God Shows His Promises Even in Emptiness

He Is Risen! The Lord is Risen Indeed! This morning we look at the Promises of God, given in the Empty things we see now on Easter. While the world leaves empty promises, God proves His Promises in Emptiness; an empty cross, an empty tomb, and empty grave clothes.

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Good Morning, and Happy Resurrection Day! In our world, we are taught that; “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” So many of us have been taken in by “empty promises,” that we are leery of anything or anyone that tells us we can have something that seems impossible. But you know what, God never made a promise that was too good to be true.

The truth of the matter is, the world is full of empty promises. We watch TV, and the advertisements tell us that we can be happy, sexy, rich, or famous, if we only purchase a certain product. Someone in my house thought dousing in Axe Body spray would get him all of these things. It only made his dad nauseous. It doesn’t take long before we know we have been fooled. But God is different. Instead of promises full of emptiness, on Easter, he gave us emptiness that is full of promise.

This morning, I would like us to think about the promises of Easter. There are three of them. Each promise is marked by something empty. An empty cross, an empty tomb and empty burial clothes. It is the very fact that each of these is empty that assures us that God’s promises are real. Because they couldn’t hold Jesus, because he couldn’t be contained by the cross/death, the tomb, or even his burial clothes, we can be sure of the fullness of God’s promises in our lives.

Let’s begin with the empty cross. Because the cross is empty, we have the promise of forgiven sins. Let’s go back to that First Easter Morning just before sunrise, the breaking of dawn. A few of Jesus followers, women who almost all seem to be named Mary, are on their way to Jesus’ tomb.

The conversation is subdued. The task before them is a sad one. They are going to anoint the body of Jesus. However, as they walk to the tomb, it is very likely they would stopped and looked as they travel.

Since Saturday was the Sabbath, no one would have taken down the crosses that sat on the hill called, “The Skull.” So It’s easy to imagine them stopping and staring at the empty reminder of Friday’s horror.

There are stains on the ends of the crossbar that come from the nails driven into his hands. The main beam is soaked in blood from his back when the Roman soldiers beat him with a cat-of-nine-tails. Don’t ever believe anyone who tells you it was fake. There was no question Jesus was dead. The Roman soldiers knew it, and the Temple leaders knew it.

According to God’s law, the wages of sin is death. Because we have sinned, we deserve God’s just punishment. However, when you look at that empty cross – it is a reminder of God’s promise that we have been forgiven.

It was on that cross that Jesus Christ offered his perfect, sinless life on behalf of each one of us. When Jesus Christ breathed his last, he cried out; “It is finished.” The penalty was paid. On that cross – that empty cross – It was there, that his blood was shed for our salvation.

Because of the work that Jesus did on that cross – you and I now stand Forgiven.” The first “empty promise” of Easter is the empty cross – The Empty Cross promises that our sins are fully paid for.

The ladies continue down the path to the tomb. As they go, one of them wonders aloud – “who will move the stone for us?” 

They have good reason to be concerned; the stone that was placed in front of the tomb was a boulder probably weighing two ton.

Not only that, the Romans had sealed it, so no one was allowed to move it without their permission. Suddenly, they feel the earth move! As they approach and wondering what happened, they come upon something even more remarkable.

The soldiers are all unconscious, the stone is moved and an Angel – glowing like lightening – is sitting on it saying “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who has been crucified. He is not here; He is risen!”

Jesus had risen, He was alive, and the tomb was empty. And the promise of the empty tomb is the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise to every one of us that we too will be raised to eternal life.

To those who know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, death has lost its sting – it is no longer something to be feared. What fear is there when we have the promise that one day we will live forever with Him in Heaven?

Why was the Cross empty? Our sins are paid for! Why is the tomb empty? Because Jesus is alive – The Angel said; “He is risen.” And the promise to us is that we too can live even if we die. That is the second promise of Easter.

But, it doesn’t end there. There is one more promise that I want you to know about Easter. It is the promise of the empty burial clothes.

After the Angel had spoken to the women, they immediately went back to the Apostles and reported what had happened. With this incredible news, Peter and John immediately raced back to the tomb to see for themselves. When they got there, Peter found the clothes that Jesus had been buried in. They too were empty. This could only mean one thing – Jesus was alive!

If someone had stolen his body, they wouldn’t have removed the burial clothes and folded them up neatly and left them where they lay. (75-100 lbs)

It wouldn’t be long before Jesus would appear to Mary Magdalene, and to all of the Apostles, and eventually to over 500 people. He would sit down with them, walk with them, talk with them, eat with them. Once again, Jesus disciples could fellowship with their Lord. That’s the promise of the empty burial clothes: Jesus is alive, and wants to have a personal relationship with us.

Jesus isn’t some nebulous influence, or the “force” out in the universe people for good. He is a living Savior, and he desires to have a be in our lives daily, just as he did with his disciples 2000 years ago.

The cross couldn’t hold him, the tomb couldn’t contain him, the burial clothes were unnecessary, because Jesus is alive!

àEaster, more than any other time of the year, we realize that God has made all sorts of incredible promises. Promises so outlandish that we would never believe them if someone else made them. Promises that we have to ask, do I believe them, and if so, what does that mean?

This morning, we have heard about three promises that God has made to us; the promise of forgiven sins from the cross; the promise of eternal life from the empty tomb; and the promise of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, because he is a risen and living human, with flesh and bones like us.

My question to you this morning is this; will you take him at his word? If so, listen to this final promise – it is found in Romans 10:13 – “for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”