“The Empty Tomb”
Mark 16:1-8

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Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
Easter Sunday—April 16, 2017

“Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb. . . ”

On the first Easter morn, the last thing those women expected to find was “The Empty Tomb.”  With their own eyes, they witnessed Jesus put to death on Good Friday.  They followed him as he carried his cross out to Calvary.  They heard the horrible sound of the nails being driven through his hands and feet.  They heard him cry out in a loud voice, “It is finished!  Father, into Thy hands I commit my spirit.”  “And with that he bowed his head and gave up his life.” 

They saw the soldier pierce Jesus’ side and witnessed the water and blood flowing out, an unmistakable sign that Jesus was indeed dead.  They watched as his terribly tortured, battered, dead body was lowered from the cross and placed in a nearby tomb.  They saw the stone rolled into place.  They stood nearby and wept and mourned over the death of their beloved Jesus.

How many times have you followed a dead body out to a cemetery?  How many times have you stood nearby the grave of a loved one and wept and mourned?  How many times has a loved one of yours been lowered into a grave, and the soil shoveled over?

“Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb. . . ”  On the first Easter morn, the last thing those women expected to find was “The Empty Tomb.”  “Do not be afraid,” says the angel, “You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here!”

What does the empty tomb mean for you?  It means your sins are all forgiven.  As St. Paul says in Romans, “He was put to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”  Jesus lived, and died, and rose from the dead for only one purpose:  To pay for the sins of the whole world, including your sins and mine. 

With his perfect life he makes up for all our flaws and failures.  With his sacrifice on the cross he pays in full the punishment we deserve.  With his blood he cleanses us from every sin.  With his resurrection from the dead he secures our justification, making us right in the sight of God. 

“He was put to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”  What does the empty tomb mean for you?  It means that God is not angry with you, your sins are all forgiven, because Jesus lived, and died, and rose from the dead—for you.

“Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb. . . ”  On the first Easter morn, the last thing those women expected to find was “The Empty Tomb.”  “Do not be afraid. . . He is risen!” 

What does the empty tomb mean for you?  It means that your death is not the end, but the beginning of eternal life.  “I am the Resurrection and the Life,” Jesus proclaims, “whoever believes in me, even though he dies, yet shall he live.”  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; even though you die, yet shall you live with him in heaven. 

“Do not let your hearts be troubled,” he says.  “Trust in God in God, trust also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms.  If it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And since I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going . . . I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

What does the empty tomb mean for you?  It means that the souls of your loved ones who trusted in Jesus are even now with him in Paradise.  As St. Paul says in 1st Thessalonians, “We would not have you be ignorant, brothers, about those who fall asleep, or to grieve in the same manner as the rest of men, who have no hope.  We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him . . . and so we shall be forever with the Lord.  Therefore, comfort one another with these words.”

What does the empty tomb mean for you?  It means that at the moment you die, your soul will depart your body and immediately be with Jesus in the perfect peace of Paradise.  And at the Last Day, God will raise up your body from the grave and restore it to life.  As Job testifies, “I know that My Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.  And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I and not another.” 

Your body will be raised, restored, and transformed into a glorious heavenly body.  As St. Paul says in Philippians, “He will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”  And as St. Paul puts it so beautifully in 1st Corinthians, “We will all be changed, in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised never to die again, and we will be changed.”  “Do not be amazed at this,” Jesus says, “for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out.”

What does the empty tomb mean for you?  It means that on the Last Day, your grave will also be empty, for you will be with Jesus, soul and body, in heaven.

“Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb. . . ”  On the first Easter morn, the last thing those women expected to find was “The Empty Tomb.”  They expected to find the dead body of Jesus, which they planned to anoint with spices.  For three years their lives revolved around this man.  But now, he was dead.  One last act of service, one last deed of love, and it would all be over.  They thought that all their hopes in Christ were futile.  As St. Paul says in 1st Corinthians, “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied above all men.  But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead!”

“Do not be afraid,” says the angel, “You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here!”  What does the empty tomb mean for you?  It means that your hope in Christ is not futile.  “Because I live,” Jesus says, “you also will live.”  What does the empty tomb mean for you?  As the Gospel song says, “Because he lives, I can face tomorrow; because he lives, all fear is gone.  Because I know he holds the future; and life is worth the living just because he lives.” 

“Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb. . . ”  “Do not be afraid . . . He is risen!”  On the first Easter morn, the last thing those women expected to find was “The Empty Tomb.” 

The empty tomb means you are forgiven. The empty tomb means that you and all who trust in Jesus will be forever with the Lord in Paradise.  The empty tomb means that on the Last Day your body will be raised to eternal life.  The empty tomb means that your hope in Christ is not futile, for you worship not a dead deity, but your hope is in the living Lord!

“He lives to silence all my fears, He lives to wipe away my tears, He lives to calm my troubled heart, He lives all blessings to impart, He lives to comfort me when faint, He lives to hear my soul’s complaint, He lives to help in time of need, He lives and loves me to the end, He lives and I shall conquer death.”

“Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb. . . ” — “THE EMPTY TOMB!”