All Things NewSample

The Empty Tomb

There is a painting by Eugene Burnand that is hanging in the Museum d’Orsay in Paris. Burnand, a Swiss artist, painted it in 1898. The work of art shows Peter and John as they rush to the tomb of Jesus. The women have been at the tomb and having found it empty, have hurried to the disciples to tell them the news. Peter and John in an effort to see for themselves, are running to the cave where their friend and Messiah had been laid.

Burnand’s brush captures looks of grief, confusion, and hope in Peter and John (google it and check it out). What an incredible moment in the lives of these two. They have followed Jesus and been with him constantly for three years. They have watched their friend die an excruciating death; they are lost without him and unsure of what is next. Now, there is word that his body cannot be found.

You can almost feel the transformation that is coming as you read the words and imagine their run to the tomb. They didn’t argue with the women or wait for others to join them. They didn’t take a stroll or consider any danger that might be lurking. They full out sprint to get there and discover what God might do next.

How about you? Do you run towards the Savior even when you aren’t sure what that means? Do you wait for others to lead the way? Are you hopeful in the transformation that might be coming or would you rather stay where you are in your own pain and grief thinking “yeah it’s painful, but at least it feels familiar”?

“Preach the gospel to yourselves every day,” Billy Graham reminds us. Is the hope of an empty tomb and the transformation that comes because of it part of your everyday thinking? When the journey seems too hard or predictable, may the image of Peter and John sprinting to the tomb cause you to lace up and run to the risen Christ.

Scripture Passage: Luke 24:1-12

Reflective Questions:

· Google ‘Peter running to the tomb’ and check out Eugene Burnand’s work. What does the image stir in you? Put yourself into the story and imagine what Peter must be feeling.

· What does preaching the gospel to yourself daily have to do with being made new? What might that look like in your life?