This morning a dear friend from the Oklahoma Panhandle needed help. He has been asked to officiate over his first funeral ever. This got me thinking about the first Christian funeral ever.

Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome had left their homes early Sunday morning, to anoint Christ’s Body. In their minds was a troubling question: “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” (Mark 16:3, ESV)This Sunday many pilgrims will gather with the pious. What they will find is unknown. Yet, they will make their pious pilgrimage regardless.

At the first Christian funeral ever, our obedient ladies were astounded by what they discovered. The Body of Christ was not in the tomb and the stone had been rolled away. In its place they were given an Angelic message of comfort: Mark 16:6–7 (ESV) And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.

Friend, it is my sincere hope that you will return from your pious pilgrimage being able to say: “It has been great to be here; I am glad I came”!