And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. (Luke 24:4-9)
First, I was blown away by how my journey through Easter week 2025 coincided with Luke’s description of those events. I have never gone through those scenes so quickly to keep pace with the unfolding week. But it gave me a sense of the big picture of what Jesus was doing, and made me feel that I was there.
Second, once I got to Resurrection Sunday, the resurrection had taken place, and now I could slow down again and consider all the lessons God has for me about how we ought to live. And the starting place for me has been the contrast in how we behave based on the contrast in what we believe.
The women behaved as grieving disciples because they believed Jesus was dead. There are huge lessons for me in this! If what I believe is wrong, so will my actions be, no matter how devoted I am!
As I continued looking at the experience of the women, the gentle rebuke/reproof from the messengers, followed by the reminder of what they had been taught, changed everything. If they were in the wrong place because of wrong beliefs, reminding them of the right beliefs would lead to right actions. They would never stay where they were once they realized there was much better news than what they were thinking that day.
When we expand this to what we are to believe about Scripture, that it will always be teaching us, reproving/rebuking us, correcting us, and training us in righteousness, we can submit everything we believe to the daily inspection of Scripture to let God gently rebuke us when we’re heading in the wrong direction, and lovingly remind us where we ought to be. The better we get to know Scripture, the more we can be reminded of what we were already taught.
One of the things this brings onto the stage is whether we relate to God’s “adjustments” in the Beatitudinal way, or we recoil against them in the prideful way. Whenever we hear God’s word, do we feel the blessing of poverty of spirit leading us to the blessing of mourning whatever is wrong in our beliefs and behaviors? Do we feel the blessing of mourning (even if it is very short because we’re so aware of the good news set before us) leading us into the blessing of meekness that knows we can’t fix ourselves but Jesus can? And do we feel the blessing of meekness stirring in our hearts the blessing of hungering and thirsting for the righteousness of whatever God is speaking to us about?
I can’t say the reasons this is hitting me with such personal applications. It’s enough that it is another reminder to pay attention to how God is changing our minds (repentance) so we can join him in his work (faith). I see some ways I am looking for the living among the dead, and cannot continue to do so. I see some ways to look for the living among the living, and I want to put this into practice with all my heart.
If nothing else, Jesus is alive, and that means we should want to experience
“what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:19-20).
And to do that, we likely need the same rebuke and reminder as the women needed, followed by meeting with God’s people where God is working. I can see how I am to do that this week, and expect ongoing “refreshers” to keep me heading in the right direction.
© 2025 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8
Email: in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.)
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