The Empty Tomb Is…Full?

           Have you ever wondered how it felt to travel to the tightly sealed, closely guarded tomb of the man you believe to be the Christ only to find it open and empty?  The Luke 24 account describes the women who had come to fragrance the tomb as being “much perplexed” (v. 4), but, considering human nature, it seems there would have been some other emotions as well.  What did they feel?  Fear?  Awe?  Joy?  Did it sink in right away that their faith was not misplaced?  And did they notice that the tomb, though empty of Jesus’ body, held more than those old burial linens?  Did they notice that the empty tomb was full?

            They had just come through the worst day of their lives.  Their best friend, the man they had walked with, talked with, learned from, and leaned on had been brutally ripped from their lives.  They could do nothing to change it.  Their hearts were shattered. If their belief was true, He was the Son of God. The world was now forever changed. They entered the tomb only to find it empty and their hearts leapt in their chests.  As they stared at one another in anxious amazement, two men in white appeared and queried why they were there.  Before they could respond, the men spoke those words that the women desperately hoped for and would forever echo through the annals of time, “He is not here, but is risen.” (Luke 24:6)  It was as they believed.  He was The Savior.  And though his body wasn’t there, the tomb wasn’t empty. It was full.  Full of promise, hope, grace.  Full of love and redemption.  Full of proof.

            You see, the empty grave means everything.  Jesus rose from the dead.  It proves everything he said is true.  It proves everything he did was an act of Almighty God. It means God is a God of mercy—remember the thief on the cross. (Luke 23:39-43) It means God is a God of grace—ask the woman washing Jesus’ feet with precious ointment. (Luke 7:44-48) It means God is a God of unlimited power—consider the man delivered of the unclean spirit who claimed to be “Legion”. (Mark 5:2-14) It means every healing truly happened; every sinful heart that asked was cleansed.  It means that hope, help, and healing are available to all.  It means salvation is free.  It means unlimited love, unending grace. 

That empty grave means God’s not dead.  It means that the God who spun the earth for the very first time, who created you in his image, who sent his Son to earth as a baby and offered him up as a sacrifice for your sin and mine is still alive and working.  His hand isn’t shortened, his ear isn’t heavy, he hasn’t stopped performing miracles, and his grace hasn’t run out.  It means all those events recorded in the Bible are real and true.  It means we serve a living, resurrected Savior. 

            This Easter, I hope you consider the fullness of the empty tomb. Reconnect with the reality of grace. Cast your confidence in the living God who offers you his pardon, his peace, his presence.  And remember, because the Savior's body isn't there, everything you need is.  The empty tomb means you can have full life in Christ.   Accept it.  Believe it.  And when I say to you, “He is risen.” May you respond with a resounding, “He is risen, indeed.” 

           What does the fullness of the empty tomb mean to you?