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 24:6-9)

When the women went to the tomb that morning, they came with spices to anoint a body they thought was still lifeless. But instead of finding death, they encountered two angels declaring the most glorious news the world has ever heard: “He is not here, but has risen!”

Yet even in that incredible moment, the angelic messengers didn’t introduce a new idea. They simply reminded the women of what Jesus had already said.

“Remember how He told you…”

Jesus had not been secretive about His mission. Over and over again, He told His disciples that He would suffer, die, and rise again. But grief, fear, and confusion had clouded their memories. It took divine prompting to reignite what had been tucked away in their memory. And once they remembered, they moved into action.

The women left the tomb not with spices in hand, but with the truth on their lips, ready to tell the others. Luke tells us, “they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.” The message that Jesus was alive was too powerful, too essential, too life-altering to keep to themselves. Remembering His words, led to witnessing.

We are often like these women. We know the truth – Jesus is risen, His Word is true, His promises are sure; yet in the chaos and sorrow of life, sometimes we forget. We become overwhelmed by circumstances or discouraged by delay, and we lose sight of what He’s already told us.

But when we return to the Word and remember what He has said, our hearts and minds are renewed; and that renewal compels us to speak.

This is the heartbeat of the Gospel: Jesus died, was buried, and rose again – just as He said. And we are not called to come up with something new or flashy. We are called to remember His words and tell them to others.

Paul reminds us in Romans 10:17, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” As we meditate on what Jesus has said, our faith grows. And as we share it, the gospel spreads.

Don’t underestimate the power of remembrance. And don’t withhold the joy of the resurrection from those who need to hear. Like the women at the tomb, may we be people who remember what Jesus has said and carry that message boldly into the lives of others. May what we do and speak truly be a testimony of God’s redeeming love.

The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. (Luke 23:55-56)

Grief has a way of driving us toward action. We want to do something to process the pain, to care for what’s been lost, or sometimes to cling to a sense of control. The women who followed Jesus from Galilee were no different. They had just watched their beloved Teacher suffer and die, and their hearts longed to anoint His body – an act of both reverence and affection. But with the Sabbath approaching, they faced a choice: proceed with their desire to tend to Jesus' body or honor the Sabbath as God commanded.

They chose obedience.

They rested – even in the sorrow, even in the tension of not finishing what their hearts desperately wanted to do. They honored the Lord not by rushing to the tomb, but by keeping His command. Their obedience, even in pain, was an act of worship.

This isn’t really even an issue about whether the act of anointing would technically break the Sabbath. Scripture tells us in Titus 1:15, “To the pure, all things are pure,” and Jesus often challenged the legalistic boundaries of Sabbath traditions that had been added to God’s intent with the command. But for these women who had been taught, lived by, and loved God’s law, their conscience of obedience was to rest. As James 4:17 reminds us, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”

Their surrender wasn’t just about Sabbath observance. It was about trusting God’s timing and will above their own thoughts, emotions, and desires. They denied themselves and waited – not knowing that their act of obedience would position them to be the first to witness the resurrection.

Our own griefs, unmet expectations, or sense of urgency can tempt us to take matters into our own hands. When plans fall apart or life wounds us deeply, the natural instinct is to act, to fix, to move. But sometimes, the holiest thing we can do is rest in obedience – even when it costs us something.

Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” These women didn’t just deny themselves the comfort of caring for Jesus’ body on their own terms; they chose to follow God’s Word even in confusion and heartache. Their faith reminds us that obedience is not about comfort – it’s about trust.

May we learn from their example to prioritize God’s voice over our impulses, to obey even when emotions scream otherwise, and to rest in the truth that worship is found in surrender.

Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. (Luke 23:50-54)

In the aftermath of an unjust crucifixion, we are introduced to a man of quiet courage – Joseph of Arimathea. As a member of the Jewish council, Joseph was wealthy, respected, and held a prestigious position. Yet when the Sanhedrin demanded Jesus' death, Joseph “had not consented to their decision and action.” While others went along with the crowd, Joseph stood apart. While Pilate gave in to pressure, Joseph held to conviction. And while others sought to protect their status, Joseph looked for the kingdom of God.

This is no small thing. In touching the dead body of Jesus to prepare it for burial, Joseph defiled himself according to ceremonial law, forfeiting his ability to participate in the Sabbath preparations. He willingly traded religious cleanliness and social standing to honor his crucified Lord.

This kind of faith is costly. It is the kind of devotion that refuses to blend in with the culture for the sake of comfort or appearance. Joseph risked his reputation, his religious privilege, and likely his relationships within the council, all to identify with Jesus in His death.

This calls us to question how we pursue Jesus. Ask yourself this question – do I pursue Jesus with such fervor and resolution?

In Philippians 3:7–8, Paul echoes this kind of faith: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”

Joseph of Arimathea, like Paul, shows us what it means to live with eternity in view. He wasn’t driven by fear or popularity, he was driven by a longing for God’s kingdom. He wasn’t trying to preserve his life, but to honor the One who had just laid His down.

Today, the pressure to conform to worldly values is just as real. Many remain silent rather than speak the truth of Christ. Some fear being labeled as intolerant, fanatical, or foolish. But true discipleship means dying to the approval of man in order to live fully for God.

Let’s ask ourselves these questions:

• Am I willing to be labeled badly by culture to honor Jesus?
• Do I forsake earthly titles and inclusion to stand with Christ?
• Am I looking for the kingdom of God, even if it costs me my status, comfort, or security?

Joseph may have buried Jesus in a tomb, but his actions proclaimed a living faith. In a moment of greatest loss, he revealed the greatest gain – a heart set on God’s kingdom. May we all have the courage of Jospeh of Arimathea – standing firm when others cave, seeking the kingdom of God above all else, and counting all as loss to unashamedly identify with Christ.