Key Thought

Today's Prayer

Hallelujah, God Almighty. You have taken death and defeated it through the work of your Son and my Savior Jesus. Thank you. I praise you in the name of my risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

This day was called Preparation day. (That means the day before the Sabbath day. ) It was becoming dark. A man named Joseph from Arimathea was brave enough to go to Pilate and ask for Jesus' body. Joseph was an important member of the Jewish council. He was one of the people that wanted the kingdom of God to come. Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead. Pilate called the army officer that guarded Jesus. Pilate asked the officer if Jesus was already dead. The officer told Pilate that Jesus was dead. So Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. Joseph bought some linen cloth. Joseph took the body {from the cross} and wrapped the body in the linen. Then Joseph put the body in a tomb (grave) that was dug in a wall of rock. Then Joseph closed the tomb by rolling a large stone to cover the entrance. Mary from Magdala and Mary the mother of Joses saw the place where Jesus was put.

Related Scripture Readings

Jesus arrived in Bethany. Jesus found that Lazarus had already been dead and in the tomb for four days. Bethany was about two miles from Jerusalem. Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary. They came to comfort them about their brother {Lazarus}. Martha heard that Jesus was coming. She went out to greet Jesus. But Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you anything you ask." Jesus said, "Your brother will rise and be alive again." Martha answered, "I know that he will rise to live again when people are resurrected (raised from death) on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection. I am life. The person that believes in me will have life {again} after he dies. And the person that lives and believes in me will never really die. Martha, do you believe this?"

The next day after the Sabbath day, Mary from Magdala, Salome, and Mary the mother of James bought some sweet-smelling spices. They wanted to put the spices on Jesus' body. Very early on that day, the first day of the week, the women were going to the tomb. It was very early after sunrise. The women said to each other, "There is a large stone covering the entrance of the tomb. Who will move the stone for us?" Then the women looked and saw that the stone was moved. The stone was very large, but it was moved away from the entrance. The women walked into the tomb. They saw a young man there wearing a white robe. The man was sitting on the right side of the tomb. The women were afraid. But the man said, "Don't be afraid. You are looking for Jesus from Nazareth, the one that was killed on a cross. He has risen from death! He is not here. Look, here is the place they put him when he was dead. Now go and tell his followers. And {be sure to} tell Peter. Tell them, 'Jesus is going into Galilee. He will be there before you. You will see him there like he told you before.'"

I tell you this, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood (a physical body) cannot have a part in the kingdom of God. A thing that will ruin cannot have a part in something that never ruins. But listen, I tell you this secret: We will not all die, but we will all be changed. It will only take the time of a second. We will be changed as quickly as an eye blinks. This will happen when the last trumpet blows. The trumpet will blow and those {believers} who have died will be raised to live forever. And we {also} will all be changed. This {body} that will ruin must clothe itself with something that will never ruin. And this {body} that dies must clothe itself with something that will never die. So this {body} that ruins will clothe itself with that which never ruins. And this body that dies will clothe itself with that which never dies. When this happens, then the Scriptures will be made true: "Death is swallowed (defeated) in victory." "Death, where is your victory? Grave, where is your power to hurt?" Death's power to hurt is sin. And the power of sin is the law. But we thank God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Don't let anything change you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. You know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.