Now we’ve looked at two of the words of the angel’s message. We’ve looked at the invitation to come and the imperative to see. We’ve seen some of what that implies for us. The third word is “go” (v. 7). It’s a reminder that, blessed as it may be to stay near the tomb, nevertheless there is still work to do and we should not linger around the tomb.
One way of lingering around the tomb of Christ is done by some who simply do not believe in the resurrection. Somehow the miracle of the resurrection is an embarrassment to them, and they don’t want to talk too much about the resurrection. But they can’t quite get Jesus out of their mind, and so in order to do Him a favor they focus on His death at Calvary. Have you ever read any “lives of Jesus” that build up in a magnificent way to His death, but then say somewhat apologetically at the end that it was reported by certain people that He rose again three days later on Sunday morning?
Even Christian people sometimes linger on the death of Christ. We recognize that He died for us and so, trying to work up a proper emotional response to Christ’s death, we may build up our sorrow and mourn over the crucifixion and perhaps somehow think that it is dishonoring to Christ to rejoice at His resurrection.
I think maybe liturgies encourage that in some branches of the Christian church. Lent, after all, is forty days long and it builds up to Good Friday. During Lent we have all of the mournful songs that have to do with His being forsaken by God and stricken. And then Easter Sunday comes and it’s over in one morning and we go back to feeling sorry again. What a travesty that is in Christianity!
The great reason why we worship on Sunday is because it’s the day of the resurrection. Every Sunday is Easter Sunday, for the Christian. Good Friday we should set aside as a day to remember in a special way His death. But throughout the year, Sunday after Sunday, we should remember the triumph of our Lord Jesus Christ over the tomb. So let’s not focus all our attention on His death and burial. Let’s not linger at the tomb. The resurrection has come, the stone is rolled away, the seal is broken, the soldiers are scattered. And then there’s the proclamation of the angel, “He is not here. He is risen as He said.”
