Matthew 28:6 – He Didn’t Stay Dead

Nobody expected an empty tomb that morning—not even the ones who loved Jesus most. They came with spices, ready to grieve, not celebrate. And yet, that’s exactly where God met them—in their sorrow, in their confusion, in their faithful steps toward what they thought was finished. That’s what I love about this passage. It doesn’t start with triumphant faith—it starts with broken people just trying to show up. And into that, God speaks life. “He is not here; he has risen.” That changes everything. It means the worst thing is never the last thing. It means that no matter how final something looks in our lives—a loss, a failure, a season we thought had passed—resurrection is still on the table. Jesus didn’t just rise for Himself. He rose for us. So we could walk out of whatever tomb we’ve been stuck in, knowing full well that the same power that raised Him is still alive and moving in us.

Devotional

No one woke up that morning expecting a miracle. The guards were stationed to keep the dead in and the living out. The women came with spices, ready to care for a body they loved but had lost. The disciples were scattered, hiding, trying to piece together what had just happened. Grief was heavy. Hope was buried. And that massive stone? It didn’t just seal a tomb—it sealed the end of a dream. As far as everyone was concerned, death had won. The story was over. But then—God rewrote the ending.

The ground trembled. That massive stone—the one meant to seal the grave and the grief—was rolled away. And the tomb? Empty. No body. No death. Just folded grave clothes and an angel with a message that shook the universe: “He is not here; He has risen.”

Let that sink in.

Jesus didn’t just slip past death. He broke it. Crushed it. Walked right through the valley of the shadow and came out the other side holding the keys to everything that once had a grip on us. This isn’t just a good ending to His story—it’s the beginning of ours. His resurrection wasn’t just proof of His power. It was a declaration over your life and mine that nothing—not sin, not shame, not failure, not fear—gets the last word. If He left the grave behind, then we don’t have to live stuck in ours.

What gets me most is that the first people to hear the news weren’t those who had it all together. It was the women who had stuck with Him in His suffering. They didn’t show up expecting a miracle—they came in their grief. Still faithful. Still loving. And right there, in that space of raw heartache, God showed up with joy and world-shifting power. That’s where the resurrection met them.

And maybe that’s where you are, too. Maybe you’re tired. Maybe you’re doubting. Maybe you’ve been carrying something that feels lifeless and too far gone. But here’s the thing about Easter: it doesn’t wait for your faith to be perfect. It doesn’t need you to have the answers. It meets you right where you are—with the kind of love that rolls stones away, breathes life into dry bones, and tells you your story is far from over.

So whatever tomb you’re staring into—whatever fear or pain or failure feels too heavy—remember this: Jesus didn’t stay dead. He lives. And because He lives, you can too.

Action: Celebrate today like it matters—because it does. Speak life over something you thought was over. Call someone and share hope. Take a walk and thank God out loud for the miracle of an empty tomb. Let resurrection change how you live.

Prayer: Jesus, You didn’t stay dead—and that changes everything. Thank You for the hope that rises with the dawn, for the power that rolled the stone away, and for the promise that nothing is too far gone. Wake up my heart to live like You’re alive—because You are. In Your name, Amen.

Thought for the Day: The tomb is empty. And that means your story isn’t.