Day 187: The 'Empty' Promises Of Easter
Read: Luke 24:1 - 12
I realize that using the word 'empty' may be a bit on the awkward side
for titling this devotional about God's fulfillment of the One greatest
promise we have as believers - our Resurrection unto eternal life
through His Son Jesus Christ. It sounded awkward to me too. However, I
contemplated today's Bible reading, 'Empty' and 'Promise' just jumped out at me. In our world, we are taught that; “if it sounds to
good to be true, it probably is.” So many of us have been taken in by
“empty promises,” that we are completely leery of anything or anyone
that promises us we can have something for nothing. Rightfully so
because fraud hurts us deeply. A promise from God through Jesus His Son: "We will rise again?"
An empty promise? We will rise again? From where ... our beds in the
morning, our chairs to get another cup of coffee? We wont even rise from
our chairs to turn the channel on our TV because we have a remote that
'rises up' for us. So we are told by God: "We will rise again?" Sounds like an empty promise to me because I have and I am sure you have not either seen nor heard tell of someone "rising
again" unto the life that God promises for all those who believe in His
Son, Jesus. Well friends, there are three promises of Easter we have
seen: Empty Cross - the forgiveness of sins, Empty Tomb - eternal life,
Empty Burial Clothes - personal relationship with Jesus. Three 'empty' promises? Well, let us see.
There
are three of them. Each promise is marked by something 'empty'. An empty
cross, and 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. First, IS the Empty Cross. The cross was empty, we have the
promise of forgiven sins. Jesus died. He was buried before the Sabbath
as their own law required. That was the body broken for us for the 'forgiveness' of sins empty promise leading to death (Matthew 26:26 - 29). Our
sin is not there anymore. It was bloodied! It was buried! Sealed behind the stone! Our sin is no more! The Cross is empty but it remains as a reminder: With God - our Rising again is becoming possible!
Now we approach the tomb to finish preparing the body. But the two ton
rock has been rolled away and we did not do it. We slowly approached and
looked in. This tomb was empty - the promise of witnessing to the empty
tomb. Two men in dazzling clothes speak to us with authority - “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen." (5b). Messiah Jesus promised this
three times. An empty promise at the time - we had never seen it before -
now His tomb was empty. (John 20:1 - 18). Now, His empty bed clothes
folded neatly in a corner. By tradition a way a dinner guest says, "I
promise I will return to this table for you!" "You will rise!" "You will Rise again!"
Let Us 'Rise' and Pray:
Of all of God's gifts
Easter shows us our fate
Forgiven we will rise
And pass through Heaven's gate
This Easter remember
The sacrifice of a Son
And through His resurrection
Eternal life we have won
This Easter I pray
That the love of God
Is resurrected
Reborn, renewed
Inside your heart
God Bless You!
~anonymous~
http://www.youtube.com/
Read: Luke 24:1 - 12
I realize that using the word 'empty' may be a bit on the awkward side for titling this devotional about God's fulfillment of the One greatest promise we have as believers - our Resurrection unto eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ. It sounded awkward to me too. However, I contemplated today's Bible reading, 'Empty' and 'Promise' just jumped out at me. In our world, we are taught that; “if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.” So many of us have been taken in by “empty promises,” that we are completely leery of anything or anyone that promises us we can have something for nothing. Rightfully so because fraud hurts us deeply. A promise from God through Jesus His Son: "We will rise again?"
An empty promise? We will rise again? From where ... our beds in the morning, our chairs to get another cup of coffee? We wont even rise from our chairs to turn the channel on our TV because we have a remote that 'rises up' for us. So we are told by God: "We will rise again?" Sounds like an empty promise to me because I have and I am sure you have not either seen nor heard tell of someone "rising again" unto the life that God promises for all those who believe in His Son, Jesus. Well friends, there are three promises of Easter we have seen: Empty Cross - the forgiveness of sins, Empty Tomb - eternal life, Empty Burial Clothes - personal relationship with Jesus. Three 'empty' promises? Well, let us see.
There are three of them. Each promise is marked by something 'empty'. An empty cross, and 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. First, IS the Empty Cross. The cross was empty, we have the promise of forgiven sins. Jesus died. He was buried before the Sabbath as their own law required. That was the body broken for us for the 'forgiveness' of sins empty promise leading to death (Matthew 26:26 - 29). Our
sin is not there anymore. It was bloodied! It was buried! Sealed behind the stone! Our sin is no more! The Cross is empty but it remains as a reminder: With God - our Rising again is becoming possible!
Now we approach the tomb to finish preparing the body. But the two ton rock has been rolled away and we did not do it. We slowly approached and looked in. This tomb was empty - the promise of witnessing to the empty tomb. Two men in dazzling clothes speak to us with authority - “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen." (5b). Messiah Jesus promised this three times. An empty promise at the time - we had never seen it before - now His tomb was empty. (John 20:1 - 18). Now, His empty bed clothes folded neatly in a corner. By tradition a way a dinner guest says, "I promise I will return to this table for you!" "You will rise!" "You will Rise again!"
Let Us 'Rise' and Pray:
Of all of God's gifts
Easter shows us our fate
Forgiven we will rise
And pass through Heaven's gate
This Easter remember
The sacrifice of a Son
And through His resurrection
Eternal life we have won
This Easter I pray
That the love of God
Is resurrected
Reborn, renewed
Inside your heart
God Bless You!
~anonymous~
http://www.youtube.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment