The Cross is Empty!
Notes
Transcript
Today we celebrate the resurrection. And we began today’s service with the traditional Easter greeting, “He is Risen”. I’ve been asked, “Why do we say “He is Risen” instead of “He HAS Risen?” Well, it’s in the present tense, not the past because it is a transcendent event that continues to be true. Today we celebrate the fact that the tomb was empty because Jesus is risen from the dead.
Today marks the end of the season of Lent, and I must say I very much enjoyed my first mocha since March 4th this morning. During Lent we’ve been on a journey to the cross, and you’ll notice the title of our sermon this morning is not “The Tomb is Empty” which is true, instead I’ve chosen “The Cross is Empty” as today’s title, which we also celebrate.
I don’t always do this, and so this morning I’m going to start with a question. Are you ready? That wasn’t the question.
The question is:
Why are you here today?
Why are you here today?
What’s this? The pastor’s asking me why I’m here? Doesn’t he want me here?
Of course I want you here. You are invited to be here any time. I love having you here. It is NEVER the same without you here.
On our journey to the cross during the season of Lent we began with ashes. The traditional statement made on that day is from Genesis 3:19
…for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
I love the tradition, and yet our focus was on the cross as we were beginning our journey to the cross. So for our Ash Wednesday service I chose a verse from Galatians:
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
We divided that verse and all who received ashes a month and a half ago were encouraged: “The life you now live in the flesh, live by faith in the Son of God, who LOVES you and gave himself for you.”
We hear that all the time, “Jesus loves you.” it sounds so trite.
And in so many ways, so does “He is Risen”. It is meaningless if it not for…
are you ready for it?
THE CROSS
THE CROSS
Last week we spent some time examining what all happens on the cross as we know Jesus went there. The hope we experience today, the hope we celebrate today cannot be had without the cross.
You can’t have a resurrection without a death.
No one wants to talk about death. We avoid the topic at all costs. We don’t like to even speak the word. I did some research, to find terms people use instead of saying, “died”.
Passed on.
Departed.
Succumbed.
Passed away.
Breathed their last.
Some are more humorous, though perhaps not as sensitive:
Croaked.
Gave up the ghost.
Kicked the bucket.
Checked out.
Bit the dust.
I’m sure we could have some fun coming up with other terms. Perhaps as a fun Easter activity you could also come up with euphemisms to use for “rose from the dead.”
It’s clear that one of the reasons we’re all here today is because we recognize that Jesus rose from the dead. That is indeed worth celebrating.
When I was in college, my Sophomore year I went to church one Christmas Eve, and lamented how difficult it was to find a seat. The place was packed, and I’d been attending regularly and had never seen a lot of these people before.
As Easter approached I found myself looking forward to celebrating Easter in church on that Sunday. I went to church on Easter and that’s when those words came back to haunt me. I hadn’t been in church since that Christmas break 4 months before.
I still professed my faith as a Christian, but I hadn’t been in worship, I hadn’t been in a small group, I hadn’t been reading my Bible, I hadn’t been doing anything to practice my faith. It was like professing to be on a sports team without attending any of the games much less the practices.
That was a major turning point in my life. Jesus’ resurrection was important in my life. I believed the tomb was empty. Reading the Gospel accounts I realized there were not just a few witnesses of this fact. Not just the 12 disciples, several women, and at one point to more than 500 at once!
Charles Colson who was a part of the Nixon Watergate scandal, said he became more convinced of the validity of the resurrection in jail, when he realized that the disciples went to the grave maintaining their story and the small group he was involved in couldn’t keep quiet about the watergate break in for even a few days.
Our focus today though is…
THE CROSS IS EMPTY
THE CROSS IS EMPTY
The cross is empty.
We touched on this last week in the reformed tradition we don’t show a cross with Jesus on it. Why? Because Jesus is no longer on the cross.
For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.
Past and present tenses. Jesus is no longer on the cross. The ransoms made, the debt is paid, the war is won, the way is opened.
Peter goes on, there we read:
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Did you catch that?
Jesus himself bore our sins! You know that here (point to head), but do we know that here? (point to heart). If you see Jesus on the cross, imagine yourself there. There is not one person here today that does not know they are not perfect, that they make mistakes. We all say, do, and think things we know are wrong. We put down others. We lash out in anger and hurt. We hurt others both intentionally and unintentionally.
As Jesus said when they brought to him a woman caught in adultery, you may remember the story from John 8. We read in vs. 3, John 8:3
The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst
One has to wonder where the other person is, right? It takes two to tango. Yet, it’s Jesus response I want to focus on here from vs. 7. John 8:7
“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone.”
We all know we sin, and as a result it should’ve been us on that cross, but no, it was Jesus. And now…
THE CROSS IS EMPTY!
THE CROSS IS EMPTY!
We read in Paul’s letter to the Roman church, Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Inherently, we know this to be true. We try and we tray to do good things. We try and do the right thing, and no matter how hard we might try, we know we don’t succeed, not even close to 100% of the time.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Oh, but we think, I can live a good life - no, all have sinned. And even if we do all the good things, we read:
he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
Then we think, well, I’ve already messed up, why even try…
John 3:17
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
and further from Paul’s letter to the Romans! Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
THE CROSS IS EMPTY!
THE CROSS IS EMPTY!
That is good news! But why did Jesus go to the cross in the first place?
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.
For God so loved the world that he sent His only son… to do what? To bring you to God.
As we began this morning I asked you the question, Why are you here?
We’ve talked about a lot of them. I’m here because of tradition, well maybe.
I’m here to celebrate the resurrection.
I’m here to celebrate Jesus is alive.
I’m here to celebrate new life in Jesus.
All of these are no doubt true.
But…
But…
ah! There’s that contradictory conjunction. In grammar when you see this word it generally cancels out what came before.
But…
Celebrating Jesus’ resurrection.
Celebrating Jesus is alive.
Celebrating new life in Jesus.
cannot happen without Jesus’ death. And why did he die? To bring you to God.
I would contend for all of you here or listening online that you are here in this moment, at this time, because Jesus is bringing you to God.
I am constantly thankful that no matter how much I think I’ve screwed up, no matter how bad I think what I’ve done is, no matter how much I think others might be judging me - Jesus loves me and is willingly bringing me to God. He’s doing this willingly!
If there is anything I’ve learned in my 44 years of faith its that the Christian faith is not an individual sport - it’s a team sport. I need you. You need me. We need you. You need us. The church is not a sanctuary for saints separate from our culture; it is a hospital for sinners, for the morally bankrupt, for the hurting. We’re not perfect. We’re flawed, and we recognize this to be so.
Together we’re thankful that Jesus is changing us, daily.
So, why are you here?
In all seriousness I believe the reason you are here is because God has brought you here, because God loves you. You can protest all you want with your list of reasons why God shouldn’t love you, and to each one the reply would be…
God loves you anyway.
God loves you anyway.
The cross is empty. God has conquered anything and everything that could possibly separate you from Him. The Cross is empty.
Hallelujah!
The Cross is empty, and so is the tomb!
HE IS RISEN!
HE IS RISEN!
HE IS RISEN! He is Risen indeed.
Let me pray for you.
