Nonsense (Luke 24:1-12)

Luke 24:1-12

^24:1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. ⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ⁷ ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” ⁸ Then they remembered his words.

⁹ When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. ¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. ¹¹ But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. ¹² Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. ^[1]

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I find it fascinating that the first reaction of the Eleven to news of the resurrection was unbelief because the account from the women “seemed to them like nonsense.”  These were the apostles!  The ones who would later call themselves eyewitnesses to the resurrection!

Their initial dismissal of the resurrection is surely a reflection of just how unexpected and miraculous the resurrection is.  It also probably had something to do with the fact that the messengers were women, and at that time, the testimony of a woman was not highly regarded.  (Does raise the question as to why God chose all the first witnesses and proclaimers of the resurrection to be women.)  Regardless of the reason, the point is that the initial reaction to someone proclaiming the gospel of the resurrection was rejection because it seemed like nonsense.

But look how it turned out.  These same people who labeled the good news as nonsense soon became its most ardent proclaimers.  What are we to make of this?  These things come to my mind:

• Some people may dismiss the Gospel and the resurrection as nonsense. Share it anyway.
• Some people may dismiss the Good News you share because they don’t respect you. Share it anyway.
• Only God can open people’s eyes, minds and hearts to the truth, and we never know when He will act in that way (Luke 24:31, 45). So we share the Good News anyway.

We have been entrusted with the best news possible for a world in need.  The fact that it seems like nonsense to those who need it should not deter us from the calling to partner with Jesus in bringing them the good news of salvation.  May God give us many opportunities to share His “nonsense” Gospel!

Lord Jesus, never let the fear of rejection keep me from sharing Your Good News with people you place in my path.

 

What is the Word leading you to pray about today?

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^[1] The New International Version. (2011). (Lk 24:1–12). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.