Who are You?

Three people came to the tomb of Jesus.  Out of all of the disciples, all the followers, all the curious crowd, just three people came to the tomb and that most blessed morning.  They were, Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter, and “the disciple Jesus loved”, presumably John.  Which of these characters do you identify most with?  If you had been there, how would you have responded?

Mary arrived first at the tomb, saw that it was empty and went to tell the disciples.  When she came back later, she was so consumed by her grief that she did not realize that Jesus was right there beside her.  Have you ever been that way, so absorbed in your own life that you find yourself closing God out?

Maybe you are more like Peter, running to see for yourself what happened.  I always wondered what Peter thought about standing there in the empty tomb; how long did he stand there before turning to leave, disillusioned and disappointed?  Perhaps you are like him, standing in the last place you saw Jesus, unsure of what to do.  If you don't find Jesus waiting, what is your reaction?  Will you like Peter go home dejected?

John had perhaps the most interesting reaction.  He was in such a hurry to get to the to that he outran Peter, but then hesitated to go into the tomb.  Finally he went in, after Peter.  When he saw the empty tomb, without its missing body, he simply believed.  When God does something that you don't understand, are you willing to simply accept it and believe?  That is so not my personality, but that is the type of childlike faith that God wants from us.  Did John have questions?  I'm certain he did.  Did he understand what had just happened?  Doubtful.

When you are looking for Jesus, which of these characters do you most identify with?


*Based on John 20:1-10