Why the Empty Tomb Matters
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Intro
Intro
You can tel a lot about mpty things.
An empty pack of biskits tells you they that they were delicous.
An empty house tells you that children are grown up.
An empty friedge tells you that times are hard.
An empty petrol tank tels you that the drive has been on a trip.
An empty diary tells you that youve been on lockdown and are bored stiff.
And in the same way, an empty tomb tells us a powerfukl story.
What does the empty tomb tell us?
The Empty tomb matters because it tells us that God is powerful
The Empty tomb matters because it tells us that God is powerful
First it shows us the power of the Father.
18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
eph 1 18-20
God wants us to look at the empty tomb and be reminded of the exeedingly greatness of His power.
To be reminded that He is the God of the impossible. to be reminded that there is nothing he cannot do. To be reminded that no matter what we face or how dark the situation, He brought life and hope even the face of death.
4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
The empty grave matters because it shows us that Jesus is all powerful and we can totally trust him and have confidence in him and hope in him and rely in Hium and that there is nothing to hard for him.
The Empty grave matters because it confirms that Jesus is the Son of God
The Empty grave matters because it confirms that Jesus is the Son of God
Jesus told us plainly that he was the son of God. And yes, he did many mighty miracles. But miracles had been done before as God worked through the prophets.
But the proof of His divinity was not in feeding the masses or healing the sick - these he did out of compassion.
The Proof is the empty tomb.
39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
So we can pray in boldness in the name of Jesus. We can assurance of faith in the name of Jesus. We can be accepted by God in the name of Jesus.
30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;
31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
The Empty Tomb Matters because it is central to the Christian Faith
The Empty Tomb Matters because it is central to the Christian Faith
4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
Its very intresting. The cross is often seen as central to the christan faith, and make no mistake it nis vital. The cross is the that which because of His death make atonment for us sins.
But actually the empty Tiomb is even more vital that the cross.
why?
Because without an empty tomb the cross looses all its power.
14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.
15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise.
16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.
17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!
1 cor 15 14-
The empty tomb is what gives the cross its power.
14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.
15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise.
If Jesus stayed dead, then he was liar, because he said he would rise from the dead.
If he is a liar, then he is not the son of God, for God is not a aman that he shopuld lie.
And if Jesus is not the son of God, then his death was no different from the 2 other criminals who were crucifierd on that day with him.
The cross is might and wonderful but without the ressurection of Jesus it cannot save.
To put in simple terms: The cross is like a mighty engine, asnd engine capible of going extreemly fast. But the empty tomb is the petrol. And without the petrol, the engibe is powerless and usless.
What is it central to?
What is it central to?
The empty tomb is central to our Justification
The empty tomb is central to our Justification
Just to remind you, your justification is why you have eternal life. you were God’s enemies through sin, but because you have been justified by faith, you now have peace with God through Jesus Christ - and God will not cast you into Hell, but call you to Heaven.
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
But, without the empty Tomb, you are not justified.
33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
rom 8 33-
Because Jesus lives, that is, the tomb is empty, Jesus has made intercession for us.
34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
A dead man cannot pray - a lesson the catholic church needs to learn.
But Bewcause Jesus is alive, we can assurance of our justification and peace with God.
The Empty Tomb is the reason for our Hope
The Empty Tomb is the reason for our Hope
What is the Christian Hope?
15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.
Well just a quick reminder that christan hope is not wishful thinking, but paitent certantity.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
That is, the beliver knows what God has promised, and waits paitently for it.
So what has God promised to every one of his children that we wait paiently for?
Heaven!
2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
It is thenhoipe of every believer that when this life ends we are not not numbered among the wicked, but called to our heavenly home.
A place so wonderful, that every moment of suffereing on earth, will be incomparible to the glory that awaits.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
A place so full of joy that we shall never cry, mourn or know sorrow ever agin.
4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
This is our blessed Hope.
But, our entire Hope is based, on nothing but the empty Tomb.
If the Tomb is NOT empty we have no hope. But praise God, it is empty and have a abundant hope.
20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.
You many not know about the biblical concept of first fruits.
1 cor 15 2023
Let me explain: The Offering of the Firstfruits was an offering of the first harvest to God.
The firstfruits were God’s grantee of the full harvest which would come later.
16 and the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your labors which you have sown in the field; and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you have gathered in the fruit of your labors from the field.
ex
Jesus is the firstfruits of the ressurection - he is the garantee of the full ressurection which will come later.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
acts
15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.
a cor 15 19
We cannot ever afford to loose esight of the empty tomb. It tells us so much.
Today it is telling you not to worry. That God is powerful and cannot fail.
It is telling you that you can trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior. That he is faith and true.
It is telling you to hold the faith, and that your faith is not in vain, but that God is here for you.
It is telling you, that there awaits an eternity of glory so wonderful, that:
9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”