Come and See. Go and Tell.

Matthew 28:1-10 and Acts 10:34-43

At dawn on that first Easter morning, the women went to the tomb. Along with burial spices, they carried a load of grief, confusion, and tender love for their Master. They hoped to gain access to Jesus’ body so they could complete the hasty burial preparations left unfinished on Friday.

They were not expecting the blinding appearance of an angel or the earth-shaking power that rolled the stone away, but according to Matthew, that is what happened. The angel tried to comfort them, “Do not be afraid,” and then explained that Jesus was not there because he had risen from the dead.

The angel then instructed them to follow this sequence: “Come and see … Then go and tell ...” This was already a well-established pattern in the Gospels. First, come and see. Jesus used this phrase repeatedly during his ministry, inviting people to open their minds and enter his kingdom. “Come and see" was another way of saying “Follow me; be nearby when I heal the sick and cast out demons, when I preach freedom and interact with the least of these.”

Now, at the tomb, the women are invited to step inside—to witness the empty grave, to take in the reality that death has been undone. Likewise, our faith does not begin with argument or explanation, but with encounter.

Next, the invitation turns outward: go and tell.

The women, having seen enough—a shining angel and an empty tomb—were now on mission. They ran from the tomb with a new bundle of emotions, “afraid and filled with joy.” But before they could reach the disciples, Jesus himself met them on the way. Their small steps of obedience brought them to a deeper encounter. They saw him and heard his voice, and fell at his feet and worshiped him.

This same sequence continues in the story of Acts. Peter explains in chapter 10 that, “We are witnesses to everything he did.” A witness is not a theologian with polished definitions. A witness is someone who saw something, heard something, experienced something noteworthy, and wants to share it with others.

Peter, Mary, and Mary speak as witnesses who walked with Jesus, saw him crucified, dead and buried, and then ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. Their authority is not rooted in expertise, but in encounter.

Through the Holy Spirit, we also encounter Jesus. We seek him in Scripture, in worship, in quiet prayer. We experience him in unexpected gestures of grace and in the slow healing of what once felt broken. Whenever we come and see, we find ourselves surprised by hope again.

As we worship on this Easter morning, we are not asked to explain the resurrection. We are simply invited to behold it. To stand in awe. Come and see what God has done.

But Easter does not end at the tomb; rather, it is just the beginning.

To go and tell does not require a stage or an eloquent sermon. It happens in quiet conversation, a well-timed word of encouragement, a simple story of how God met you in a hard season, how he saved you, healed you, and called you home.

As we work this rhythm (come and see, go and tell) into our lives, we can expect Jesus to show up at any moment. Each encounter gives us something to share with others. The key is to keep looking for Jesus as we go about our daily lives. Come and see … Go and tell … because we are still living the resurrection story.

PRAYER

Master Jesus, I’m on the lookout for you today. Please meet me along the way, and then present opportunities to share your grace with others.

Deidre Franklin
Pastor, Spiritual Formation

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