The Meaning of the Empty Tomb 

Matthew 28:1-15 

Easter Sunday, March 31, 2002 PSBC

In a nutshell: The meaning of the empty tomb is that Jesus is alive, that our sins can be forgiven, and that we have a sure hope for the future.

I. Introduction

A. How it began

Matthew 28:1 1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

Imagine the scene. It was dark as these two women got up that Sunday morning. They put on their clothes, gathered their spices and herbal mixtures, then headed out on the dirt road that lead out of the city.

B. Thoughts of the past week

As they walked up the path towards the tomb, the thoughts and sights of the past week filled their minds. -They had been there when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey's colt. -They had been there when thousands were shouting their praises to Him. -They had been there when people were taking off their coats and laying them on the road. -They had been there when people ran to the fields to cut down palm branches to wave. …It was a celebration like none they had ever seen. If only it had stopped there!

But it didn't. In their mental review, they saw what had happened later in the week. -They saw Jesus tied to a post. -They saw a Roman soldier bloody His back with a cat-o-nine-tails whip. -They remembered the mocking, the purple robe, the other beatings, and the crown of thorns. …And their tears began to flow again.

They had been there. They had seen it all. You see, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, were also at the cross. They saw Jesus hanging there, nailed to that rough wood. They saw His body struggle and wince with pain whenever He took a breath.

They were there when Jesus cried out, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And they were there to see His face fall to His chest as He cried, "It is finished!"

They saw Him die. And when they saw that, something inside them died, too. Their hope was gone.

C. Why were they there

-So what are they doing up so early on this Sunday morning? -Why didn't they just stay in bed and wallow in their misery? -What was it that put them on this path to the graveyard?

I'll tell you what it was… It was their love for Jesus. After all, someone had to prepare the body for burial. It was considered women's work. Peter wasn't' going to do it. John wouldn't do it. None of the other disciples would think of doing it. So it was up to them. Two women who were with Jesus all the way to the end.

The task they were going to perform was a somber task, and a difficult task. They would have to wipe the blood from the brow, from the legs, from the sides of the body. They would be the ones to clean the blood from His matted beard. They would be the ones to close His eyes. And they would be the last ones to touch His face.

As they came near to the tomb, suddenly a thought struck them both... "There's a two thousand pound rock at the entrance to the tomb. How are we going to move that thing away so we can go inside?"

II. The Empty Tomb

Matthew 28:2-7 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

Now, I don't know about you, but as I read and re-read this passage this week, a question kept coming up in my mind. Why was the stone rolled away? I mean…For whose benefit did that need to happen?

…It wasn't rolled away for Jesus, because He was already gone. After all, you're not much of a God if someone has to do such a small thing, as roll a rock away from the opening of a cave, for you.

…It wasn't rolled away for the guards who were posted outside the tomb. They were there to make sure someone didn't steal the body. If it was revealed that the body wasn't there, then those guys would be toast-literally, because they'd be burned at the stake. They didn't want to see an empty tomb!

So, if it wasn't rolled away for Jesus, and it wasn't rolled away for the guards, …for whose benefit was it rolled away? Quite simply, it was rolled away for the two Mary's, and it was rolled away for us. You see friends, by seeing the empty tomb, we can better understand it's meaning. So, what does it mean? Three things. First…

III. What it meant

A. Jesus is alive!

… it means is that Jesus is alive! The resurrection of Jesus from the dead, is the foundation of our faith. Paul writes in…

1 Corinthians 15:17 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.

And because the resurrection is so essential to Christianity, it is the one thing that has been attacked from the very beginning by Jesus' enemies.

Matthew 28:11-15 11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.' 14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." 15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

And friends, these attacks still continue to this day. Liberal theologians, non-Christian religions, and individuals who used to write in our local newspaper… all deny the fact of the resurrection of Jesus from the grave. But don't make any mistake about it, the burden of proof doesn't rest on the believer in Jesus Christ to prove the resurrection. It always rests on unbelievers and skeptics, to explain the reason the tomb was empty.

Many theories on why the tomb was empty have been proposed over the years. And every one of them is weak and far fetched. And every theory requires that the disciples be part of a cover up. Every theory requires that they promote and preach a lie.

Charles Colson, the former counsel to President Nixon, convicted conspirator in the Watergate scandal, and founder of Prison Fellowship ministries stated in one of his Breakpoint radio messages…

There were only eight or ten of us in the inner circle around the President, who really knew what was going on. All we had to do was stonewall for a couple of months and the Watergate Scandal would be over. We had all the power and prestige of the Presidency at our fingertips. And if the truth broke there would be embarrassment and perhaps a prison sentence. There was no grave danger. Our lives were not threatened, but we could not hold the conspiracy together for more than two weeks. We could not contain the lie. Once prosecution was possible the natural instincts of self-preservation was so overwhelming that the conspirators one by one deserted their leaders.

They caved in and they stood in line at the prosecutors office to escape jail.

Colson concludes… I know that the disciples could not perpetuate a lie like the resurrection, because it was not just their reputations that were at stake, their lives were in danger. They had no clout, they had nothing to gain by the lie. And yet, everyone of them stood fast in the conviction that Jesus is Alive! Take it from one who saw first hand how vulnerable a cover up is: nothing less than a witness as awesome as the resurrected Christ could have caused those men to maintain to their dying whispers that Jesus is Alive and He is Lord.

And if you didn't know, friends, every single disciple, except John, died a martyr's death.

Friends, if you honestly examine the evidence- -the eye witness testimonies of over 500 people; -the inability of anyone in the first century to produce the body of Jesus; -the total commitment of the early believers to go to their deaths; -and the empty tomb… … you have to at least consider the very strong possibility that Jesus is Alive!

After the women looked inside the empty tomb and saw that it was empty, Matthew records…

Matthew 28:8 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

Now, this next verse is so wonderful! Once they found that the tomb was empty-once they believed that Jesus had risen from the dead, these women started on a direct path that would ultimately led them to meet the risen Lord...

Matthew 28:9 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.

Friends, listen to this…a life-changing and eternal relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ, always starts with a belief in the empty tomb! When you believe that the resurrection took place, Jesus will always meet you-just like He met those women on the road back to town.

Well, after this precious time of love, and excitement, and devotion, Jesus says this to them…

Matthew 28:10 10 … "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

And the women went into town to tell the others. And that leads us to the second thing that the empty tomb means…

B. Forgiveness

It means, forgiveness. Folks if anyone ever needed a dose of forgiveness, it was a distraught, guilt ridden, sun weary fishermen named Peter.

Luke 24:9 9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.

Peter was in that group of eleven when the women came running up and told their incredible story. In a flash, Peter and John took off for the tomb at warp speed. Peter was running as fast as he could, his heart pounding and his powerful legs were pumping.... His friend John was running beside him. Peter was in the lead, but then I can just hear him thinking to himself…"Why am I so excited? I denied Jesus three times. I talked so big and so tough, but when it came time to take a stand, I fell. If Jesus is alive, I'm sure He wouldn't want to see me."

I imagine his thoughts slowed him down, because John passed him up, and was the first to make it to the tomb. But John didn't go in, he just stood at the entrance. But Peter, didn't hesitate a bit. Once he arrived at the tomb, he went right in. And when he looked inside, he saw the strips of linen and the burial clothes laying on the stone slab.

Can you imagine Peter's conflicted heart? "He's Alive! Jesus is alive! And I denied Him!" Later…, we don't know where, a private meeting took place between Jesus and Peter. Paul is the one who tells us about this meeting in…

1 Corinthians 15:3-5 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.

The Bible doesn't give us the details of that meeting. It doesn't tell us what Peter said. But frankly, I don't think Peter said much of anything.

I picture Peter alone, somewhere near the shore of the Sea of Galilee, sitting with his head down. Like many of us, Peter had set high standards for himself. He told Jesus, "Even though everyone else may leave you, I won't. I'll never do that. You can count on me!" But he was just a man. He messed up. He denied Jesus three times in the span of a few short minutes. And he couldn't forgive himself for that gross and cowardly transgression. And he couldn't believe Jesus would, either.

Then I imagine a hand touching Peter's shoulder. And when Peter turned to look at that hand, he saw that it was pierced. His heart skipped a beat, and as he turned to face Jesus. I can just see him falling to his feet. He sobs uncontrollably, and can barely get the words out. But he says, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!"

And I picture Jesus, putting His hand on Peter's shoulder, and saying "It's all right, Peter. It's all right. I know, I know. It's forgotten. I forgive you, friend." Folks… …the empty tomb means there is forgiveness. …the empty tomb means that our sins can be washed away. …the empty tomb means there is no more guilt.

Isaiah 53:5 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Healed from what? Healed from the eternal consequence and punishment that the justice of God demands for our sins. And don't kid yourself, everyone of you, and me… is deserving of that judgment and those consequences. The Bible says…

Romans 3:23 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and Romans 6:23a 23 For the wages of sin is death, (separation from God in Hell).

So, how are we healed? Just listen to the words of the great, big fisherman, just a short time after his meeting with Jesus…

Acts 2:38a 38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.

Repent means to stop and do a 180 degree turn away from any wrong that you are now doing.

Baptized means that you -believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead for you, -that you trust in what He did to remove your sin and your guilt, -and that you publicly take a stand for Him by doing what He did at the beginning of His ministry-you are immersed in water, signifying that you are clean from your sins.

Some of you have done the first part of that command (you've repented of your sins), but you haven't followed through with the second part, all the way. Something has held you back from being immersed in the waters of baptism, and publicly proclaiming that you are a follower of Jesus. I invite you to take that step next week. If God is speaking to you on this matter, please indicate that by writing the word baptize on the tear out card in your WIG and put it in the offering plate as it's passed later in the service.

C. Hope

But there's one last thing that the empty tomb means. It means that we have hope.

That big, old fisherman, Peter, also wrote these words toward the end of his life…

1 Peter 1:3 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Illustration: It was Saturday morning at the Van Pelt home. Lucy and Linus are watching TV. Lucy turns to Linus and says, "Go get me a glass of water." Linus looks surprised, "Why should I do anything for you? You never do anything for me." "O.K., on you 75th birthday," Lucy promises, "I'll bake you a cake." So, Linus gets up, and heads to the kitchen. And he says to himself, "Life is more pleasant when you have something to look forward to."

He's right friends. Life is more pleasant when you have hope. -Unbelievable as it might seem, it is possible to live 70 days without food. -It is also possible to exist for nearly 10 days without water. -And a person can live up to 6 minutes without air. But there is one thing that is impossible for a human being to live without, and that's hope.

-The empty tomb means that there is hope! -The empty tomb means that there is more to this life, than just this life! - The empty tomb means that all your tears and sorrows will be wiped away.

Christian author, Calvin Miller sums our hope up with the words on the front of your WIG's this morning… The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the epicenter of Christianity. During his three-year ministry, Jesus raised at least three people from the dead. But these resurrections really amount to little more than resuscitations. Jesus' resurrection stands for this truth: death, which could not hold Jesus in the grave, will also not hold those who believe in him. (Calvin Miller in The Book of Jesus. Christian Reader, Vol. 36, no. 2).

IV. Conclusion

Friends, please listen to this… -No one has ever disputed that Jesus' tomb was empty on that first Easter Sunday morning. -No one has ever denied the fact that Jesus' body was not in that grave. So what does that mean for us, today? -It means that Jesus is alive. -It means that your sins and mine can be forgiven. -It means that you and I can have hope beyond this life.

But only if we make the central truth behind the empty tomb our own…

John 3:16 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Invitation