s a brutal and mysterious part of our story, but in the light of Christ, we can believe that our life does not end in earthly death. God’s love carries us through, and death loses its sting in the face of Jesus’ resurrection promise. This is the indestructible life we celebrate on Easter Sunday, the life of Jesus!

Three days after Jesus’ execution, two women from among Jesus’ disciples find out that the tomb’s stone has been moved—the seal is broken, and Jesus’ body is gone. An angelic man says Jesus has risen, and he urges the women to tell the other disciples. Jesus is alive and heading north, and he plans to meet his disciples in Galilee.

Jesus meets with his followers, showing them his wounds and letting them touch his resurrected body. According to Luke’s version of the story, when Jesus first sees the disciples, he asks them if they have any leftovers to share. They give him some fish, and he chats with them over a meal (Luke 24:41-43). Jesus passed through death and returned to life as a walking, talking, living human being who was hungry for some leftovers—he is the firstborn of humanity in the new creation. And he tells his disciples that he’s going to give them the same divine power that sustains him, so they can go out and share the good news of resurrection and the unending love of God’s Kingdom with people throughout the world.

Jesus sends the disciples out to all families of the Earth with this good news. Everyone can join Jesus’ Kingdom by turning away from their fear of death and turning toward his love and following his way of life. On Easter Sunday, followers of Jesus celebrate with joy! Jesus has risen, and his new creation has begun. Happy Easter!

In today’s video, watch the story of Jesus’ resurrection unfold.

BibleProject ~ The Resurrection of Jesus: Luke 24

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Matthew 28

Matthew 28

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards trembled in fear of him and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; He has risen, just as He said! Come, see the place where He lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ See, I have told you.” 8 So they hurried away from the tomb in fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him. 10 “Do not be afraid,” said Jesus. “Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see Me.” 11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. 12 And after the chief priests had met with the elders and formed a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money 13 and instructed them: “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ 14 If this report reaches the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So the guards took the money and did as they were instructed. And this account has been circulated among the Jews to this very day. 16 Meanwhile, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Luke 24:13-49

13 That same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 And as they talked and deliberated, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” They stood still, with sadness on their faces. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, “Are You the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in recent days?” 19 “What things?” He asked. “The events involving Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet, powerful in speech and action before God and all the people. 20 Our chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to the sentence of death, and they crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping He was the One who would redeem Israel. And besides all this, it is the third day since these things took place. 22 Furthermore, some of our women astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 but they did not find His body. They came and told us they had seen a vision of angels, who said that Jesus was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had described. But Him they did not see.” 25 Then Jesus said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then to enter His glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself. 28 As they approached the village where they were headed, He seemed to be going farther. 29 But they pleaded with Him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them. 30 While He was reclining at the table with them, He took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus—and He disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us as He spoke with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, gathered together 34 and saying, “The Lord has indeed risen and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the road, and how they had recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread. 36 While they were describing these events, Jesus Himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 37 But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit. 38 “Why are you troubled,” Jesus asked, “and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself. Touch Me and see—for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” 40 And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and feet. 41 While they were still in disbelief because of their joy and amazement, He asked 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 Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

You can read the entire chapter here

John 20:11-29

11 But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent down to look into the tomb, 12 and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 “Woman, why are you weeping?” they asked. “Because they have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I do not know where they have put Him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not recognize that it was Jesus. 15 “Woman, why are you weeping?” Jesus asked. “Whom are you seeking?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him off, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 “Do not cling to Me,” Jesus said, “for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and tell My brothers, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what He had said to her. 19 It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them. 20 After He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.” 22 When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.” 24 Now Thomas called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.” 26 Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

You can read the entire chapter here

Prayer* for Easter Sunday: Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord’s resurrection, may, by your life-giving Spirit, be delivered from sin and raised from death; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

• All prayers in this reading plan are from the Book of Common Prayer (2019).