Daily Devotionals

Trouble Maker Week 10: Monday

It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. Luke 24:10-11

After Jesus died, everyone watching must have thought this was it. His ministry and His movement were over as far as everyone was concerned. This included His disciples. No one expected a resurrection that Sunday when Jesus rose from the grave. Pastor Andy Stanley says it this way, “Nobody was looking for nobody.” Because of this, the news that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead was met in several ways, some believed, but others doubted this incredible news was indeed true. Jesus was alive, and the course of history was forever changed.

Luke 24 tells us that the first people to find out that Jesus was alive were a group of women who had come to Jesus’ tomb to anoint His body. They got there and found out that His body was not in the tomb. Instead, two angels appeared and told them that Jesus had risen. They then remembered that Jesus had taught about rising from the dead in three days and believed the angels’ message that Jesus was alive. They immediately went to tell Jesus’ disciples that Jesus was alive, “but this [news] sounded like nonsense” to them (verse 11). However, Peter could not help but run to the tomb and look. He found that it was empty and went back home, “wondering what had happened” (verse 12). For the following days, Jesus began revealing Himself to His disciples, proving He was alive.

Just when Jesus’ disciples believed that all hope was lost and Jesus’ ministry was over, Jesus showed them that His ministry was far from over. In fact, this was just the beginning of what was to come. His ministry was just getting started, and the church was soon going to be established and grow. Nothing, not even death, can stop Jesus.

 Moving toward action

Who can you share the news that Jesus rose from the grave and conquered sin and death? Do you have your list of at least three people who you know who are far from Christ? Take some time to pray for each of them. Pray that God would reveal Himself to each one of them and that they would believe in Him. Then, as you go throughout your week, look for opportunities to share your faith.

Going Deeper

Acts 18:1-6 (NLT)

 "After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”