I. Introduction
A. Anticlimactic
1. There are a few whomp, whomp moments that really stand out in modern history.
2. Among those is the two-hour special hosted by Geraldo Rivera called The Mystery of Al Capone’s Vaults.
3. The hype around the special was intense, with all kinds of promises of treasures and secrets being unearthed.
4. When the vault was finally opened, it only contained dirt, a little bit of debris, and a few empty bottles.
5. It is considered one of the most anticlimactic events in TV history.
B. A Climactic Event for the Ages
1. The same cannot be said for the Sunday morning when Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, Joanna, etc., went to the tomb of Jesus.
2. While the tomb was empty from the standpoint of Jesus’ body being there, it was anything but disappointing.
3. The tomb where Jesus was buried earlier contained wondrous witnesses to the teachings Jesus had proclaimed throughout His ministry.
II. The Witness of the Not-So-Empty Tomb
A. Linens of
1. John reveals to us that the garments that Jesus had been buried in were still .
2. That, in and of itself, might not be compelling until you read one specific detail-the face cloth was neatly folded in a place by itself.
a. There has been considerable debate about the significance of the folded (rolled) face towel. There is no evidence of any Jewish custom associated with this detail. The main significance is simply that it was still there and folded neatly. Grave robbers wouldn’t have taken time to remove the linens Jesus had been buried in, and they certainly wouldn’t have taken the time to fold the face cloth neatly.
b. D.A. Carson notes that the reference to the linens is likely to draw a contrast with the resurrection of Lazarus, since when he was resurrected, his burial linens still had to be removed (John 11:44).
3. There was no intervention in Jesus’ resurrection (John 3:14; John 8:28; John 12:32).
a. It is, in part, this small witness of the linens that reminds us that Jesus IS the resurrection and the life.
b. His resurrection was not just a resurrection; it was the event that established our hope.
4. The linens were not the only thing in the tomb that morning.
B. of the Messiah
1. There were angels in Jesus’ tomb ready to share the news of His resurrection (Mark, Luke, and John reveal this detail).
2. They reminded the women of the promise Jesus had made before He died—that He would . The angels invited the women to see something wonderful and to share it.
a. Matthew 28:5-7 “He has risen…Come, see…Go, tell”
b. Mark 16:5-7 “He has risen; He is not here. See the place…But go, tell…”
c. Luke 24:5-7 “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”
d. John 20:13 “Woman, why are you weeping?”
3. Just as the angels had announced Jesus’ birth, they announced His resurrection.
4. We come here each Sunday because we believe Jesus overcame death and was resurrected. We should leave here ready to tell anyone who will listen about our Lord’s resurrection.
C. We are
1. We are called to be of the empty tomb.
2. In Romans 6, Paul reminds the Christians in Rome of what they did when they were baptized into Christ. He presents the beautiful imagery of a resurrected life (Romans 6:4).
3. We are called to be witnesses of the hope the resurrection offers to humanity.
4. Do we live like we in the power of the resurrection?
III. Conclusion
A. Climactic Moments
1. Unlike the anticlimactic moment Geraldo experienced, Jesus’ resurrection was the great climax to God’s story of the redemption of mankind. But that was just the beginning.
2. According to Jesus in John 5:28-29, the day is coming when a great resurrection will occur.
3. The only way you will be resurrected to life is if the One who is the resurrection and the life is your Savior (John 11:25-26).
B. Invitation
1. This morning, do you need to be buried with Him in baptism so that you can be raised to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4)?
2. Don’t delay receiving that resurrection so that your resurrection will be one of life.