1. THE EMPTY TOMB (Luke 24:1-12, Matthew 28:1-15, John 20:1-31)

2. Ruined Endings

3. The Resurrection Story ...
Rewind about 2,000 years to about 3 pm on the first Good Friday.
Most of His closest followers had scattered, leaving only a handful of women and the disciple John watching Christ die from a distance.
The Roman soldiers approached the men on the crosses, charged with speeding their deaths.
They found Jesus already dead.
Piercing his side with a spear they proceeded to dispose of the body.
Joseph of Arimathea is granted possession of the body to provide a proper burial.
By 6 pm, in a serene garden, Christ’s body was sealed in a guarded tomb, not far from Golgotha. 

4. Saturday was the Jewish Sabbath and a special Sabbath – it was the Passover Sabbath.
Do you think that this Passover Sabbath was a restful and celebratory day for Christ’s followers?
Imagine how completely depressing this day would have been for those who had followed Jesus.
Fear gripped the disciples, for if Jesus had been arrested and crucified, could they be very far behind?
Truly this Saturday was a day filled with fear, sadness and isolation.
The women who were following Jesus desired to rectify Jesus’ hasty burial.
Gathering the appropriate burial spices, this group of six or seven women set off for the garden outside of Golgotha, in the early morning hours.
What happened next was shocking.

5. The Arrival at the Tomb
As the women approached the tomb, they recognized that something was up; Christ’s body was no longer there.
The women headed off to the various homes to inform the disciples of what they have seen.
Mary Magdelene hurried to Peter and John, calling “Peter! John! We can’t find Jesus’ body! Someone has taken him”.
Peter and John ran to the tomb and noticed that Jesus’ body was not there.
Puzzled by the events, the two disciples again headed back to their home to try and process what had happened.
Many questions; few answers.

6. Mary and the other women lingered by the tomb, overcome with grief.
Startled by the presence of angels, the women are informed that Jesus has risen from the dead. Immediately, they hurry off to tell the disciples.
As Mary turned around, Jesus stood before her, though she didn’t recognize him.
Called by name, Christ commissioned Mary to go and inform the other disciples of His resurrection.
What would you have been thinking if Mary had approached you with this news?
Later that day, the disciples gathered together in a house to debrief on what had happened.
Suddenly, Jesus appeared in their midst,
Jesus then breathed on them and said “Receive the Holy Spirit”.

7. Hearing the story of Christ’s resurrection has never been the issue
Hearing the story of Christ’s resurrection has never been the issue. It’s what we do with this story that matters.
The interesting encounter between Mary and Jesus reveals to us that with Jesus’ resurrection, we have new life before us … everything has now changed!
Just as life was initially created in the book of Genesis, resurrection life, new creation life, is presented to us here.
Created Life
Resurrection Life
On the first day of creation, in the middle of the Garden of Eden, God is the gardener.
On the first day of the week, in the middle of a garden, Mary mistakes Jesus for the gardener.
Genesis 2:7 tells us that God breathes life into the inanimate earth and it becomes a living being.
Remember Christ’s bizarre behavior; He breathes on the disciples, encouraging them to receive the Holy Spirit.

8. Are you living new creation life?
Have you caught Christ’s breath?
The disciples, who abandoned and cowered from Good Friday through Saturday, were from Sunday on willing to die to uphold the reality of the resurrection.
Has the reality of Christ’s resurrection caused any change in your life?
Jesus died not for freedom from Egypt, Rome or any other world power, but for freedom from sin, death and evil.
Through Christ, we are joined to a new covenant, one that promises that “those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.” (Hebrews 9:15).
Have you experienced the freedom that Jesus promises?

9. Another Ruined Ending
Scripture is very clear that when all is said and done, one truth remains - Jesus is victorious.
Sin, death and evil are utterly and eternally defeated.
Sunday is certainly coming and that can help us live in our Saturday.
Some of you may be caught in the confusion and fear of Friday, others might be stuck in the tension of Saturday; some of you may even be Sunday people.
We have a Saviour who invites us to move from Friday and Saturday into the eternal reality of Easter Sunday.
Today, are you a part of the eternal reality of Easter Sunday or do you still stand at a distance from the cross?