THE 4 MESSAGES OF THE EMPTY TOMB
Luke 24:1-6; 36-47
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. I heard about a Church musician that overslept on Easter morning. At 6:30 the church had an early service. The pastor called at 6:31. She got to the church 10 minutes later and started playing.
2. The following Easter her phone rang at 5:45. The pastor said gently, “Christ is Risen! And you better be risen too!” [Paul Tan, Encyclo. Of 7,700 Illus., #2783]
B. TEXT
24 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. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 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? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee?” 36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”….41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luke 24:1-6, 36-39,41-43,46-47.
C. THE TURNING POINT OF HISTORY
1. The day Christ died was the most important day in all of human history. Matthew described how when Jesus was dying on the cross, the sun became dark for three hours, the veil of the Temple was torn from top to bottom, the ground began to rumble with an earthquake, and that the graves of many righteous people around Jerusalem were opened.
2. The Bible relates that the thief on the cross next to Jesus and even the Roman Centurion in charge of the execution became believers in Christ as a result of the miraculous events surrounding his crucifixion.
3. But something much greater than these isolated events was taking place; Jesus was reconciling the human race to God, He being the final sacrifice to take away sin. It was captured in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
4. This morning we’re going to look at “The Four Messages of the Empty Tomb.” FIRST…
I. WE DON’T HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF DEATH
A. THE PROBLEM OF FEAR
1. We’re all beset with fears. The young fear rejection by their peers and the old are afraid of getting sick.
2. There's fear of lightning, tornadoes, airplanes, financial ruin, assault, cancer, etc.
3. Fear is contagious and paralyzing. The ultimate fear is the fear of death.
B. WHY THE RESURRECTION CALMS OUR FEARS
1. The resurrection is important because none of us are going to make it out of this life alive. We may live 90 years, be we’re all going to die.
2. Jesus rising from the dead proved:
a. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was pleasing to God;
b. Jesus overcoming death proves His eradication of sin;
c. It proves that Jesus stands alone in being the Savior & Redeemer of the world.
3. ILLUS.: ASK THE LIVING ONE!
a. Dr. Seamands told of a Muslim who became a Christian in Africa. "Some of his friends asked him, ’Why have you become a Christian?’
b. He answered, ’Well, it’s like this. Suppose you were going down the road and suddenly the road forked in two directions, and you didn’t know which way to go, and there at the fork in the road were two men, one dead and one alive--which one would you ask the way to go?’"
c. They all admitted that they would ask the one who was alive! Only Jesus is Alive!
4. A Buddhist bragged to a Christian, “Archeologists have found one of the fingers of Buddha, but all you have is an empty tomb!” The Christian responded, “The empty tomb is the PROOF that Jesus overcame death! The empty tomb is the best possible news, because it tells us Jesus IS ALIVE!
C. THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS
1. Jesus’ resurrection was UNSTOPPABLE! Pilate told the Roman guards to make Jesus’ tomb “as sure [secure] as you can” (Mt. 27:65). Isn’t it something that common, everyday people think they can stop the hand of God?
a. The Guards at the tomb – couldn’t stop it.
b. The large stone and the seal – couldn’t stop it.
c. Pontius Pilate – couldn’t stop it.
d. Caesar and his legions – couldn’t stop it.
e. Not the Atheists, the Liberals, the Doubters, or Scoffers;
f. Not the Presidents, Not the Parliaments, No Power in the universe, heaven, or hell could stop it! His resurrection was unstoppable!
2. The Apostle Paul tells us that there were 500 people at one time who saw Jesus after His resurrection -- ALIVE – and doubters could question them and they’d gladly tell the truthfulness of His resurrection 1 Cor. 15:4-8.
3. Luke (Acts 1:3) tells us that Jesus appeared to the disciples over a period of 40 days, in at least 12 appearances, with at least 515 people seeing Him! In a court of law, 515 eyewitnesses would be overwhelming evidence!
4. The 2nd message of the Empty Tomb is...
II. SIN & ITS CONSEQUENCES ARE OBLITERATED
A. THE TERRIBLE POWER OF SIN
1. Since the Fall of man in sin, we’ve all had a “bent” toward evil. Even at our best, we still harbor evil intentions.
2. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” This means that we have all been infected with the “germ” of sin and this infection will keep us out of heaven.
3. Isaiah 59:2 says, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”
B. GOOD NEWS: JESUS BORE YOUR SINS
1. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed.”
2. Once Jesus died for our sins, as our substitute, there could be no more accusation against us, because our debt was paid (that is, if we’ve surrendered our lives to Christ).
3. Did you read the B.C. cartoon, where 2 women are sitting on a small hill. One is reading the Bible and says, “Oh, my goodness. . . It says here. . . Jesus descended into hell!” The other is shocked and says, “You’re kidding!” Then the woman with the Bible says, “Oh, no. . . Not to stay! He just dropped in to cancel our reservations!”
4. The old song says, “What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!” The 3RD message of the Empty Tomb is...
III. THE PROMISE OF A NEW LIFE (NOW)
A. NEW CREATURES
1. Not only is our old life blotted out by the blood of Jesus, but we are credited with His righteousness, and given a clean slate, a new start. How wonderful it is to have a spotless record!
2. The Bible tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” The Greek speaks of us becoming a new Creatures in Christ and children of God, having His nature inside us.
3. “For by these He has granted to us His precious… promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust” 2 Pet. 1:4 NASB.
B. A NEW LIFE
1. How many of you would like to start your life over and –
-- leave a few things out?
-- reverse a few dumb decisions?
2. We can’t do that, but we can start over in the sight of God. If Jesus can change:
-- Immoral women into saintly ones,
-- Murderers into apostles,
-- Judgmental, Harsh men into Apostles of Love, then God can transform you too. Trust in him.
3. Romans 8:1 begins with these wonderful words, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…” That means there’s nothing for you to feel bad about if you’re trusting in Christ for your salvation. Your new life can begin today as you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior. The 4TH MESSAGE OF THE EMPTY TOMB IS:
IV. RESURRECTION & IMMORTALITY ARE POSSIBLE
A. UNCERTAINTY TURNED TO REALITY
1. Four hundred years before the birth of Christ, the renowned Greek philosopher Socrates drank the poison hemlock and lay down to die. “Shall we live again” his friends asked? The dying philosopher could only reply, “I hope so, but no man can know.”
2. Paul said, “But now is Christ risen and become the first fruits of them that slept” 1 Cor. 15:20.
3. A former skeptic by the name of Josh McDowell said, “After more than 700 hours of studying this subject, and thoroughly investigating its foundation, I have come to the conclusion that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the ‘most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted upon the minds of men, or it is the most fantastic fact of history.’” Josh McDowell became convinced of Jesus’ resurrection and has written many volumes defending it.
B. VIOLATING TOMBS!
1. In 2005, a 43 year-old man in Holland was charged with “violating tombs” because he kept sleeping in the graveyard at Nijmegen. He dug holes and upset grave stones, so he was convicted of violating tombs!
2. Today we are here to celebrate another man who violated tombs, Jesus Christ! He upset every funeral He ever attended, raising the deceased from the dead! That’s what Easter’s about: Jesus violated His own tomb, rising triumphant over death! [“Tramp arrested for sleeping in grave,” March, 14, 2005, ananova.com.]
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. The scene was the Nazi Death Camp in Auschwitz, Poland. The year was 1941. Several prisoners had successfully escaped, so in order to make an example, the Nazis randomly chose ten prisoners to be herded into a cell where they would be starved to death.
2. The name of a Polish Jew named Franciszek Gajowniczek was called. He cried out in anguish, “Wait! I have a wife and children. What will happen to them?” The guards ignored him.
3. Then another prisoner, Maximilian Kolbe, stepped forward and said, “I’ll take his place.” Kolbe was a Catholic priest arrested for hiding Jews from the Nazis. The soldiers grabbed Kolbe instead. He was marched into the starvation cell and never made it out alive.
4. A few years ago, NBC interviewed the 82-year-old Franciskek. He cried as he told the story of Maximillian Kolbe. The camera followed him outside his tiny house to a carefully tended garden with marble monument.
5. It said, “IN MEMORY OF MAXIMILIAN KOLBE. HE DIED IN MY PLACE.”
6. That’s exactly what Jesus did for each one of us. We are guilty and deserve the penalty of death and hell, but Jesus stepped up and said, “Father, I take their place. Take me instead.”
B. ALTAR CALL
1. Everyone has been given a piece of “glitter-flash paper” (2 x 3 inches). They have written their names on it. It represents our sins. They are now asked to come forward and pin it on the cross (standing before the pulpit.)
2. PRAYER. After praying and asking Jesus to take all our sins, Pastor lights the glitter paper, which goes up in sparks, leaving only the Cross. "OUR SINS ARE GONE! PTL!"
[NOTE: You must use extreme care with fire inside church. The flash paper (we had 350 sheets) sent up a wave of fire 5 feet above the top of the cross. We had wrapped the cross with heavy aluminum foil paper. If we hadn't it might have caught on fire. We had fire extinguishers ready and plywood decking beneath the cross to absorb the shower of sparks. We have a fifty foot ceiling so everything went fine.]
