What If The Tomb was NOT Empty?

What if the tomb wasn’t empty? Can you imagine if those who went to the tomb of Jesus on that first Easter morning and found his body just as they laid him three days earlier? No stone removed and the soldiers standing guard.  If the tomb is not empty then Jesus was just another guy like many who proclaimed to be the son of God. If the tomb is not empty we can just chalk up Jesus’ life as a lunatic who helped people. If the tomb is empty Jesus’ words of grace and mercy are just broken promises like a politician’s speech. If the tomb is not empty then we must wait for the real Savior and the authentic Messiah. If the tomb is not empty the crowd and public opinion wins out over truth. If the tomb is not empty then the religious leaders were right and by killing Jesus as they protected the authority of the church. If the tomb is not empty then justice was served and a public nuisance was eliminated. If the tomb is not empty then Jesus is just another martyr who died for what he believed in. Noble yes, but that only has minimal affect. If the tomb is not empty then the stories of Jesus are just a factious fairy tale that entertains us. If the tomb is not empty then miracles are just magical illusions.  If the tomb is not empty then we would just be eating peeps, hiding eggs, and getting together with family to celebrate the coming of spring time.

However, those of us who have faith believe the tomb of Jesus was empty. Jesus rising on Easter morning was more than a showy miracle to shock and awe his attackers and followers. The empty tomb is more than a miraculous illusion to end the protesting or validate Jesus’ followers. When Jesus rose, he turned the entire order of the universe on its head. The Resurrection shows us that death does not have the last word. The empty gives us hope that there is something greater than the life we have now.  The empty tomb is the pathway between a brief life and life eternal. The empty tomb is a symbol that truth wins out even in the messed up world in which we live. The empty tomb shouts to all who will listen that your sins will no longer exclude you.  The empty tomb reminds us that grace is more powerful than obligation. The empty tomb reminds us that love wins out over hate. Because the tomb was empty we are shown the power in forgiveness. The tomb was empty declaring to all that this Jesus truly is the son of God. The tomb is empty which ignites the fire in the hearts of all who believes that we too can change the world in which we live little by little. The tomb is empty which gives an eternal resting place for our souls and the legacy we leave in the hearts and minds of others. The tomb is empty which gives us peace and hope as we stand at the graveside of our loved one. The tomb is empty that shouts that good wins over evil and that darkness cannot drive out light. The tomb is empty as a reminder that our story will not end. The tomb is empty that allows us to be a vital piece of God’s work and a part of something bigger than ourselves. The tomb is empty and our God defeated our worse fear: Death. The door is open, the tomb is empty, and the truth rings loudly. So let is celebrate that the body was not there and He is risen! 

Be Kind to One Another 

Tommy