There’s incredible beauty when someone keeps their word! When someone makes a promise, however great or small, and they follow through — keeping that promise — it’s a breath of fresh air, a cold glass of water on a hot summer day. When promises are kept consistently over time, an undeniable confidence is built.
God’s Word is the tool in which our confidence in Him is built — because it consistently shows Him keeping His promises. How amazing it is to behold the matchless, trustworthy, Word of God! It’s full of wonders to behold, truths to rest in, hopes to set our hearts on, and a Person to fix our affections on.
But our human hearts who have experienced disappointments in earthly relationships sometimes have a hard time remembering this. We see this in Matthew 28:1–10, at the pinnacle of all promises. The one promise that was repeatedly proclaimed, prophesied, and predicted still seems unbelievable. Here we find two fearful and confused mourners looking for the body of Jesus, having already forgotten His promise amidst their grief.
Jesus’ promise before His death is the promise kept that builds trust for all time. He kept His word…“just as He said.” Of course He did! It’s in this kept word that we can behold all the words found in the Word.
We behold the beauty of the Word, not because it’s a beautiful picture on a wall that we appreciate but because it’s the window through which we behold Christ. We drink deeply of the goodness of the Word, not because it’s the best water but because it’s the only water that satisfies. We rest in truth of the Word not because it’s rest of a good night’s sleep quickly worn off by a hectic morning, but because it’s the rest that sustains us through the hectic morning and deep into the evening.
John begins his Gospel fixing our attention on the Word made flesh who would one day take away the sin of the world. The Gospel of Luke recounts a glorious reminder to those who mourn amid a painful, confusing time, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you, while He was with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ Then they remembered His words.” (Luke 24:5–8) Behold, a promise kept.
The resurrection of Jesus is not only marvelous and wonderful in every way — it also builds our confidence in the very Word of God, leading us, inviting us, and wooing us to behold its beauty. The angel at the empty tomb comforts our broken hearts with this reminder of reminders, that the Word has been kept…“just as He said.”
Written by Dave Nicodemus. Dave serves at the Grace Students Pastor at Grace Polaris Church in Westerville, Ohio.