Easter 2023
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Why an empty tomb is such good news?
Why an empty tomb is such good news?
Alleluia, Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed, Alleluia!
Talk 1
Talk 1
Normally we don’t like things to be empty.
Easter eggs are better if they are filled with sweets,
Money boxes are better filled with money.
Toy boxes, food cupboards, friendship groups - all better if they are full!
But Jesus’ empty tomb (even when you expect it to be full) is very good news.
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. 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!’
On the first Good Friday, over 2000 years ago, Jesus was put to death on the cross.
And then he was taken down and buried in a tomb - with a big rock placed over the entrance.
Where would you expect to find him 3 day’s later?
But he wasn’t there!
Mary said -
They have taken my Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!
We all hate loosing things - especially something important!
But Mary was really upset because she thought she’d lost her Lord.
The person who she thought would help, lead and save her.
We all need a Lord.
We don’t need to think much about our life to realise (adults as well) that we’re fairly messy and complicated people.
We make mistakes.
And worse - we don’t even love God well - who made us and loves us - sometimes we don’t even believe in him, and even if we do - we aren’t good enough for him.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Before God - we are all in trouble!
We need, like Mary - a Lord who will save us.
But when Mary went to look for Lord - the tomb was empty.
Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away,’ she said, ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’
Not only was the tomb empty - but for Mary, and us - Life is empty without a Lord who can save us. She was crying.
We have no hope - we live this life - we die and we face the God we have let down.
We too should cry without Jesus - our Lord.
But - while an empty life is very sad - and very scary.
An empty tomb is VERY Good NEws!
Why?
SONG
Talk 2
Talk 2
1 - Jesus can call your name
1 - Jesus can call your name
At this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realise that it was Jesus. He asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means ‘Teacher’).
Mary couldn’t find Jesus - She had lost him!
But becasue the tomb is empty - it means Jesus had come back to new life!
And so he can now come and find Mary - and us!
Left to our own devises - we will never ‘find Jesus’ or call his name - He will have to find and call us to him.
We’re too sinful to trust, to sinful to have faith in his word.
But thankfully - while we’re busy looking for him in an empty tomb - in the wrong place
He is Alive!
Calling your name.
Adults and children alike - we need saving from our empty lives before God,
And you’ll find no other true help.
Our only hope? - an empty tomb - and a risen Lord Jesus who has taken our sin and punishment before God himself on the cross.
So now -
He can call us by name
Are we listening? Hear Jesus call us home? Repent and believe he’s saying.
How thankful we are that the tomb is empty!
But there is more good news...
2 - Jesus can offer us eternal life
2 - Jesus can offer us eternal life
Jesus said to Mary...
Jesus said, ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ’
Mary wanted to hang on tight to Jesus - she was perhaps worried about loosing him again.
Just like if you find something you have lost - you’re going to try and keep it in a safe place now!
But Jesus has much better plans for Mary and for us - better than we can imagine!
He has not come to make this life lovely and easy and have us sit on his lap listening to his stories and grace.
Because then we would still just die - like he did.
But Much better than that- the tomb is empty which means Jesus could return to heaven! To live forever.
And so now he is there preparing an everlasting home for those he calls by name as well!
Did you notice what he said to Mary?
He is not going to His God and leaving us here.
He is going to His God and ‘our God!’
He has gone so we can go too.
We now also belong to a new home with God our Father in Heaven.
And one day Jesus will return to collect all his people and take us all home
Eternal life awaits becasue the tomb is empty.
So, what do we do while we wait?
Well
we’ll find out after another song...
Talk 3
Talk 3
3 - Jesus can send us
3 - Jesus can send us
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’
Jesus, did not leave us on our own until he returns.
We have the HS who lives in our hearts to keep reminding us - Jesus is with us, he’s coming back - we belong to a new home now.
And until he does return - just like God sent Jesus to us to save us from our sins.
So, Jesus sends us, to tell everyone - that they too need their sins forgiven.
Everyone needs to see that the tomb is empty - Jesus has risen
He is calling our name
He is preparing an eternal home.,
And we need to tell everyone - just like the disciples and Mary did - that Jesus can forgive.
So, when this service ends - there is an easter Egg hunt!
BUT - before that - come and join me - I’ll run outside and shout!
So that everyone in WP can hear.
We’ll shout the best news in all of history…
Alleluia, Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed, Alleluia!
Prayers!
