The Impact of the Living Jesus

Read Luke 24:1–7.
“Why seek the living among the dead?” What a question!

One thing that is interesting to me is the idea of fame. Celebrities are magnets to all sorts of people for all sorts of reasons. Some are physically attracted to certain famous people. Others are inspired. Still, others seek their influence, which could perhaps lend itself to fellow artists. The star/fan relationship is an interesting one to be sure. And when the star dies, the world feels it, even though most people never personally knew them.

Consider how famous the tombs of celebrities are. Jim Morrison, Van Gogh, Abraham Lincoln, Bruce Lee, Ernest Hemingway. When I have personally visited the final resting places of people like Beethoven and John Lennon, I thought of their accomplishments and what they stood for while they were living.

Now, take your mind to the tomb of Jesus. One thing that stands out immediately is that, although a tomb, it is not His final resting place. The first visitors to the tomb on that Sunday were asked, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?”

We can still think of what Jesus stood for and accomplished on earth: compassion to the outcast, properly teaching the word of God, and living a life toward redemption. But because He lives now, he still stands for those things. The empty tomb reminds us of that every day. And, even though He is the most famous person to have ever lived, we can know Him personally!

The God of the Bible is often described as the living God (cf. Matthew 16:16). Isn’t it amazing that, as we gather around a memorial table each first day of the week, we are remembering a God who still lives?