Go Beyond

Mosaic in Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The tombs of many of the world’s great leaders are awe-inspiring wonders characterized by elegant architecture, impressive epithets, eternal flames, and beautiful surroundings. In most cases, no expense was spared to memorialize the good, the bad, and the ugly. However, in spite of their magnificence, these tombs all share one common characteristic — they are all still occupied! By contrast, Jesus was buried in an unpretentious tomb that was not prepared exclusively for Him. No artisan or workman carved it out with the intention of preserving His memory. And yet today, the empty tomb of Jesus remains as mute testimony of His victory over sin and death. His simple tomb assures us that through faith in the risen Jesus, people can experience forgiveness of their sins and a new and everlasting life.

The Apostle Paul wrote that Jesus was “the firstborn from the dead” (Colossians 1:18). In other words, He was the first person to be raised from the dead without dying again. He is alive today, reigns supreme, and is worthy of our unrivaled love and loyalty. Paul believed that the gospel is at the center of our faith, and the cross and the empty tomb are at the center of the gospel. In his letter to the church at Corinth, he wrote: “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3-4). Paul said that what he had received was rooted in history or “according to the Scriptures.” The death of Christ was foretold in “the Scriptures” (for example, Isaiah 53:5-12). Many men died at the hands of the Romans, but His death was “for our sins.” And, Jesus “was raised” — the perfect tense in Greek indicates that He remains raised from the dead. His resurrection is a past event with results continuing to the present.

This Easter, we remember His resurrection and victory over the grave. Along with Christ-followers around the world, we also reflect on and rejoice in the fact that He is alive and reigns supreme. As you remember, reflect, and rejoice in the resurrection and on the meaning of Easter, keep these things in mind and take a moment to lead your family in praise and thanksgiving for all that Jesus did to make a way for us to be reconciled to God.

E = Easter is about an empty tomb that offers hope to those with empty lives.
A = Easter is about an announcement that Jesus is alive.
S = Easter is about God’s offer of salvation to all who believe.
T = Easter is about the triumph of Jesus over death.
E = Easter is about the joy that we can experience every day.
R = Easter is about our responsibility to share the good news that Jesus is alive.

He is risen and He is alive!