Easter - Celebration Of Emptiness

Imagination is a Wonderful thing...

Out of it we get –

A FAT Man that delivers gifts...

A RABBIT that lays/hides Eggs...

A FAIRY that pays money for Teeth...

WHY CAN’T WE Have an IMAGINATION?

OF HOW GOOD LIFE REALLY CAN BE W/JC

Or About HEAVEN...

EASTER STORY

HOPE in the MOST HOPELESS of Situations...

LIGHT...LOVE...STRENGTH...

FULLNESS in the MIDST of EMPTINESS

John 20:1-14

Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him. Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?

IMAGINE –

2000 years ago...Graveyard w/Flowers...Tomb is Ripped Open...Casket Busted Open...

Body is Gone – Clothes are Lying in the Casket = FOLDED...

They went to the tomb and it was empty!

Empty – In that what was supposed to be there wasn’t. There was no body!

They saw the stone rolled away and looked inside and Jesus’ body was gone. It was gone!

Tomb was empty!

EMPTY

Is not Something we normally are ready to Celebrate

Empty means void. Nothingness.

A place...A bowl or container...My car/truck...Empty handed...Stomach...

Empty can also be an inner condition...Feel Empty within...

Empty

Means there should be something there, but is not.

Easter is all about emptiness – CELEBRATION OF IT!

That’s really quite strange when you think about it.

Who in their right mind celebrates emptiness?

Easter is a celebration of emptiness.

I. FIRST WORDS

IF

IF You Came Back from the DEAD – What Would YOU SAY?

1st WORDS?

YO...SUP...COOL...WOW...You Won’t Believe this one...

Like LAST Words in LIFE Are Important – WORDS on the Other Side Would Be Also...

BOOKS Are Written By People Who Have Claimed to have Had that Encounter –

WE BUY Their BOOKS AS Thought THEY Are the 1st Ones to Have that Experience & As THOUGH

They Have Something Profound TO SAY

I Think Jesus’ First Words are Extremely Insightful ALSO

CLUE as to the Meaning of it all...Intended Result...Objective...

2 of the Gospels have Words From Jesus Recorded hat DAY

Matt. & Jn.

Jn. 20:15 Woman, why are you weeping?

Matt. 28:9,10 Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” ...Then Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid...Go & tell...

Other GOSPELS – 1st Encounters

Mk. 16:15 Go into all the world & preach the gospel...He who believes...will be saved...he who doesn’t will be condemned. ...Signs...cast out demons...speak with new tongues...serpents...drink anything deadly...lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Lk. 24:17 He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this...and why are you sad?”

THEY EACH Seem to Deal with AN INNER Condition – that no LONGER MAKES Sense Because of The RISEN SAVIOR!

Lk. 24:5 Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!

THE IRONY –

They weren’t Looking for the LIVING

They came FOR THE BODY of Jesus – DEAD Not ALIVE

They Had Given Up ON HOPE...

Coming out of RESPECT...SADNESS...LOSS...CLOSURE...MEMORY...

NOT

IN HOPE...LOOKING FOR LIFE...

IF THEY WERE LOOKING FOR LIFE –

THEY CAME to the WRONG PLACE!

LIKE US!

We Look to FIND LIFE in ALL the Wrong PLACES too!