We’ve Got The Receipt!
The frenzy was on last November as the Powerball jackpot got up to $2B+! When the drawing was held, the numbers were called and there was only one correct ticket. And now, imagine your overwhelming joy at realizing that you have the ticket that verifies that you have won. This week we look at the discovery by women who went to Jesus burial tomb to attend to His body, only to find out it was empty, and instead find angels confirming that “He is not here; He has risen!” They were overjoyed and immediately went to tell other disciples. The empty tomb is essential to the Christian faith, because after Jesus suffered and died on Calvarys cross for our sin debt, it is our receipt that reads “Jesus paid it all”! I pray that you would have deep joy during this special time of year in the Christian faith, knowing that Jesus paid it all and we have the receipt!
Listen to this powerful sermon classic from Rev. S.M. Lockridge “It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming“
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. (Luke 25:1-3). As a result of this event, the first day of the week has come to be celebrated as the Lord’s day in commemoration of and recognition of the significance of the resurrection to the Christian faith. The stone that covered the opening of the tomb was rolled away. It is important to the veracity of the resurrection, to understand that the women would not have been able to move this stone on their own, so they wouldn’t have removed Jesus body. Additionally, Roman guards had been placed at the tomb to ensure that Jesus’ disciples could not come and remove His body from the tomb. The tomb was empty… and it still is. We serve a risen Savior!
they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words. (Luke 25:4-8). The women who had come to anoint Jesus body and properly prepare it for burial according to Jewish custom, were bewildered as to what had happened to the Lord’s body. They were obviously not expecting to find an empty tomb. As they we’re wondering about what had happened, they were frightened by the sudden appearance of two men (angels) in gleaming clothes standing beside them. They questioned why the women were surprised that Jesus (the living) was not found among the dead. They addressed the women’s questions, saying “He is not here; He has risen!”. The angles reminded the women of Jesus’ words, that He must be crucified and rise again on the third day. Jesus’ word is true and we can trust what He has told us!
When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. (Luke 25:9-12). The women came back from the tomb and told the eleven disciples (minus Judas) and the other disciples who were with them, what they had seen and heard. While the disciples were disbelieving of the women’s testimony regarding the resurrection, Peter ran to the tomb to see for himself. He too found only the linen burial strips in the tomb. He went away puzzled at what had occurred. Despite the evidence, there are still people who are struggling with what the empty tomb means for them. But for the Christian it means joy, redemption, hope, victory, faith and so much more!
If Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross that fateful Friday on Calvary was the payment made for our sins and opened the way for our salvation, the empty tomb on Resurrection Sunday was our receipt. The empty tomb served to assure us that Jesus is who He said He is and accomplished what He came to do… namely to secure our redemption from the debt of sin and through faith in Him, receive God’s grace, salvation and eternal life. The angels witness to Jesus resurrection, the testimonies of the women who went to prepare Jesus’ body but found the tomb empty, and the strips of linen that Peter found neatly folded in the tomb are all proof of the resurrection. Yes, Jesus paid a great price on Calvary’s cross to save us… and the empty tomb is our receipt from God that our sin debt has now been paid in full! Hallelujah!
Blessings,
Rev. Glenn
