The Empty Tomb
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On Friday we stood at the cross.
We saw the suffering of Christ.
We saw the sacrifice of Christ.
We saw the love of Christ.
But when the body of Jesus was placed in the tomb, the disciples believed the story was over.
Their teacher was dead.
Their hope was buried.
Their future seemed finished.
The stone was rolled over the tomb.
The Roman seal was placed upon it.
The guards were stationed to watch it.
Everything about that tomb declared the same message:
Jesus is dead.
But early on the first day of the week something happened that changed the course of human history.
The stone was rolled away.
The tomb was empty.
And the angel announced the greatest words ever spoken:
5 And the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.
6 He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ proves three great truths.
It proves that His sacrifice was accepted.
It proves that He is truly the Son of God.
It proves that death itself has been defeated.
The Resurrection Proves the Sacrifice Was Accepted
The Resurrection Proves the Sacrifice Was Accepted
On the cross Jesus cried:
30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
The work of redemption was complete.
But how do we know that the sacrifice was accepted?
Because God raised Him from the dead.
The resurrection was God's declaration that the payment for sin had been received.
Scripture says:
25 He who was delivered over because of our wrongdoings, and was raised because of our justification.
Notice the order.
Christ died for our sins.
Christ rose for our justification.
The resurrection is the proof that the sacrifice worked.
It is as if the resurrection is the receipt of redemption.
The debt of sin had been paid in full.
And God raised His Son to declare that the payment was complete.
The apostle Peter proclaimed this truth boldly:
24 But God raised Him from the dead, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
Death could not hold Him.
The grave could not contain Him.
Because the work of redemption was finished.
The Resurrection Proves Jesus Is the Son of God
The Resurrection Proves Jesus Is the Son of God
Throughout His ministry Jesus made astonishing claims.
He claimed authority to forgive sins.
He claimed to be the Messiah.
He claimed to be the Son of God.
But the resurrection is the ultimate proof that these claims were true.
Scripture says:
4 who was declared the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
The resurrection is God's declaration to the world.
It is God saying:
This is My Son.
If Jesus had remained in the tomb, Christianity would collapse.
The apostle Paul says plainly:
17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
But the tomb is empty.
Christ is risen.
And therefore our faith is not in vain.
The resurrection proves that Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be.
The Son of the living God.
The Resurrection Guarantees Our Future
The Resurrection Guarantees Our Future
But the resurrection is not only about Jesus.
It is about us.
Because the resurrection of Christ guarantees the resurrection of those who belong to Him.
Paul writes:
20 But the fact is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
The word firstfruits means the first portion of a harvest.
The firstfruits were the guarantee that the rest of the harvest was coming.
Christ rose first.
But He will not be the last.
Because Jesus Himself promised:
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies,
The resurrection means that death does not have the final word.
The grave does not have the final word.
Sin does not have the final word.
Christ has the final word.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The women came to the tomb expecting to find a body.
Instead they found an empty grave.
The angel said:
5 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why are you seeking the living One among the dead?
The world thought it had buried Jesus.
But on the third day God overturned the verdict of the grave.
The stone was rolled away.
The tomb was empty.
Christ had risen.
And because Christ lives, the power of sin is broken.
Because Christ lives, death is defeated.
And because Christ lives, everyone who trusts in Him will live also.
