EMPTY BUT NOT EMPTINESS

Matthew 28:5-7 "But the angel answered and said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who 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.’ ”

At Easter, God gave us emptiness that is full of promise. 1.AN EMPTY CROSS. The cross is empty yet it is full of God’s promises. Christians love to talk about the death of Jesus. It speaks of God’s remedy for sin. Ezek 18:20 The soul that sins will surely die. Rom 3:23 ….. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Rom 6:23 ….. the wages of sin is death.

Rom 5:8 “God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. There are two things in particular that separate Jesus Christ from every other religious leader that ever lived. # He became sin for us. 2 Cor 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

GIFT GIVING INVOLVES 2 PEOPLE. THE ONE WHO GIVES AND THE ONE WHO RECEIVES

2.AN EMPTY TOMB. Without the empty tomb there is no Saviour. This is the second thing that separates Jesus Christ from every other religious leader. # Death could not hold Him down. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is so important.

Rom. 8:11 "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.“ The world gives us promises full of emptiness: God gives us emptiness full of promise!