EMPTY

Sermon Notes, April 20, 2014

Rev. Jan Sinozich

Pastor Jan’s Easter sermon was titled “Empty,” based on Luke 24:1-12.  She told about empty promises, but reminded us that God does not give us empty promises.  Instead of promises full of emptiness on Easter, He gave us emptiness that is full of promise: an empty cross, an empty tomb, and empty burial clothes.

As the women went to the tomb that day to anoint the body with spices, they could still see the crosses on the hill where Jesus died.  The one in the middle was empty—Jesus had paid the penalty for our sins.  The promise of the empty cross is that we can be forgiven.  Jesus was the atonement for our sins.

After pausing to look at the empty cross, they continued on.  They worried about how to move the huge boulder that sealed the tomb.  They knew it had been sealed, and was guarded by Roman soldiers.  When they got there, the stone was rolled away from the opening, but Jesus’s body was not there; the tomb was empty!  An angel told them “He is not here; He has risen!”  In the empty tomb we see the proof of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It is God’s promise to us that we also can be raised to eternal life.

When the women went back to where the apostles were and reported what had happened, Peter and John ran to the tomb to see for themselves.  John stopped outside, but Peter ran inside.  Not only was the tomb empty, just as the women had said, but the graveclothes were lying there, empty.  Jesus was alive; they would be able to have fellowship with him.  This is God’s promise to us, too.  Jesus is alive and he wants to have fellowship with us.

Now, 2000 years later the promises of Easter are for us.  The empty cross is the promise our sins can be forgiven. (John 3:16)  The empty tomb is the promise of eternal life for those who call on His name. (Romans 10:13)  And the empty burial clothes is the promise that we can have close personal fellowship with Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit. (Revelation 3:20)