EASTER
Back in 1922 a British archaeologist named Howard Carter became famous when he discovered the intact tomb of King Tutankhamun, a young Egyptian pharaoh who lived and ruled in about 1332 BC. Other tombs in Egypt had been found before this, but what made this tomb so unique was the fact that it still had everything in it. There was so much wealth that it took 7 weeks to get all 5400 items of treasure out. Among these treasures was a solid gold coffin, golden face masks, chests, chairs and even 7 model boats. Even though he only ruled for 10 years, a great deal is known about his the life of this pharaoh because of the objects that were recovered from his tomb.
Tombs often are able to tell us a lot about a person. Tomb stones themselves are often said to be a summation of one’s life. Today however I want to talk about the greatest tomb of all time, a tomb that changed the world forever. Unlike the tomb of King Tutankhamun it was a simple, empty tomb.
John 20:1-8 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" 3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.
Today is Easter. It is a celebration of the fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. So what does the empty tomb of Jesus remind us this morning? It reminds us of 3 important things;
1. God’s Power
The tombs of Egypt are famous because they contained the mummified bodies of ancient Egyptian Kings. Westminster Abbey in London is revered, because in it rests the bodies of English nobles and notables. Arlington cemetery in Washington, D.C. is revered for it is the honored resting place of many outstanding Americans. But the tomb of Jesus is famous not for what it holds, but because it is empty.
The empty tomb reminds of God power. It is the fulfilment of many prophesies written hundreds of years before Jesus was even born. They told how the Messiah would die, be buried and how he would be raised from the dead. The resurrection was God’s definitive demonstration of power. It transformed the lives of everyone who experienced the risen Christ, infusing them with new found courage and hope.
There were those who try to argue that the resurrection did not really happen. Some say that Jesus was not really dead when he was laid in the tomb. They think he was beaten until the point of death, so that he could no longer stand, then had his hands and feet nailed to a cross, pierced with a spear so that water mixed with blood poured out of his side. He was then verified dead by an expert in death and buried in a tomb, tightly wrapped in 100 lbs of linen and spices. That he suddenly came too, threw off the wrappings and pushed aside the 2 ton stone that normally took 20 men to move, breaking the Roman seal and scaring away the guards that were there.
Others argue that the disciples stole the body of Jesus. The fearful disciples who fled so they wouldn’t even be associated with him by the Roman authorities, somehow came together and overtook the trained Roman soldiers and moved the stone. Their fear was somehow transformed into relentless courage, with which they all would go out and die for what they knew to be a lie.
Others argue that the disciples simply went to the wrong tomb that morning. That Mary and the other women, then Peter and John went to the wrong place. That Joseph from Arimathea had forgotten where he had placed Jesus and that the guards had simply run away for no reason.
The truth is that Peter could stand forty days later and proclaim to everyone that Jesus had risen from the dead and no one could dispute his story because they all knew it was true. All the authorities had to do to stop those early Christians was produce the body of Jesus. They couldn’t. He had risen.
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
The apostle Paul could speak of Jesus appearing to over 500 people who were still alive and well. Imagine that, if each one were to stand up and give just a 6 minute testimony of what they had seen and heard, you would have 50 hours of testimony about the risen Christ!
The truth is that Jesus did rise from the dead.
Josh McDowell went to school to become a layer. As an Agnostic, he decided to write a paper examining the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus in order to disprove it. However, after more than seven hundred hours of studying and investigating the evidence he realized that it was in fact true. His book Evidence that Demands a Verdict presents that argument.
Professor Thomas Arnold was an English educator and historian. He wrote the three-volume History of Rome. He was the chair of modern history at Oxford and was well acquainted with the value of evidence in determining historical facts. This great scholar said,
“I have been used for many years to study the histories of other times, and to examine and weigh the evidence of those who have written about them, and I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair inquirer, than the great sign which God hath given us that Christ died and rose again from the dead.”
Dr. Frank Morrison was a lawyer who had been brought up in a rationalistic environment. He was of the opinion that the resurrection was nothing but a fairy-tale happy ending which spoiled the matchless story of Jesus. He felt that he owed it to himself, and to others, to write a book that would present the truth about Jesus and dispel the myth of the resurrection. Upon studying the facts, however, he, too, came to a different conclusion. The sheer weight of the evidence compelled him to conclude that Jesus actually did rise from the dead. Morrison wrote his book—but not the one he had planned. It is titled, Who Moved the Stone? The first chapter, is called, “The Book That Refused to Be Written.”
The empty tomb reminds us of God’s ultimate power. A power that points to an ultimate purpose. Throughout his trial, Jesus was told many times to demonstrate his power by escaping his suffering and his death. Each time He refused because His ultimate demonstration of power was His power over death. That could only be shown if He did, in fact, die.
Ephesians 1:18-20 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms
Paul tells us here that the empty tomb reminds us of God’s power. That same power is available to each one of us today.
1 Corinthians 6:14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.
The events of Easter cannot be reduced to a creed or philosophy. We are not asked to believe the doctrine of the resurrection. We are asked to meet this person raised from the dead. In faith, we move from belief in a doctrine to a knowledge of a person. Ultimate truth is a person. We met him. He is alive -- Bruce Larson
Over the years Bill and Gloria Gaither have written many wonderful Christian. In the late 1960’s, Gloria was expecting a child. The couple was going through some terrible problems. Bill had been seriously sick, their music had been attacked by the media and by other Christians. On new years eve night, Gloria sat in a dark room experiencing a time of torment and fear. She said, “I sat alone in the darkness thinking about the rebellious world and all of our problems - and about our coming baby. Who in their right mind would bring a child into a world like this?” She was at the height of her fear and then something happened. She said, “I can’t quite explain what happened in that next moment, but suddenly I felt released from it all. The panic hat had built up inside me was replaced by a reassuring presence and a soft voice that kept saying, ‘Don’t forget the empty tomb, don’t forget the empty tomb.’ Then I knew I could have that baby and face the future with optimism and trust for I had been reminded that it was all worth it just because He lives.” And she wrote: “How sweet to hold a newborn baby, and feel the pride and joy he gives; but greater still the calm assurance, this child can face uncertain days because He lives. Because He lives I can face tomorrow, because He lives all fear is gone, because I know He holds the future. And life is worth the living just because He lives.”
Maybe you are here this morning and you too have experienced a death in your life. The death of a loved one. The death of a dream or the loss of hope in your life. Remember that the power of God is real and is here today. I pray with Paul that the eyes of your heart may be opened and that you would know that hope and the riches of that resurrection power in your life today.
2. God’s Priority
The empty tomb reminds us of God’s power, but it also reminds us of God’s priority. Jesus did not just come to the earth so that He could suffer and die for no purpose. He came for a reason. His priority is people. He came so that you could go to heaven. Jesus did not come just to make bad people good, he came to make dead people live.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.
Jesus died and rose from the dead for a reason, and that reason is you.
Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
What does the empty tomb remind us of? I reminds us that you matter to God. You are important.
Matthew 18:12-14 What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.
Do you understand your value? Do you see yourself the way that God sees you? There are so many people in our world that wrestle with their identity. They question why they exist, why they were born. They do not understand their value.
In the comic strip, Calvin and Hobbes, Calvin is at school, and his teacher is attempting to teach the class. She says, If there are no questions, we will move on to the next chapter. I have a question. Certainly Calvin, what is it? What’s the point of human existence? I meant any questions about the subject at hand. Oh, said Calvin frankly, I’d like to have the issue resolved before I expend any more energy on this.
While I get a laugh out of Calvin’s motive a part of me can also appreciate his question. Deep down, we long to settle the question: “What’s the point of our human existence?” It is the ultimate questions that give meaning to each moment of life. The answer to that question is simple. You exist because God wanted you to exist. You exist because God loves you. You have value because God created you to have value.
A gem dealer was strolling the aisles at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show when he noticed a blue-violet stone the size and shape of a potato. He looked it over, then, as calmly as possible, asked the vendor, “You want $15 for this?” The seller, realizing the rock wasn’t as pretty as others in the bin, lowered the price to $10. The stone has since been certified as a 1,905-carat natural star sapphire, about 800 carats larger than the largest stone of its kind., It was appraised at $2.28 million. It took a lover of stones to recognize the sapphire’s worth. It took the Lover of Souls to recognize the true value of ordinary looking people like us.
Often we do not see our own value because we tend to compare ourselves with others. We know our own failings and flaws and we focus on them. When Jesus walked amongst us, he focused on the poor and the broken. He touched the lepers and helped the poor. He spent time with sinners.
What was the first words that Jesus spoke to His disciples after He had risen from the dead?
John 20:19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
There was one of the disciples who missed it. Thomas was not with them when Jesus came, so he had his doubts as to whether what his friends was telling him was really true. So a week later Jesus comes again;
John 20:26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
The first words of Jesus here were the same as before, “peace.” In the midst of their doubts and fears and brokenness Jesus comes and says PEACE. It’s been said, that “the great tragedy of our lives is that we live between the shame of our failures and the fear of our future.” Jesus came to set us free from our failures. He came to take all the weight of our sin and separation from God and to restore us.
We all fall short, but in Jesus there is no more shame, no more sacrifice, no more fear. Just PEACE. A peace that will last from now into eternity.
3. God’s Presence
The empty tomb reminds us of God’s power and it reminds us of God’s priority. It also reminds us of God’s presence. Because Jesus is alive we know that He is with us.
Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
After sixteen years as a missionary on the continent of Africa, David Livingstone returned Scotland to address the students at Glasgow University. His body had been ravaged by fever and the many boughts of Malaria he had suffered. One arm hung at his side, the result of being mauled by a lion. The core of his message that day was simply this; “Shall I tell you what sustained me amidst the toil, the hardship, and the loneliness of my travels? lt was Christ's promise, ‘Lo. I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.’”
That promise that Jesus gave was not just for David Livingstone. It is also for each one of us. The same God that went with him through his travels in Africa goes with us as we live out our faith in our workplaces, schools and home. Jesus has promised that He is with us, and will always be with us. The empty tomb is a reminder and confirmation of that promise.
Psalms 139:7-10 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
God is always with us. However, there are times God allows us to sometimes feel as if we are away from him, which I think he does for a reason. Do you ever drive differently when you see a squad car behind you? Why? It is because your heart has changed. It is because you see that squad car and think, ‘Oh, I want to be a good driver, the best driver I can possibly be.’ No. It is because you don’t want to get a ticket! You don’t want that little light flashing in the rear-view mirror. You see God doesn’t want forced compliance. God is so immense that if he were 'too visible,' people would give forced compliance without expressing their heart. So God makes it possible, in enormous love, for us to live as if he were not there.
God is with us, but we choose to remember or reject His presence. Howard Carter became famous when he discovered the tomb of King Tutankhamun, but discovery had come at great personal cost. He had taken more than 10 years of his life and all his family fortune to finally make that discovery. When he first found the sand covered steps leading down to the tomb on Nov 4, 1922 he quickly had them uncovered. Upon finally finding the door he put a light in and looked inside. When they asked him what he saw he only said, “Marvelous things.” Then he sat down on the steps, put his head in his hands and cried. When asked why he was crying he told them “10 years ago I dug 18 inches from the top of these steps. I was so close, so very close ...” 10 years of his life were gone because he missed what was so very close.
Maybe you are here this morning and you feel a little like Josh McDowell or Frank Morrison did when they sat down to disprove the resurrection. Maybe you are a sceptic. Maybe you have your doubts about whether the Easter message is really true. The Apostle Paul could point to over 500 people that had seen the risen Christ. Look around you this morning. There are hundreds of people here today that have met the risen saviour. They have felt his presence, they have experienced His resurrection power.
I encourage you this morning, don’t miss Jesus. You are so close. Don’t miss this opportunity to dig deeper. To find that doorway leading to joy beyond all measure. The riches of God’s inheritance. Receive Him into your heart today.
