The Empty Tomb (March 28, 2024)
“Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” (Luke 24:1-3)
Reflecting on the true meaning of Easter on this Maundy Thursday, one of the symbols of this holy season that I most cherish is the empty tomb from which our LORD Jesus Christ emerged victoriously on the third day following His brutal crucifixion. Having toured the Holy Land a decade ago, I visited the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem, considered to be the traditional site of Christ’s burial and resurrection. I could not help but imagine the joy and excitement of the women who, according to all four of the gospels, discovered that the risen LORD had defeated death on that first Easter Sunday morning. The Cross was not a tragedy; it was a triumph, represented by the empty tomb that proclaimed Christ’s resurrection!
“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! (Luke 24:5-6)
As Christians, we have the paramount privilege of serving the risen Savior of the world! Unlike the founders of all other major world religions who remain dead and buried, Jesus Christ overcame death and conquered the grave. Our LORD lives! The empty tomb validates Christ’s claim to be the Son of God. Jesus’ resurrection proves that our faith is not in vain and gives us the assurance of spending eternity in our Redeemer’s presence in immortal, resurrected, glorified bodies just like His. Because of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, as saints…sinners saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ…we share Jesus’ victory over sin and death and delight in His promise of everlasting life. We will forever rejoice in Christ’s triumph over the empty tomb!
“Jesus said…“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” (John 11:25-26)
Paid in Full! (March 26, 2024)
So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. (John 19:3
After dining at a New York City restaurant in 1949, American businessman Frank McNamara discovered that he had forgotten his wallet. Fortunately, his wife picked up the tab, but the frustrated McNamara resolved that he would never face such an embarrassing situation again. In February of 1950 McNamara dined at the same restaurant and paid the bill with a small cardboard card that became known as the Diners Club Card. Widely viewed as the first credit card, McNamara’s invention paved the way for the multipurpose charge card we use so often today. The flashing of plastic credit cards by consumers has become an American way of life.
Just as many consumers are overburdened by excessive credit card balances, we are all born mired in debt spiritually as a result of our sinful nature. To ignore our sins would violate the very nature of our just and righteous heavenly Father. But He is also loving and gracious, and the LORD offers everyone His mercy before having to judge us. God gave His Son Jesus Christ to fully pay a sin debt that we could not afford. Dying for our sins, Jesus cried from the cross, “It is finished!” or in Greek “Tetelestai” also translated “Paid in full!” By faith in Christ, our sin debt is completely satisfied, and we receive as precious gifts of a gracious God—salvation and eternal life!
This Holy Week brings to mind the words of the traditional American hymn “Jesus Paid It All,” written by Elvinia M. Hall about Jesus’ sacrificial death to pay our sin debt in full. As the story goes, on a warm summer day in Baltimore in 1865, the pastor of Elvinia’s church was preaching a lengthy sermon when her mind began to wander as she thought of Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. Elvinia, who sang in the choir, had no paper, but began writing a poem on the flyleaf of her hymnbook that became the beloved hymn, the refrain of which states the Easter message: “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.”
The Living Hope of Easter (March 25, 2024)
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection, and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whosoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)
Gracing springtime landscapes with their rare beauty for just a short time, tulips remind me of the brevity of our earthly lives. These lovely flowers also remind me of Easter and the certain hope of everlasting life that all believers have because of the sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection of our risen Savior Jesus Christ. This Easter and always, let’s rejoice in our salvation which is the most precious gift of a gracious God, exclusively through faith in His Son Christ the Lord. He lives and in Christ, we will live in His presence forever! Hallelujah!!!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)
Be a Spiritual Nonconformist (March 22, 2024)
“Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)
We live in a world that insists on our conformity and compliance to human rather than godly standards! Remember those school days when seeking popularity among our peers, we tried to fit in, to be cool, and to be a part of the student groups and cliques that are so common? Today there is ever-increasing pressure on each of us to be politically correct, to conform to the expectations of the world, and to adopt prevailing attitudes and behaviors that are contrary to biblical truth. Society is rapidly moving away from the Christian morals and values that used to flourish in America and upon which this once God-fearing nation was reverently founded.
Christians face the daily challenge of living in a wicked culture that seeks to impose itself upon us. While we must live for now in an immoral world, we are not supposed to be part of it! Rather than blend in, we’re called to stand out from the worldly crowd by showing everyone with whom we cross paths the love of Jesus Christ and shining His light into the darkness of a world lost and dying in sin. We are not likely to win any popularity contests, but believers are called to stand strong in the power of the Holy Spirit, sharing our faith and the absolute truth of God’s Word with love and compassion. Be a spiritual nonconformist; live to please God, not the world!