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The Tomb Is Empty

Posted on 12 Apr 2020, Pastor: Tolu Makinde

Title: The Tomb Is Empty

Text: Mat. 27:66, 28:1-7, 1 Cor. 15:12-24

[Mat 27:66] So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

[Mat 28:1] Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.

[Mat 28:2] And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.

[Mat 28:3] His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

[Mat 28:4] And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

[Mat 28:5] But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

[Mat 28:6] He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

[Mat 28:7] And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

Introduction

The proof that Christ has risen is the fact that the tomb is empty. Until today, the tomb is still empty.
The Sanhendrin ensured that the tomb was sealed as they thought that the disciples of Jesus will come to steal His body. So, they sealed the tomb.
Before they could seal the tomb, they would have made sure that the body was inside the tomb.
After they sealed the tomb, they placed guards outside the tomb to be watching the tomb, so that the body of Jesus remain buried.
On the third day, God sent an angel. The angel caused so much fear on the guards that they were like dead men
The angel rolled away the stone that was sealed
How can the created cage the Creator with His creation?
Jesus exchanged the grave clothes for the living clothes, folded their grave clothes for them to come and pick it up
Jesus walked out of the grave.
The guards would have been more like dead men for seeing a dead being walking out of the grave
This demonstrated the greatness of the power of God towards us who believe
- [Eph 1:19] and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
- [Eph 1:20] which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

Main Topic

If the tomb was not empty

[1 Co 15:12] Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

[1 Co 15:13] But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.

[1 Co 15:14] And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

[1 Co 15:15] 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.

[1 Co 15:16] For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.

[1 Co 15:17] And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!

[1 Co 15:18] Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

[1 Co 15:19] If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

[1 Co 15:20] But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

[1 Co 15:21] For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.

[1 Co 15:22] For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

[1 Co 15:23] But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

[1 Co 15:24] Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.

If God had not done what He did to raise Jesus from the dead,
If the plans of hell against mankind had come to pass
1. Jesus would have remain dead – we are the only faith in which our God died for us. Others die for their God, but your God died for you to save you.
2. Our faith would have been in vain – Christianity is based on the fact that Jesus resurrected and He is alive. So, if He was dead, there would be no Christian faith.
3. There will be no hope of eternal life – Eternal life is based on the fact that Jesus will wake us up and take us to His Father’s house. If He was dead, the dead cannot give life.
4. There will be no rapture – Rapture happens when Jesus returns. If He was dead, there is no return and there will be no rapture, so believers would remain here, either dead or alive.
5. There will be no forgiveness of sins – if the forgiver of sins is dead, how can He forgive sins? We will die of guilt
6. We will be miserable men – if the hope we have is a false hope, then there is no hope. If there is no hope, it leads to misery.
The plan all along was to make sure that man had no hope. Kill their so-called Messiah and let’s see what would become of man
But God being God – the God that knows the end of a thing before the beginning, the God that has the master plan in His hand, the God that has gone ahead into the future and settle the matter. This God is a trillion steps ahead of the enemy.
What the enemy meant for evil, God turned it around for our good.
They thought killing Jesus would be the end of the Messiah
They did not know that killing Jesus would be the beginning of what the Messiah came to do
God sent His angel
- The guards that they relied upon were like dead men
- The tomb that they sealed was child’s play for the angel
- Jesus that they killed, rose up and walked out of the grave
- The tomb is empty – Hallelujah!!!!!!

Conclusion

Because the tomb is empty:

Jesus is alive, therefore He is coming back again
Our faith in Christ is not in vain
We have hope of eternal life
Because Jesus raptured, we will rapture too
Our sins are forgiven
We are not miserable people but joyful
Death could not hold Him down, death will not hold us

Hallelujah, the tomb is empty.

Sermon

The Tomb Is Empty