Because the tomb is empty. Mat 28:1-10. WBC Easter Day 16.04.06am
The empty tomb. This is it! This is what it is all about. The cornerstone of our faith!
If we had each person that witnessed the resurrected Lord come up here this morning and talk for 15 minutes giving a testimony to what they saw…. About the empty tomb
If we listened to the testimony of all the people that Jesus appeared to, we would be here all day, and all night, and Monday and Monday night and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and sometime early Friday morning they would just be wrapping up the testimony.
It would take over 128 straight hours just to hear, for 15 minutes each, the testimony of those that saw the Lord after he rose.
Contributed by: Ken Kersten on www.sermoncentral.com
And three V’s as to what the empty tomb shows
VINDICATION of Jesus
It means He was right! Vindicated in all he said and stood for
1) About Himself
- yes: truly He is the Son of God. He is just who He says He was. The I AM. Because the tomb is empty
o RO 1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God-- 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
o Illustr: The cross, as poignant as it is, is understandable from a human perspective: an innocent man was murdered by crooked politicians and religious leaders. But the empty tomb-- what can you say? Only a supernatural God could accomplish that.
Jim Cymbala - "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire"
Contributed by: SermonCentral PRO
God the Father vindicated Him and put His seal of approval on Him. We know this because the tomb was empty
Wanna know who Jesus is? The Father, angels, and the church birthed by this miraculous event say "look! The tomb is empty! That will tell you who He is!"
2) About what He said
- and everything Jesus said about how to live and how to get to heaven is true! Because the tomb is empty
We can be a bit selective about what we believe of Jesus words
- I like the bit about loving my neighbour… but I’m not buying into that "I am the way the truth and the life…. No one comes to the father except by me" bit
o Or that ’lay down your life to find it’ bit
o Or that ’seek first the Kingdom… and I’ll look after everything else’ bit
Everything Jesus said is vindicated and validated. Because the tomb is empty
- and if we build on His words, teaching and self- we’re building on a rock
o Illustr: there is no doubt about it: Christian’s lives are different and better. I’ve heard others say ’if this stuff isn’t true it ought to be!’- because it works! People make such pigs ears of their lives because they don’t follow Jesus or His teachings
o Truth is- it works because it’s true. Jesus is true!
Here’s the second V- because the tomb is empty
VICTORY over death
Death has been conquered and knocked for six.
The last enemy has been defeated- because the tomb is empty….
- this thing that holds people in bondage… fear… trepidation… stops them making the most of this life
o it’s power is gone!
Death still hurts. Stings. In a human sense
- because we still die…. And we miss those who have gone before
- … and we wait for the day when even that will be conquered when there will be no more death ("because of you!")
But it has lost its power. Totally. Over you. Because the tomb is empty
- death is, for us, just the gateway to life eternal. Our mortality being clothed with immortality
1CO 15:50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
1CO 15:55 "Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"
1CO 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The empty tomb is proof of the life-hereafter… and that it is to be gained through Jesus. It’s the proof of
- the continuation of personality beyond the grave
o Jesus died and was physically dead for three days… but He came back into His body somehow and His personality and memories were in tact
o Though we are physical, bio-chemical beings (and our personalities are as well)- God can somehow download us into some non volatile RAM (Pc memory!) and upload us again in any way He wants. Into our new beings. Into our new bodies when we get them
o (because ultimately our existence will be something like Jesus’. Embodied personalities)
- and the empty tomb is proof of our resurrection. To life
Does the fear of death hold you back? Are you worried about those who have gone before
- well, Jesus holds the keys to death… heaven
- entrust yourselves and them to Him
Death just means Jesus’ blinding, unbridled glory and presence. Because the tomb is empty! Hallelujah!
And here’s the last V
VIEWPOINT
By this I mean perspective. The empty tomb changes our perspective on everything!
Okay- life is to be lived to the full… and Jesus came to give us that- but the empty tomb tells me there is a whole lot more to this than the things the world values.
- this is not all there is!
- Get things in perspective! Get the right viewpoint on what matters- because the tomb is empty!
1) The trials of this life
- life is tough. I know. Bad stuff happens
o …..those relationships. That job. Those arguments. Those hurts. Your limitations
- but the tomb is empty! Get the right viewpoint- perspective.
o These things will pass away!
… I ought to just say this perspective…. Paradigm… world view shift applies to:
2) the good things, not just the bad
- those things you love and enjoy SO much!
o Oh good! But remember- the tomb is empty! These things will pass away
o Live/give your life for something that will last forever. Store up some treasures (and Jewels in the crown) for what awaits you!
And… because the tomb is empty… our viewpoint is big-time shifted on something else, too:
3) the gospel
- People’s relationship with Jesus. there’s nothing more important. It’s a life or death matter- because the tomb is empty. It’s SO important
- Illustr: Liz and her team went into Victoria house on Weds to do an Easter service. (If you don’t know it’s an old folks home around the corner). One old gent joined them very tentatively. Hesitantly. Liz and the others encouraged him.
- The next day his daughter rang to say ’thank you!’. Apparently her dad had had a genuine faith when younger- but it had lapsed, flagged, been eroded. She phoned to say he had found his faith again that day.
- Oh my Lord! And the time is short, you know. He’s ready to depart, now.
- And praise the Lord… thank you Jesus.. He is giving us the ministry of populating heaven one precious soul at a time!
- Do I believe it’s as simple as ’saying yes in my heart at a service?’
o Yes and no! Of course there’s so much more- yet it is as simple as that!
o And we need a new administrator so we can go with the anointing on this work and share the gospel with people
o … because the tomb is empty!
1 Cor 15:14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
1CO 15:20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep
- and so our preaching is not in vain! The gospel is crucial- and we must not be ashamed of it… and must take it to everyone
- because the tomb is empty!
And here’s the final viewpoint
- -everything is pulled into perspective by the empty tomb. Easter day. The resurrection
o and it’s good to know this
- Good Friday IS there. In the bible… and in our lives. Those times of extreme sorrow. God’s seeming impotence. Failure. Defeat
o If you’re in that… or have had that: that’s a Biblical experience. (Too many Christians try and deny Good Friday)
- But here’s the encouragement… viewpoint: Friday is real! But so is Sunday for us- because the tomb is empty
o "it’s Friday- but Sunday’s a-coming!"
o … because the tomb is empty. Hallelujah!
