The Resurrection left an empty tomb

Resurrection Sunday, more commonly referred to as Easter, passed more than a week ago. Then why am I writing about it now? Because Jesus’ death on the cross wasn’t the end. Jesus rising from death began something amazing, and the reality and purpose of it linger long beyond one day. As I reflected on Easter this year, I didn’t want to stop after a date on the calendar. Instead, I choose to continue my reflections of things I discovered each day during my morning (or sometimes evening) quiet times. In reflecting, I choose to share tidbits with others.

What difference does an empty tomb make?

Simple. All religions have a leader who died, but only Christianity has a leader who came back from the dead. In any other religion, you can visit their burial place and feel certain a body remains in that spot—not so with Jesus. Visiting his burial place, all you find is an empty tomb. While some debate the truth of His resurrection, I believe it happened and is the foundation of the Christian faith. So an empty tomb absolutely becomes a critical element. In the coming weeks, we’ll look at the reality of the resurrection, supported by historical and physical evidence.

For the moment, work with me and accept that Jesus rose from the dead.

Resurrection means final victory

So many elements of the crucifixion and resurrection are fantastic. Each step of the way, Jesus faced that weekend long ago with a single purpose in mind. He intentionally gave His life as the sacrificial lamb. To understand that, we have to look at the Old-Testament Passover lamb. And we will do precisely that later this month. Understanding the lamb brings new meaning to the crucifixion. But when Jesus returned from the dead, He won against Satan for the last time. He won against sin and the price required for it. And He won against a struggle to live victoriously. Without the resurrection, the Christian faith is nothing more than another good religious standard by which we might choose to live. But for those who embrace living in abundance, resurrection makes all the difference.

Resurrection means power for life.

Before and without Jesus, we walk in sin without power to fight effectively against it. When we tap into the same power that Jesus used when coming back to life, we can stand against Satan, all of his minions, and anything they throw our direction. It may not always feel that way, but in reality, we can stand. Satan cannot defeat me if I follow Jesus and walk in His strength.

Over the next few weeks, I plan to explore different parts of the crucifixion and resurrection. I hope you return and gain something new and fresh from what I share. For now, what does resurrection mean to you personally? Feel free to leave comments and share your personal experiences. Let’s not watch another Resurrection Sunday pass without changing us. For when we enter the presence of our Lord, we cannot walk away from Him the same.