The Women Who Wouldn't Look Away
OPENING PRAYER:
Spirit of the Living God, teach me the kind of faithfulness that shows up even when hope seems dead. Give me eyes to see what others miss and courage to proclaim what others doubt.
"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them... 'He is not here; he has risen!'" Luke 24:1-10 (NIV)
In first-century Jewish culture, women were not considered credible witnesses in legal proceedings. Yet God chose women to be the first witnesses of the resurrection, the most important legal testimony in human history. This wasn't accidental; it was a divine statement about whose voices matter.
REFLECT:
Picture the scene: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Joanna, and others walked through Jerusalem's quiet streets carrying burial spices, their hearts shattered. They had watched Jesus die. They had seen Joseph of Arimathea place His body in the tomb. They had watched the massive stone seal their hope inside. Now they were simply trying to honor the dead with proper burial customs, the last act of love they could offer.
But when they arrived, everything was wrong. The stone was moved. The body was gone. And then came words that made no sense: "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!" Pastor Carter's message reminded us that resurrection power doesn't just clean you up, it raises you up. These women had come expecting death, preparing to anoint a corpse. Instead, they encountered life. They ran to tell the disciples, who didn't believe them at first. But the women knew what they'd seen. They had witnessed the moment when everything changed, when the grave became empty and hope became unstoppable. The resurrection didn't just restore Jesus; it elevated these faithful women to become the first evangelists, the first preachers of Easter morning.
APPLY:
The women brought spices to anoint a dead body, but they found resurrection instead. What "dead thing" are you still trying to anoint in your life? What relationship, dream, habit, or part of your past are you treating as finished when God might want to resurrect it? Identify one area where you've given up hope, and ask God specifically to show you if resurrection power is available there. Then take one small step of faith, reach out to someone you've written off, pick up something you laid down, or confess something you've been hiding.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Risen Lord, forgive me for the times I've looked for You among the dead, in old patterns, past failures, or hopeless situations. Give me the faithfulness of those women who showed up even when everything seemed finished. Let me be a witness to resurrection power.
PRAYER REQUEST:
Share your prayer request and pray for others.
CONTINUED READING:
Baptism as Your Next Step
The women at the tomb didn't fully understand what had happened, but they responded in obedience, they went and told others. Baptism is your opportunity to do the same. You might not have all the answers worked out, but you know Jesus is alive and has changed your life. Baptism is how you go and tell others. If you're ready to take that step of obedience, you can connect with us at pathwaychurch.com/contact or speak with your campus pastor. Your testimony matters.