So Peter and the other disciple left, and they were going to the tomb. The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead, faster than Peter, and came to the tomb first; and he stooped to look in, and saw the linen wrappings lying there; however he did not go in. So Simon Peter also came, following him, and he entered the tomb; and he looked at the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings but folded up in a place by itself. So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb also entered then, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

What we share with others often depends on how important we consider the information to be. If something is urgent, we share it. Sometimes, we don’t realize the importance of the information we hold. Like the game of Telephone, we can omit a piece of information because we forget or don’t know its importance. The disciples saw the linens in the tomb, a major moment in the resurrection, and they knew something significant had happened, but they didn’t yet understand the complete picture. They went to their homes, not knowing what to do next.

Similarly, as we move past Easter, we may move past the full picture of the resurrection. If we really understand what it means that Jesus has risen from the dead, that the penalty for sin has been paid and the reconciliation to God’s image has been made possible, then we won’t just “go home.” When the disciples came to understand the significance of the resurrection, it changed their lives. They traveled, they shared, and they risked their lives for the cause of Christ. You may believe in the resurrection, but have you been altogether changed by it? Paul said, “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. . . . that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:8,10). Even with the spiritual depth and insight Paul had, he wanted to know Jesus more. We do not need to let this moment pass like any other but instead look for it to be a spark that helps us believe in the resurrection and have a deeper knowledge of its power and impact.

• What is something you’ve learned about the power of the resurrection?
• Do you crave to know Christ more and more? Why or why not?
• Pray and ask God to help you grow in understanding the power of the resurrection.