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"Empty Makes Us Jesus Strong"
Contributed by Gerald Roberts on Apr 18, 2014 (message contributor)
Summary: The empty tomb makes us Jesus Strong because there is absence but there is also a presence, the tomb is empty that alone creates hope, empty allows us to rise above, and this is because we are Jesus Strong.
Empty makes us Jesus Strong Mark 16:1-8
On the morn of resurrection Mary Madeleine encountered a Massive Void "The Tomb was empty".
Mark 16:8Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
Mary feels Empty she does not feel Jesus Strong
1. Her best friend has just been crucified
2. She goes to pay respects and finds what? Nothing. Empty.
Consider some of our Massive Voids or our Empties in our life.
1. Families are all gone; I have out lived my friends,
2. My spouse is gone because a cancer has infected his or her body
3. I feel all alone at time that is a big empty
4. You try to read the word and find you can't remember anymore what you read.
5. You're so ill and seems there is no hope that is Empty
Even today's Gospel writer appears to be a Big Empty. Notice verse 8
Even in some of your bibles you will read the following after verse 8:
"Early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20."
How does this Empty Tomb Speaks to us?
1. Marks account speaks to us about Empty makes us Jesus Strong
• There is an absence, but there is also a presence God filled Joshua's concern.
• As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
2. Although the Tomb is empty Jesus Strong Remembers, Remember He promised us his Presence forever
• I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- 17the Spirit of truth. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
3. Marks account speaks of an Empty Tomb this massive void fills us with the Power of overflowing Hope this
is Jesus strong
• Hope cannot be conjured up by man's effort; it is God's gift by his Spirit
• Romans 15:13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
4. Marks account speaks to us about Emptiness but it also teaches us of a abounding ability to Rise above
Emptiness. This is Jesus Strong
• Paul talks to us about an ability to rise above empty and be Jesus Strong2 Cor 1:8We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.
• Job had an ability that rose up in his emptiness He was Jesus Strong 25I know that my Redeemer lives, 26And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27I myself will see him with my own eyes--I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!
5. Finally, The Empty Tomb teaches us to be Jesus Strong we can overcome because he has Risen
We can overcome the absences by allowing his presence in our life's this is Jesus Strong
We can overcome the voids by encountering the Hope. This is Jesus Strong
We can overcome incompleteness by becoming a complete believer. This is Jesus Strong
We can overcome emptiness by applying God's strength to rise above. This is Jesus Strong