The Oil Lamp Came On

John 20:4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. 9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

So, light bulbs hadn't been invented yet, so an oil lamp must have come on over John's head as the realization struck him about the Lord's promises of rising again from the dead.

The disciples just couldn't get a clue about the Lord's death and resurrection. The pieces of the puzzle puzzled them greatly.

The view of the empty tomb for the ladies, then John and Peter initially portended that the body of Jesus had been secreted away. This troubled them.

But finally, the realization washed over John that this is exactly what Jesus had been predicting all along. "Tear this temple down and I will raise it again in three days."

Don't be too hard on the learning disabled disciples. Every day, we Christians get frustrated at circumstances that are brought to us for our growth. We get angry over setbacks that are meant to protect us. We react faithlessly to events created to build our faith. We get bent out of shape by things intended to bend us toward the Lord.

Concerning our problems, the sun is soon coming up over an empty tomb. Our faith is set to evolve. We are being prepared to overcome. Yet, sticking our heads into the empty tomb, our understanding is still empty until an angel startles us to the reality that Christ is alive, God occupies the throne, peace is ours, we are sent out to minister to others of the risen Christ and that the Holy Ghost is within us.

The tomb is empty? That's not a problem but a promise. It is what God planned all along.

You are experiencing pain, confusion, bewilderment, setback, disappointment today, don't be perplexed. There is a plan and a reason. Soon the pieces of the puzzle will fall into place.

Christ died to rise again. John finally got it. Your problems come for reasons you cannot understand yet. But we are risen with Christ, we are more than conquerors, we have victory in Him. Soon the light bulb will come on for you and you will get it too.