The Empty Tomb

Mark 16.1-8

More to come, many more

I Thessalonians 4.13-18

1 Corinthians 15:20-28 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when He comes, those who belong to Him. Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He  has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For He “has put everything under His feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under Him, it is clear that this does not include God Himself, Who put everything under Christ. When He has done this, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put everything under Him, so that God may be all in all. 

God's Wonderful Plan of Eternity for us was wrapped up in Jesus rising from the dead. Salvation is a diamond:

Being saved

Saved to the uttermost

Saved for eternity

Paul writes about how personal the resurrection of Jesus Christ is for believers in the scripture we read from I Corinthians.

1. We have had loved ones die.

This is one of the most difficult things we experience in life.

It is deep grief. 

It is heart breaking.  

It is hard.

The most detailed description we have of it  in God's Word is in John 11, the account of Lazarus.

We see the grief of losing a loved one, in this case a younger person.

There was weeping.

The loss of a loved one is something we never fully recover from in that we will always miss them.

Paradise Lost /Paradise Regained

Jesus defeated death on the cross and in rising from the dead.

Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He Who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit Who lives in you. 

John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Our faith in the LORD will hold us in times of grief. Jesus words to Peter a few days ago: Luke 22:31-32 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”  Peter fell but his faith in the LORD did not fail.

2. We Grieve but not like  the rest of men who have no hope.

The LORD makes all the difference.

Those who do not have Jesus.

Those who do.

The hospice worker at my brother's side.

Psalm 23.  He is walks with us in the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. He binds up their wounds.

As a believer the loss of a loved one who believes brings a mixture of emotions- hope mixed in with sorrow. Tears and peace, peace which transcends all understanding.

God comes to us in special ways as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

He is with us.

He is with us in a vast array of ways.

Song What A Friend We Have In Jesus by Joseph Scriven, written by a brokenhearted man with hope in Christ.

Notice how, although Lazarus had died, there was the long term Hope among his sisters, who loved the LORD.

John 11:21-26 “LORD,” Martha said to Jesus, “if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever You ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” 

Hope:

Christ defeated death.One day it will be done away with completely

To be absent from the body is to be present with the LORD.

The moment we breath our last on earth we are in the Presence of the LORD.

We will all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.

3.  Jesus turned their grief into joy with His Resurrection that Day.

More, much more to come

Even before He rose, in fact when He died

Matthew 27:50-53 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. 

This was among other things a foreshadowing of heaven. In that city, the New Jerusalem, there will not be a cemetery. All cities have cemeteries. When you arrive in NY you see several. There will be no cemeteries in heaven. Deaht will be done away with!

John 20.19-22

I Thessalonians 4.13-18

The grieving over loved ones who have died in the LORD will be done away with in a moment and replaced with a glad reunion.

Romans 8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

More, much, much more to come