See and Believe
Apr 15, 2025 by Addison Crissone
As Easter approaches every year, many of us begin to gravitate toward the Gospels, where we may read four accounts of Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection. Why do we do this?
Well, I suppose it is to remind ourselves of what Easter is about, to immerse ourselves in the Christian traditions of Easter, and to surround ourselves in the events and the grief that led to Jesus's death on the cross. But more than this, it is to simply remind us of and celebrate the fact that the Son of God died for us on Golgotha's hill os many years ago- died to save us and redeem our souls from the grasp of sin and the devil.
This is why we read the accounts left to us by the Apostles who witnessed Holy Week and the Crucifixion of their Lord.
This year, I would like to direct your attention to John's account of the Resurrection, or as I love to call this scene in the Bible, The Empty Tomb:
"Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb.
Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with he linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes."
- John 20:1-10
Well, I suppose it is to remind ourselves of what Easter is about, to immerse ourselves in the Christian traditions of Easter, and to surround ourselves in the events and the grief that led to Jesus's death on the cross. But more than this, it is to simply remind us of and celebrate the fact that the Son of God died for us on Golgotha's hill os many years ago- died to save us and redeem our souls from the grasp of sin and the devil.
This is why we read the accounts left to us by the Apostles who witnessed Holy Week and the Crucifixion of their Lord.
This year, I would like to direct your attention to John's account of the Resurrection, or as I love to call this scene in the Bible, The Empty Tomb:
"Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb.
Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with he linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes."
- John 20:1-10
Saw and believed.
In his account, John says that he saw and believed only when he stepped inside ht tomb, and found for himself that it was indeed empty.
Before this, he had not truly believed Mary's witness, because he needed to see for himself.
What I love about this passage is that it emphasizes the voluntary going into the tomb. It clearly states that John got to the tomb first, but he did not go in right away.
Peter, in his customary brazen and bold character, went in immediately.
With much sorrow, we can imagine that he looked at the grave cloths that had been wrapped around his Lord's body. But with this sorrow, I think would also come hope and joy, knowing that the words Jesus had spoken had finally become clear. It was at this moment that Peter knew his Lord was risen.
But John was still outside looking in.
He didn't share this belief yet.
And he wouldn't until he stepped inside the tomb alongside Peter.
When he did, the Bible tells us he saw and believed.
Friend, this is what you and I need to do also.
Far too often, we sit in our pews nodding as if we truly believe what we are listening to.
But Fatih is more than listening and sitting in a pew.
We need to get up, take that step of faith that God has been nudging us toward, and act out of faith. Like Peter, we need to boldly go into the tomb of the risen Lord, look at the abandoned gravecloths, and see for ourselves that his tomb is an empty tomb.
This Easter, we need to see and believe.
In his account, John says that he saw and believed only when he stepped inside ht tomb, and found for himself that it was indeed empty.
Before this, he had not truly believed Mary's witness, because he needed to see for himself.
What I love about this passage is that it emphasizes the voluntary going into the tomb. It clearly states that John got to the tomb first, but he did not go in right away.
Peter, in his customary brazen and bold character, went in immediately.
With much sorrow, we can imagine that he looked at the grave cloths that had been wrapped around his Lord's body. But with this sorrow, I think would also come hope and joy, knowing that the words Jesus had spoken had finally become clear. It was at this moment that Peter knew his Lord was risen.
But John was still outside looking in.
He didn't share this belief yet.
And he wouldn't until he stepped inside the tomb alongside Peter.
When he did, the Bible tells us he saw and believed.
Friend, this is what you and I need to do also.
Far too often, we sit in our pews nodding as if we truly believe what we are listening to.
But Fatih is more than listening and sitting in a pew.
We need to get up, take that step of faith that God has been nudging us toward, and act out of faith. Like Peter, we need to boldly go into the tomb of the risen Lord, look at the abandoned gravecloths, and see for ourselves that his tomb is an empty tomb.
This Easter, we need to see and believe.
