Introduction

It’s EASTER Sunday, He is Risen! If you’re a new believer you should know that Easter is far and away the most important Christian day of remembrance. It’s a day when we celebrate the empty tomb and Christ's resurrection from the dead! We have the benefit of knowing how the story ended 2000 years ago, but for those first disciples much of what they experienced was earth shaking, deeply painful, disappointment.

You see, there were many who believed that the Messiah would come as a conqueror and re-establish the Jewish nation by overthrowing all her enemies. Historically speaking, many thought the Messiah would be a king like David or Joshua… So you can imagine the disillusionment when Jesus didn’t even put up a fight on the night He was arrested.

And if this wasn’t bad enough, Jesus died...alone, crucified, and humiliated on a Roman Cross. It would be impossible to imagine how devastated and disappointed those early disciples were. In fact, I can’t even think of an illustration or example to share with you to say, “It was like this…” The truth is, it was horrible. Actually, it was worse than horrible… it was hopeless.

Actually, it was worse than horrible… it was hopeless.

The Tomb Was And Is Empty

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” Luke 24:1-6

“He is not here; he has risen!” What do you think the women were thinking at this moment? Bewilderment is probably an understatement, but it’s a good start. Thankfully the angels who were also at the tomb remind them that Jesus said he must, “be crucified and on the third day be raised again.” And from there, the women were so excited they ran back to tell everyone else.

Like I said earlier, we know how this story ends and how things play out… but the empty tomb is worth noting. It’s worth getting excited about and it’s definitely worth telling others. The empty tomb is and will always be a definitive reminder that the body of Christ is gone. That He has indeed risen and He’s alive!

Later on in Luke 24 we pick up the story with 2 disciples walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus; “That same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem ... View this full sermon with PRO Premium