Daily Devotional for Wednesday, November 22

The First Appearance

“Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not,” Mark 16:9-11.

“What happened as a result of the resurrection is unprecedented in human history. In the span of a few hundred years, a small band of seemingly insignificant believers succeeded in turning an entire empire upside down. As has been well said, ‘They faced the tyrant’s brandished steel, the lion’s gory mane, and the fires of a thousand deaths,’ because they were utterly convinced that they, like their Master, would one day rise from the grave in glorified, resurrected bodies.”—Unknown

Jesus is alive! We cannot be too critical of the disciples’ slow belief after the resurrection. After all, they saw Him die and helped place His body in the grave. The resurrection of Christ is a miracle, only made possible by the power of God. As the disciples realized that Jesus really had resurrected, their faith and their joy exploded into radical surrender.

The fact that Jesus overcame death and the grave means that all who trust Him for salvation will enjoy the same. Christians can and must live in absolute surrender to Him, proclaiming the glorious gospel that Jesus saves. Any defeat that we face in this life is only temporary because Jesus has conquered our two greatest foes—sin and death. Knowing that Christ has already won allows us to live in boldness of faith.

FINAL THOUGHT: The resurrection of Christ means that Christians can live a victorious and joyful life as we faithfully proclaim the good news.

Steven Ridings