There is an old story about a very near-sighted man who wanted to impress his girlfriend. He was going to have dinner with her family one evening, so he went over early and put a needle in the crook of a tree some distance from the front porch. He reasoned that when dinner was finished, he and the girl would sit on the front porch and he would find the needle and impress her with his visual acuity. That evening, as they sat on the porch, he pretended to see the needle and set out to retrieve it. As luck would have it, as he was walking across the field, he stumbled over a cow.
But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you."
Matthew 28:5-7
It is the third day after the crucifixion. The women have come to the tomb to anoint the body for burial. They were expecting to be challenged by the Roman soldiers, but instead they experienced an earthquake caused by an angel rolling the huge boulder from the mouth of the tomb. The Roman guards saw the angel and fainted dead away, but the women listened as he spoke. These two women had also witnessed the events on the cross three days prior to this. They had heard Jesus’ words from the cross and were there when He gave up His spirit. They knew that he had been placed in this very tomb and now the angel had rolled away the boulder and showed them that Jesus was no longer there! One can only imagine what was going through their minds.
There are three absolutes that make up the foundation of our faith as Christians. First of all, the Son of God lived a sinless life on earth and died on a cross for our sins. Result – an empty cross, stained with His blood. Next, Jesus was resurrected on the third day following His crucifixion. Result – an empty tomb containing the grave clothes of Jesus. Finally, Jesus ascended into heaven to take up his rightful place as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Result – Jesus is wearing His crown of righteousness seated at the right hand of God the Father. God used the emptiness created by the actions of sinful man to create the fulfillment of the salvation of these same men.
The empty cross points out the victory of Jesus over sin. The empty tomb testifies to the victory of Jesus over death. Jesus’ position at the right hand of God gives us our promise of the final victory over the very presence of sin and death, and our ultimate destination before the throne of Heaven. The empty cross and the empty tomb must have created a huge feeling of emptiness in the hearts of those who had walked with Him, but they soon experienced the filling of the promised Holy Spirit. God can change even the most profound sorrow into glory for His Kingdom.
We do not worship at the foot of the cross – for it is empty. We do not worship at the door of the tomb – for it is empty. We worship at the feet of the Savior – for He is seated next to God, making intercession for us, and preparing our eternal homes. We must not be like the man on the porch and get so involved in reaching for the obscure that we stumble over the obvious.
Jesus is alive!
We serve an awesome God!!!!!
But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you."
Matthew 28:5-7
It is the third day after the crucifixion. The women have come to the tomb to anoint the body for burial. They were expecting to be challenged by the Roman soldiers, but instead they experienced an earthquake caused by an angel rolling the huge boulder from the mouth of the tomb. The Roman guards saw the angel and fainted dead away, but the women listened as he spoke. These two women had also witnessed the events on the cross three days prior to this. They had heard Jesus’ words from the cross and were there when He gave up His spirit. They knew that he had been placed in this very tomb and now the angel had rolled away the boulder and showed them that Jesus was no longer there! One can only imagine what was going through their minds.
There are three absolutes that make up the foundation of our faith as Christians. First of all, the Son of God lived a sinless life on earth and died on a cross for our sins. Result – an empty cross, stained with His blood. Next, Jesus was resurrected on the third day following His crucifixion. Result – an empty tomb containing the grave clothes of Jesus. Finally, Jesus ascended into heaven to take up his rightful place as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Result – Jesus is wearing His crown of righteousness seated at the right hand of God the Father. God used the emptiness created by the actions of sinful man to create the fulfillment of the salvation of these same men.
The empty cross points out the victory of Jesus over sin. The empty tomb testifies to the victory of Jesus over death. Jesus’ position at the right hand of God gives us our promise of the final victory over the very presence of sin and death, and our ultimate destination before the throne of Heaven. The empty cross and the empty tomb must have created a huge feeling of emptiness in the hearts of those who had walked with Him, but they soon experienced the filling of the promised Holy Spirit. God can change even the most profound sorrow into glory for His Kingdom.
We do not worship at the foot of the cross – for it is empty. We do not worship at the door of the tomb – for it is empty. We worship at the feet of the Savior – for He is seated next to God, making intercession for us, and preparing our eternal homes. We must not be like the man on the porch and get so involved in reaching for the obscure that we stumble over the obvious.
Jesus is alive!
We serve an awesome God!!!!!
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