Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

The Empty Tomb

Glory to God! Always exciting, isn't it, the Easter season, just to celebrate the goodness of the Lord? So many people are involved in the religious perspective of it. I know we were Friday trying to conduct some business and certain businesses were closed because of Good Friday. It's interesting, people look for all kinds of reasons to take a day off. Don't they? When you serve Him 365 days a year, you don't have to make one more important than another. Every day is alike walking in the spirit in the kingdom. Yet, it's good to celebrate certain times and to recognize. So, nothing wrong with taking days and setting them aside as memorials and recognizing the great work that's been accomplished in our lives.

Buildings are filled today with Easter bonnets and many different things that will be taking place in our particular society: Easter egg hunts and the bunnies bigger than the risen Christ in the eyes of most people. But, for us, it's a day of celebration that's the greatest of the year. We need to just take a few moments, reflect back on the magnitude of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and how it's so superficial in the eyes of many who, flippantly many times, will just talk about Him being raised and yet not realizing that the resurrection power is the ability to walk free from sin. If we recognize it, it quickens our mortal bodies, as Richard was quoting earlier. It makes healing a reality in our lives. It makes us alive in the physical man and in the spirit man and many things that are great benefits of the fact this morning that He is risen.

Let's turn to Romans, Chapter one. We want to take a look at verse four, the great epistle of Romans, the epistle of our redemption. "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, [Chapter one] called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; [and then look at the power of this statement] And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, [Declared to be the Son of God, by what?] by the resurrection from the dead" (verses one, three and four).

That's what settles this whole issue. Jesus is alive today. Can you say, "Praise God!" for that? All other religions, based upon philosophies of the different leaders--none of the leaders themselves declaring to be God--and yet here we have the great sign that was given to the prophet Jonah to a sign-seeking generation. "What sign shall be given?" He said, "There's not going to be any sign given to you but that that was of the prophet Jonah. As Jonah was in the great fish for three days, so shall be the Son of Man be in the bowels of the earth and on the third day he'll rise again." Praise God. The empty tomb is what makes what you and I believe distinct from all of the other religions in the world. The incarnation is what makes what you and I believe distinct from all of the other religions. The very God himself becoming a man, dwelling among us, being made sin with our sin, the Scripture says, that we might be made righteous with His righteousness. It goes beyond comprehension.

But how important is the empty tomb to what we believe? There are those that really profess themselves to be believers and yet one of the great noted, quote, "Christian" scholars said, "Without a doubt, somewhere in Palestine you can find the bones of Jesus Christ and yet it doesn't change Christianity." Yes, it does if you can find the bones of Jesus Christ buried somewhere in Palestine, because the Christ that you and I follow is risen. Amen? He's ascended to the right hand of God the Father and He ever lives to make intercession for us. He's coming again someday to receive us unto Himself that where He is, we may be also. "And declared to be [the apostle says] the Son of God with power...by the resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, [Paul says] for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name [sake]" (verses 4 and 5).

It's not something that was made up after the crucifixion of Jesus, because in so many different ways, it was spoken of by Himself. Turn over to Matthew for just a second and listen to what he says in the 16th Chapter, verse 21. It says, "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." So in that 16th Chapter of Matthew we find Jesus speaking from His own lips and He says, "I'm telling you what's going to happen, something very distinct; something unique. The religious leaders of the day, they're going to rise up in rebellion and hatred toward Me and I'm going to be killed, but don't let your hearts be sorrowful. I'll doubtless come again and receive you unto myself that where I am, there you may be also. They're going to kill me but I'm going to be raised again the third day."

The 26th Chapter of Matthew, verse 32, He said, "But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee." Now it's very interesting, as we begin to read the narrative here in just a little bit, you're going to see that He told them this was going to happen. "They're going to kill me, but I'm going to rise again. Now, after I'm dead and after I rise, I'm going to go before you into Galilee." We're going to see in just a moment that those that profess to believe that He was the Son of God, the Messiah, had forgotten all of these promises when the real pressure came upon them, the real issue of the confrontation of death and persecution. These promises went out of their mind and it showed the limited view that they had of who Jesus really was.

Many of them professing to believe that He was the very Son of God were not able to embrace the power of the resurrection. Many who professed that Jesus was the Son of God actually believed that He was a good man and a teacher like so many others. Jesus asked the question, "Who do men say that I, the Son of man, am?" Some thought that He was a great prophet, a great teacher. Israel had embraced the prophets, had recognized that they were men sent from God that they spoke as the oracles of God. Jesus was different. "Never a men spake like this man." They were amazed. Many times in His presence, it said, "And they feared and trembled at the thought of who this might be."

He said, "The proof of it is going to be in my resurrection. Now when I'm raised again I'm going to go before you into Galilee and I'll reveal myself to you there." You see, a lot of people say that the resurrection was an after-the-fact doctrine. It was something that was produced in the minds of followers to explain His crucifixion and to perpetuate the religion. It's one of the great arguments that secularists have today. But isn't it interesting that those who are accused of propagating this hoax and this lie, were themselves willing to suffer and die for this apparent hoax. It's one thing to propagate it for personal gain. To propagate the resurrection so that you could be the head of a religion and benefit from it and be able to rub shoulders with the elite and somehow to be raised into a position of prominence among the accepted, the Jews or the Romans of that day, that would be a good reason for propagating a hoax like this. Wouldn't it? But you know, to start this kind of a story for the purpose of being exiled, excommunicated from your family, hated by the Jews, despised by the Romans, diminished in the eyes of society and then persecuted and tortured, probably isn't what most natural men are motivated by. I think the very fact of fallen man's nature to protect himself and to seek ease is one of the greatest testimonies against this being a hoax. Men don't start something that causes them to suffer.

We realize that this was a doctrine that was started by Jesus Himself and spoken of, not after, but before the occurrence. In Mark Chapter nine, verse nine, you read along these lines, it says, "And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead." As Jesus came down from the Mount of Transfiguration, they saw His glory manifested. They saw Him as the very Son of God. They saw Him in His expression of His divinity. He said, "There's going to be a day, however, when you're going to see Me in another light. You're going to see Me abused and beaten. My visage marred more than any man. Beaten beyond recognition. A crown of thorns pressed upon My brow. A spear thrust into My side. You'll see those that will walk by and wag their tongues at Me and mock and say, 'You saved others, save Yourself.' That day's going to come, and don't tell anybody about the glory that you saw on this mountain until after I rise again." But, as so many times, those that saw His glory, whether it was the healings that took place, or the transfiguration, man being what he is, he couldn't help but speak the things that he'd seen and heard. Jesus told them, "Don't tell anybody who healed you." They'd go out and say, "Man, it was Jesus who healed me!" "Don't tell anybody what you saw." They go out and say, "You'll never believe what we just saw!"

I think that speaks toward our witnessing today. If we really believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, if we really believe in the prophetic promises that have been given to us of the power and authority in His name, if we've seen the truly miraculous by answered prayer, then how can we help but go out into the highways and byways tomorrow and tell people what we've seen and heard? If the resurrection of Jesus is real to us today, it's sure something that we're going to share tomorrow. Amen? It's going to be something that burns in our hearts that we can't help but tell others of the great things that we've seen and heard. So this isn't something that was propagated after the event. We see it right here at the mouth of Jesus Himself, telling His disciples that they were going to kill Him and He was going to rise again. A lot of different stories that are propagated concerning the resurrection.

Turn over to Matthew for just a second and let's look at the Matthew account of the resurrection and then look at some of the statements that men would have concerning the resurrection. When you go out tomorrow and begin to share with people the reason why we celebrate this particular day, you're going to hear all kinds of different arguments about whether Jesus is alive or not. You won't find very many that will argue the fact that He lived. Jesus is a pretty significant historical figure. Even the secular historians speak of His existence in Palestine. Our calendar is based around His life and death. Most people will admit that He lived. The real question is, is He alive today?

Now people will begin to tell us that numerous things happened on that particular day. We've talked about this a lot of times, but let's take just a second and refresh our thinking again and realize what some of the arguments are. Some people say that He didn't really die on the cross that He actually fainted. He swooned. He then found Himself waking up in this tomb and they were able to propagate this story of resurrection. Only one problem with that, they buried Him. That's a bummer if you're not really dead. They put Him behind a stone that was so heavy that when those that were coming to dress His body, they said, "How in the world are we going to get enough to move this stone?" The stone was external.

Very likely what took place at this particular time is that this was a grave that was hewn into the side of a mountain. You can see some of the places if you go to Israel, you can even see something that could have been the tomb where Jesus was buried. Maybe not, but I'm sure it was something very similar to this. What you see is a track that's built in front of this. A large stone that was hewn out in the shape of possibly a wheel and it was set uphill and, of course, some stones that were holding it back and then when this person died--we know that He was buried in the tomb of a wealthy man. Joseph of Arimathaea came to receive this body and we know that what had taken place was when this body was placed in there, the stones would be moved and this large stone would turn and seal off the entrance to the tomb. It's all external. What some people would have us believe is that Jesus woke up in there, thought, "I've got a good idea, I'll pull a trick on everybody." Somehow move this stone and feigned a resurrection. Probably not. To believe that, requires even a little more faith than to believe that the power of God raised Him. But that's one of the stories.

The other one tells us then that the disciples came and actually stole the body and hid out somewhere and again propagated this hoax of the resurrection. I think the same argument that we shared earlier speaks toward the foolishness of that. Others tell us that it was the leaders of the nation Israel. Or it could have been some of the Roman hierarchy that actually themselves came, stole the body and the disciples then used that as a way to propagate this doctrine of the resurrection. One problem with that. Number one is, the Romans wanted peace in the region. This wasn't bringing peace. The teaching of the resurrection of Jesus Christ began to bring turmoil and persecution into the land. It was the exact opposite of what Rome wanted. The Jewish leaders sure didn't want another religion on the scene. What would have been the easiest way to stop the story of the resurrection if the Jews had stolen the body? Produce it! When Peter stands up and begins to preach the resurrection on Pentecost Sunday, you just roll out the body and say, "Sorry guys, we've got some proof here. We just thought we would hold him back long enough to find out whether you would follow this hoax through." Neither the Romans nor the Jews have ever been able to produce that body.

What's the Scripture say concerning the attitude of those toward these words that Jesus spoke earlier as we were reading about His resurrection? Did they believe that somehow this doctrine was going to become the key issue and that they had to somehow prevent that? Matthew the 28th Chapter speaks toward it. Look at the narrative as we read here and see what the Lord says concerning this great doctrine of the resurrection.

"In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee [as He'd promised]; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. ["You'll never believe it, man. These dudes showed up. These two guys, they moved the stone. Their clothing was white raiment. They shone like lightning."] And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, [I like that phrase, don't you? It took a lot to buy these guys off. It says they gave them "large" money. And they said, "Here's the story."] Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. [That's the story. And that's the story to this day. It's still one of the main stories that explains the resurrection of Jesus Christ.] And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. [You see there was a problem. If you fell asleep on the post, it cost you your life. That's why it took "large" money to persuade these guys to get involved in this story.] So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day" (verses one through 15). The day of this writing of Matthew and to this very day 2,000 years later.

The thing that we want to look at this morning is this. This is something that we have to understand. Do we have 100 percent natural, forensic truth that Jesus is raised? The answer to that is, no. We don't. You cannot prove to anybody forensically that Jesus is raised from the dead. When I'm talking about that, I'm talking about the natural physical evidence. But you know, nothing else that man moves by requires that kind of proof. If you want to look at proof based upon observation, beyond reasonable doubt that that's accepted in every court of law, and within hypothesis of the laws of science, there is sufficient evidence. In fact, probably more evidence on this one occurrence than anything else in the history of mankind. There's the testimony of eyewitnesses. There's the historicity of Christ Himself that He lived and so therefore you have to explain who He was and draw the conclusion that He was either a deluded maniac, a liar who propagated the greatest hoax in the history of mankind or that He was the very Son of God and was who He declared to be. The problem isn't the evidence. The real problem is the hard hearts of men that only believe what they want to believe based upon evidence.

I don't need a show of hands this morning, but if we took a vote on whether O.J. was guilty or not, based upon all of the evidence, people are going to believe what they want to believe. My grandmother just had her 92nd birthday. She still does not believe that man went to the moon. Can't convince her of that. There's evidence. People believe what they want to believe, regardless of the evidence. But those that are honest, those that have true hearts, those of us that want to know the truth are going to be open and listen and especially as it pertains to our salvation and so we look at the historical records.

I don't want to get into some of the philosophical arguments about circular reasoning from the Scriptures and how they testify of themselves and how you have to then put into the Scriptural evidence the testimony of the man Jesus Himself where each then rests upon the other for authenticity. But God chose to do it that way because there's something that is required in our lives. It's called faith. Faith based upon evidence. Faith based upon revelation. But nevertheless, God will not give natural man 100 percent natural, forensic truth of His existence from the very revelation of Himself in Genesis where He just took it for granted, "In the beginning God..."

So, we have the Lord revealing these truths and when you go out there and you want to talk about the resurrection, some people say, "If you can't prove it to me 100 percent, I won't believe it." The doubting Thomases of this world. Let's see how God deals with that kind of an attitude. Here they are, let's look at it again in this chapter. verse 15, "So they took the money...and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day."

Look at the Mark account, if you would, Chapter 16. You can read the same narrative, the appearance of the angels, the women who were dispersed, they were the first to bring the testimony of the resurrection of Jesus, these ladies bringing back the testimony that He's risen. Now remember why they were going down there. They were going down there to do something. They were going down there to anoint His body. How were they going to get into the tomb? They asked that question themselves. "Who's going to move the stone for us?" It didn't seem to me to be a very rational move to go down there preparing to anoint this body, prepare this body, and not have a way in. These were people that were grief stricken. These were women who were wanting to do something to show the love they had for their teacher. They had lost absolute site of His resurrection.

The women didn't believe He was going to rise. The disciples obviously didn't believe it. It was a great part of the revelation of Himself and yet it shows how little they really understood the plan of redemption. It shows how hard it is to believe in the resurrection. If you believe it this morning, it's by grace. If you're able to believe it this morning, it's by grace. It's God infusing into your heart the capacity to believe because natural man can't believe it. Right here, those that lived with Him, heard Him speak it out of His own mouth, and they didn't believe He was raised. So don't become perplexed when you go out there and talk to people about the resurrection and they go, "Man, I just find that hard to believe." "Well, what's wrong with you?" There's nothing wrong with them, they're just like these guys. Unless Father draws them, no man can come. Yet, it is the foundation of the gospel.

When we talk about the resurrection, it's how we find out who really believes. When I talk about resurrection, as we go on in the study, even into this evening, I want you to see that I'm not just talking about an Easter Sunday morning belief of the resurrection. I'm talking about a Monday morning belief that changes your life. I'm talking about you believing that He's raised sufficiently to dominate your life, to control your decisions on Monday morning, to cause you to walk free from the power of sin, to cause you to walk free from the power of self-indulgence and self-will. Because there is no belief in His resurrection if you're still lord of your life.

It's important for us to understand what's going on here and that it's not that easy to believe in the resurrection. The Easter Sunday religious belief is easy, but very frankly, there's a number of you sitting in here this morning that don't believe Jesus is raised from the dead. I know that because you're still in control of your own lives. When we look at this doctrine of the resurrection, it's got to go beyond the intellectual. Intellectually they failed.

Verse 11, "And they, when they had heard [This is the Mark account.] that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not." Hmmm. "Well, you know the reason is because this was Mary Magdalene and she was demon possessed prior and she's probably gone back to being possessed again." I wouldn't have believed Mary either, but Jesus had spoken it. But Jesus had spoken it. Mary didn't believe it either. They were going to the tomb to anoint His body, but she had her own personal encounter, didn't she. How many of you this morning have encountered the resurrected Christ? Or do you have Christian religion, American Christianity of others that have told you he's been raised. How many of you have encountered the resurrected Christ to where your life is transformed? And now, like Mary, regardless of whether anybody else believes or not, you're convinced He's risen and that He is the way, the truth and the life and there's no other path into Father's presence but by Him? They didn't believe it.

Verse 12, "After that he appeared in another form unto two of them..." These are the guys on the road to Emmaus. Interesting story. We don't understand exactly what's going on there. Two guys are headed down the path to Emmaus. Jesus shows up, starts talking with them, begins to share the Word with them on the prophetic statements of His resurrection. They still didn't understand who He was until He broke bread with them, it says, and then their eyes were opened and as soon as their eyes were opened and they believed, He departed. They said, "Didn't our hearts burn within us as He taught us the Scriptures as we walked in the way?" The Word caused a burning in their hearts but not until their eyes were opened did they believe. They turned in to eat and to rest because they were weary. These guys were whipped, man. They're walking and they're listening to this man teaching them concerning the things of Jesus and their hearts are burning and they finally get in there and they say, "Man, we are whipped" and they begin to have some dinner and they break bread, and their eyes are opened. What did they do next? Does anybody remember the account? They laid down to rest didn't they? They immediately about faced and went back to say, "He's risen, Praise God!"

Can you believe that Jesus is alive from the dead and not move outside your comfort zone to tell somebody else? Can you believe that Jesus is alive from the dead and realize that all that don't know that and have faith in that name and profess out of their mouths what they believe in their hearts that God has raised Him from the dead that we might be saved? Can we have that knowledge and not share it with others? That it becomes the central theme of our lives, the declaration that Jesus is alive from the dead. They were discouraged, "Surely we thought this was the Messiah and now He's dead." Why couldn't they hear when He said, "They're going to kill Me, but I'm going to rise again." We all hear with filters. All they saw was a great comfortable religion of ease and comfort in the natural life. A momentary satisfaction that surely there's something better for us than this. God's plan couldn't incorporate the torture and death of His Son and Servant. The plan can't include us having to live in caves and cover ourselves with animal skins and light the Appian Way as human torches and suffer in the coliseum. Surely this isn't God's plan for His church.

What if that's what lies ahead for us in the days to come? Only one thing will carry you through that beloved, and that's knowing that He's raised and that the tomb is empty. But we don't even have to go into that severe of persecution. What about the threat of losing your security on your job? Because I'm going to tell you something, in the days to come, it will be against the law to share Jesus in the workplace. It's not far away. What are you going to do? Do you believe the tomb is empty this morning? Whose word are you going to take for it? Are you going to take Mary Magdalene's word? Paul gives an argument that we're going to look at very soon in First Corinthians 15. He gives an argument of those that are eyewitnesses. Are you going to believe the eyewitnesses or are you going to believe the fact that He's alive in you this morning? "All I know is this, once I was blind and now I see. I was dead and now I'm alive. I was a slave to sin in my members and now the resurrection power of Jesus Christ makes me able to walk free from the power of sin and death." Have you heard about the raised Christ or have you encountered Him?

The story continues to unfold and it says that they believed her not. "After that he appeared in another form unto two of them...And they went and told it unto the residue: [That's not always a good name.] neither believed they them" (Mark 16, verses 11 through 13). Hmmm. Now who's the only people believing? Those who've encountered. Have you had an encounter? It doesn't have to be a physical appearing of the Lord in this day. It doesn't have to be a vision, because Peter tells us very clearly that though he had embraced the Lord and actually touched Him, had seen His transfiguration with his own eyes. He said, "And yet we have a more sure word of prophecy."

Eyes beheld Him; the eye of faith. Have you encountered the risen Christ so that you know in your heart this morning the tomb is empty? You see you won't believe others when it comes to the real test of your own life being on the line. I'm not just talking about persecution; somebody's got a gun to your head. I'm talking about your life being on the line tomorrow morning when you're trying to decide whether you're going to do your will or God's. You're going to do your will unless you believe the tomb is empty. You won't believe the testimony of Mary Magdalene. You won't believe the testimony of the men that have returned from the road to Emmaus. You won't believe the testimony of your pastor, because you can only believe when you've encountered Him.

So the narrative goes on and the Scripture says, (verse 14) "Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and [Did something, look at the next word. And did what?] upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen." The hardness of men's hearts. "I won't believe unless I've seen it with my own eyes. I'm not going to believe unless I can put my finger in the nail prints in His hands." But there's only one sign that's going to be given. No other testimony than the power of His resurrection.

Look with me for just a second at the Luke account, in Luke 24. This isn't unique. It's not only hard to believe in the resurrection, it's impossible without encountering Him. Now the good news is, that you can encounter Him through the power of the gospel, the testimony of the resurrection, when it's spoken of, grace begins to manifest and faith is dispersed so that those that want to embrace truth can know it. It's impossible in the natural, but the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. It gives the ability for blind eyes to be opened. No one can deny having had the opportunity when they've been encountered with the gospel.

Luke 24 gives us a little more insight into this. "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared...And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments...they said unto them, [I love this phrase, don't you?] Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but he is risen..." (verses one through six). Praise God! That's what Easter's all about.

"Don't you remember...?" I like that. "He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven [and they didn't believe]...their words seemed to them as idle tales..." But Peter gets up and he heads toward the sepulchre. John tells us that another young man went with him and as the case is, outran him. Got ol' Peter truckin' along and young John comes whipping by him, gets there first. "...he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass" (verses six through nine, 11 and 12). Very interesting.

John 20 tells us this. What's the point? Peter's had a couple of opportunities, but he has to go see for himself. The account in John says this, Chapter 20, verses three through five. "Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. [John's bragging on his speed.] And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in." Not so Peter. He's going in, Jack! It's my kind of guy. He busts through. "And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and [what?] believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead" (verses seven through nine).

What do you mean? He told it to them! There's hearing the Word and then there's understanding the truth. You see, tragically there's a number of us here this morning that week after week sit in here and hear the teaching and it doesn't affect your life. You're no different. You can say, "Oh well, yes, I know I should be doing that. I understand that, you know, yes, I agree that that's really the truth and it's really what I want to do, but I just can't do it." Why? You don't believe the tomb is empty. If you believed Jesus was alive, you would die. But you're still lord of your life, because you deny that God has raised Him from the dead and made Him Lord and Christ. You embrace the doctrine, you long for a life of ease and freedom from guilt, you long for the camaraderie of a community of believers, but you can't hear His words. "For as yet they knew not the scripture..." (verse nine). What's going to make the Word finally be truth to you? You've got to encounter the resurrected Christ. The empty tomb in which you must die, because until you are crucified with Him, Romans says, you cannot be raised with Him.

So as we look at this Easter Sunday and we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, we look at the great victory that was won. We see that He was declared in our text this morning, Romans one, to be the Son of God by the power of the resurrection from the dead. We have to understand that it's the central theme. It's what the gospel is all about. And once you believe that, beloved, your life can't be the same.

Listen to Paul's preaching over in Acts 17. Turn over there for just a second and let's look at what this message is all about. When Paul says, "I'm not ashamed of the gospel for it's the power of God unto salvation." What is this gospel that he's talking about that is the power of God? What is this gospel message? It was preached very clearly by Peter in the book of Acts. We'll look at it in just a second. In fact, you can, since you're in Acts, look at Chapter 2 and we'll even spend just a second here and let it speak to your hearts. The 23^rd and 24^th verses of the second Chapter. "Him, [Jesus] being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." That's the gospel. The determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God saw to it that He would become the sinless sacrifice. Offered up by fear and jealousy and religion and the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, but God would raise Him again.

Do you believe that this morning? If you do, the Scripture says that they repented and were baptized. He preached this message very clearly. In Acts the third Chapter, verse 14, look over there. "You Jews, you religious people, you say you want to know God, you're willing to fulfill all the forms of religion, you'll pay your tithe, you'll attend the services," "But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, [When it comes to making choices, you] and desired a murderer to be grated unto you." Your own heart. You deny the Holy and the Just and say I choose self, Barabbas. "And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses" (Verse 15). An exciting testimony as the apostle preaches. The power of the gospel. The prince of life, the sinless lamb, taking upon Himself your sins, the sins of the world. But you must be crucified with Him or you can never know the power of His resurrection. If you can't believe it today to the point of it transforming your life, you've never been crucified with Him. And if not crucified, not raised, and dead in your sins. That's what this message is all about. That's what Easter is about. That's the question that has to be answered in each of our lives this morning.

The 17th Chapter of Acts, that we had turned to, in verses two and three says, "And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them [in the synagogue] out of the scriptures. Opening [the Scriptures] and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ."

Can I ask you a question this morning? Is there another way? If Jesus is the Christ, the anointed of God, the lamb slain. If there's no other name under heaven whereby men can be saved, then can I ask you a question, why aren't you bowing at that name? If you say you believe that the tomb is empty then how can you day by day habitually assume lordship of your life? All you have is religion and it's vanity.

Turn to I Corinthians 15 and we'll finish this morning with that, and possibly pick it up again this evening. Don't you love the 15th Chapter of Corinthians? The apostle says, (verses one through four) "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." That's the gospel, beloved. Do you believe that this morning? Eyewitnesses have sacrificed their lives believing that. For it goes on to say, "...he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once..." (verses five and six).

Let me ask you something. If five hundred eye witnesses declare an event, in our day and time, how many of you think that would be accepted in any court of law? Would it be accepted by the "court of popular opinion?" Yes. Eyewitnesses would give slightly different accounts, but if we all were able to substantiate that that's what we saw, it would carry great credibility. The apostle makes a very interesting statement in this chapter as he's sharing this with us. He says, "And not only that most of these people are still alive today, go ask them what they saw." He didn't just say five hundred people. Five hundred at one time, the apostle says (verses six). "...of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles..." (verses six through nine).

"How is it then," he says to the Corinthians, "that you all are having trouble with this doctrine of the resurrection? You're confused on it that it's just some kind of an inner work, a spiritual enlightenment. No. Jesus is literally, physically, bodily, raised from the dead. He ate with us. He talked with us. And if you believe any other doctrine, Paul says, but a literal, physical resurrection, then you don't believe the gospel that was preached to you. "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God..." (verses 12 through 15). Paul says, "If what I'm telling you isn't true, then I'm a liar. I'm propagating a hoax here. But I want to tell you something; I've seen it. I want to tell you something, I used to kill the believers that followed Him and now I'm willing to die for Him. If the ability to live free from sin's power is not a fact because of the resurrection of Jesus, then I'm a false witness of God to you."

But I want to tell you something, I'm here this morning to tell you, it'll change your life. You can be free from your own self-will. You can be free from the power of sin in your members. You can be free from self-reliance and walk in the spirit and not fulfill the lust of flesh. That's the Easter message. That's what the resurrection is all about. It's not a historical fact that Jesus raised. He was raised that you might be raised, that sin would no longer have dominion over you. So we sit here on this Easter morning and we can get caught up in lilies and religion or we can encounter the resurrected Christ this morning and walk out of here never the same again. Just the way they left the tomb, never the same again. Ready to encounter the great gift of Pentecost to empower from on high and never to be the same again. It's why He died, that you might be free this morning.

Listen to what Paul's argument as he continues. "For if the dead rise not then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins" (verses 16 through 17). Now, the fact of the matter is, He is risen. If you're still in your sins, it's just that you don't believe it. To you He's not risen, but there's a remnant who have embraced Him just as Mary fell at His feet and held on and said, "Rabboni." He said, "Don't hold me back, I'm going to prepare a place for you. I'm going to send my spirit and tabernacle in you and you can be as I am. When you fall asleep, it's to be in my presence." Is your faith in vain this morning? Do you just have religion? Do you believe this morning in an empty tomb, but you've not encountered a risen Christ? Then our faith is in vain. If you have religion, you've been able to do something with your conscience and maybe get it appeased a little bit, you enjoy the community that we talked about. "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable" (verse 19). If all you've got is religion, if Christ isn't raised and His power isn't real in your life, it's miserable. There's no joy, there's no power, there's no hope of ever being free from that that holds you in bondage. But if you've encountered Him, those that the Son sets free, they're free indeed. He is risen. He is the "...firstfruits of them that slept" verse 20 says. What is He this morning to you?

Father, we thank You for the Word of God. As we celebrate this great Easter Morning and rejoice in our belief in the empty tomb, we see that it can't be believed in the natural. Since we believe it this morning, we've encountered the living God. Even those who were following You in the natural couldn't believe it, but we believe it this morning so Your Spirit has infused it into our hearts, the faith has been granted to us. Our eyes have been illuminated by the grace of God. That means we're the Sons of God this morning and we rejoice in that because you've chosen us, we haven't chosen You. We celebrate this morning. We were once doubters and persecutors and haters, but now we're able to love as we've been loved.

Have you heard this morning with the ear but you've not seen? Then pray right now. Just begin to pray and say, "Father open my eyes. Did not my heart burn within me? Open my eyes and let me understand what's available to me because You're risen." He'll seek you on the road to Emmaus. He'll meet you in the garden as you come to anoint His body. He'll appear to you in the room as you're hiding out as a coward debating whether the testimony of these others are so or not. He'll even hold out His hands and let you put your finger in the nail prints. Since that's all available and you still don't believe, you're still not free, you're still the lord of your life, then I challenge you this morning with a thought that you don't believe.

You've heard the gospel message this morning in all of it's power. If you're not an individual knowing the life in Christ and the liberty that we have in Him because He's risen and we've been raised with Him, and your heart has not cried out, "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief," then you've already made your decision. So, as one of His witnesses we've declared to you this morning that we've seen Him. What do you choose to believe this morning?

Let's stand before Him. Those of you that know Him, take this time to rejoice and celebrate. Those who need to know Him this morning, cry out and say, "Lord God, help me in my unbelief. Lord, open my eyes that I could see. Change my heart. Jesus! Help me to experience that crucifixion that I might be raised in Your power, free from the dominion of self-will and self-indulgence and self-confidence that I might live as the apostle said, 'in Christ.'" "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."(Philippians 1:21) Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

What tragedy in this nation as the churches are filled to overflowing this morning with Easter attendees. The unbeliever sits back and sees the hypocrisy of it and mocks. Help us to be bold witnesses of Your resurrection by our lives of obedience, by our daily pursuit. Oh, we're not talking about perfection, we're talking about perfect pursuit. But, what are you trusting in this morning? Are you trusting in your works? Are you letter-of-the-law bound, fearful, trying to earn the love of God? Or are you free this morning because He's risen? The price is paid, and because He lives we live. I'm alive because He's alive. I've been crucified with Him and raised with Him. He's been made sin with my sin and I've been made righteous with His righteousness. I'm filled with His spirit and therefore I'm spiritually minded. I'm intent upon the things of the spirit. I never give credibility to the thoughts of the flesh. Oh, I have fleshly thoughts, but I know they're wrong. They have no place in me and I will not feed them and I will not justify them in myself or anybody else. I'm spiritually minded; my course is on the heavenly. Where are you this morning when it comes to the empty tomb? Have you entered in and died and been buried with Him?

As we prepare to sing this morning, and our knees bow; because He lives, we live. "He is Lord..." Oh, just declare it this morning. Begin to rejoice in Him. If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that God has raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved, praise God! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We believe it in our heart, we confess it with our mouth. Jesus is alive! God's raised Him from the dead. He's been declared the Son of God by the power of this resurrection. We rejoice in that great victory Lord that's been imputed to us. Help us to be ever mindful and ever thankful as we celebrate the great victory this day won by Your blood and by the power of the resurrection. Because You live, we live and we just say, "Thank You" in Jesus' name. Amen, amen. Hallelujah! Before you go, turn to someone next to you and say, "He's risen! Praise God!" Amen. Go in peace, God's love go with you in the name of the Lord.

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