Monday, May 19, 2014
Luke 24:2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
THE MEANING OF THE EMPTY TOMB
What can we learn from an empty candy wrapper? We can read the wrapper and determine what was in the wrapper.
What can we learn from discarded clothing? We can determine the size and sex of the person who wore them.
What can we learn from an empty grave? Well, that depends on the grave. There is a message for us in the empty tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. It's a message that we need to hear and understand because some day each one of us will be dead and buried.
We need to know who was in the tomb and why He is no longer. We need to know because it's the chief reason why we gather to worship on a Sunday (the first day of the week). In fact, were it not for the resurrection of Christ, we would not celebrate His birth, living or dying.
If the tomb were not empty, but still contained the body and bones of Jesus of Nazareth ...
Then -- there would be no real, lasting, meaningful joy today or any day.
Then -- your faith would be empty and your confidence in Christ foolishness.
Then -- your sins would still be yours, and the Day of Judgment a fearful thing.
Then -- the Words and Promises of Jesus would be as empty as those of a Nostradamus.
Then -- our loved ones who died believing in Christ would have perished.
But the Tomb IS EMPTY, the Word of God assures us that HE LIVES. This is one of those rare cases where EMPTY IS NOT A DISAPPOINTMENT. On the contrary, this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. For Christ is arisen from the dead, the first of those fallen asleep.
