Sketchy Lent: The Risen Christ
A visual devotional to celebrate Easter based on John 20
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
…
He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
"Jesus said to her, 'Mary.'
She turned and said to him in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!' (which means Teacher).
Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, "I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God."'
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
(John 20:1-2,15-18, ESV)
The Ultimate Victory Over the Wilderness
During this series, we’ve been journeying through The Wilderness — the empty, formless, orderless places in the world.
This emptiness represent what was before creation and it represents the absence of God. But as we’ve seen throughout this series, God fills the emptiness and brings his life. Nowhere is this more evident than in the resurrection of Jesus.
He was dead. The breath of life from God was not in his body. And yet, even death could not defeat him.
And this is the hope that we have in him.
21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:21–22, ESV)
Jesus' resurrection is the ultimate assurance that nothing can separate us from the love of God. No matter what trials or difficulties we face, we can have confidence that He has overcome them all. The empty tomb is a constant reminder that God's love and power are greater than even the darkest of wildernesses.
As we celebrate this Easter season, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. He is the God who fills the wilderness, the one who gives us life and meaning. Let us abide in Him and experience the fullness of His presence and the joy of His resurrection in our lives.
Reflections:
1. How does the reality of Jesus' resurrection give you hope and confidence in the face of life's challenges and wilderness experiences?
2. In what areas of your life do you need to invite God to fill the emptiness and bring His life-giving presence?
3. What practical steps can you take this week to fix your eyes on Jesus and abide in Him more deeply?
Prayer
Risen Lord Jesus, we praise You for Your victory over The Wilderness of sin, death, and despair. Thank You for bearing our sin and suffering on the cross and for opening the way for us to have new life in You. Help us to live in the power of Your resurrection, to find hope and strength in You, no matter what wilderness we may face. May we cling to You, our risen Saviour, and follow You in the way of eternal life. Give us the courage to bear witness to Your resurrection, to share the hope that we have found in You.
Amen.
P.s. Again, apologies this one is late, but we can celebrate Jesus’ resurrection any day.