And This Will be a Sign for You - Sunrise Service April 20th, 2014

By Pastor Greg

I think the church is missing something. I think we are missing an important item that symbolizes our relationship with Jesus. I know that the church does a good job placing signs within the building at Christmas which reminds us of Jesus – notably the manger scenes. We do this because the Angel announced to the shepherds, “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12). We place manger scenes in our homes and in our churches to remind us of the coming of Christ.

Likewise, most church buildings have a symbol in a prominent place year round to remind everyone of Easter. An image of the cross is a continual reminder of what Jesus did for all of humanity. This too is a sign. Pointing to His crucifixion, Jesus said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life” (John 3:14-15). At Easter we often talk about the cross or sing about the cross. And we do this because the cross of Christ gives eternal life to all who believe. But I think there was another sign given to us; a sign that is often overlooked. And honestly, I’d like to see this sign placed somewhere outside the church, just like the cross on many steeples, to remind everyone who passes by that Christianity does not stop at the cross.

All four Gospels tell the story of the cross of Friday, AND the story of the tomb of Sunday; notably the stone that had sealed the tomb. Mark writes, Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3 On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside. 5 When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, 6 but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth,* who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. 7 Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.” 8 The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened.

What I find to be significant is that the stone was rolled away not so that Jesus could get out of the tomb, but so that those on the outside could see in. The empty tomb becomes a sign that death could not keep Jesus. But the empty tomb also becomes a sign for you and me. King David knew of this promise; this sign. He wrote, “For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave” (Psalm 16:10). Just as Christ rose from the dead to live so too will those who believe have eternal life. And the empty tomb becomes a sign of this promise.

My friend, please remember this one important promise: Jesus said that those who believe will have eternal life. That means we will not rot in the grave. He opened His tomb so that it may become a sign for you and me. As He is now, we will one day be. The shout we make on Easter morning is one of triumph for Jesus and one of promise; His promise to us.

What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. 51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies (1 Corinthians 15:50-53).

The sign of the empty tomb points to the fact that one day we too will rise again. We too will follow Jesus out of the grave. We too will be “dressed” in a body that is transformed and eternal. This Easter, let’s remember that along with the cross there is also the empty tomb. And it is a symbol that should cause us to rejoice as well.