“The dead man came out bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
John 11:44
Here we are on Easter Sunday celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Our focus is often on the empty tomb. An empty tomb means our Savior lives! It confirms that everything He claimed about Himself is true! He truly is the Son of God! His resurrection proves it! This is what we celebrate today!
But there is another “empty tomb” story that is somewhat forgotten because the focus is on Lazarus who came out of the tomb. This story also confirms Jesus deity by His power over death. He had the stone rolled away from the tomb and called Lazarus to “Come out!” Lazarus had died and spent four days in the tomb but that did not deter Jesus from bringing him new life! Wrapped in linen from head to toe, Lazarus walked out of the tomb. Jesus commanded, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
What are the implications of this empty tomb? We can believe without any doubt that statements Jesus made are reliable. He assured Martha before calling Lazarus forth, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Then He proved it by bringing Lazarus from death to life.
In comforting His disciples He said, “If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you with myself, so that where I am you may also come.” John 14:3
An empty tomb assures us He will come again and keep His promise to take us with Him.
Jesus also promised to not leave us as orphans, but he would send us the gift of the Holy Spirit, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth.” John 14:16-17
“The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.” John 14:26
We know He fulfilled that promise! Then this empty tomb may gave us a visual; as Lazarus came out of the tomb answering the call of Christ, the graves clothes were removed. As we surrender our hearts to Christ, our sins are forgiven, and we go from death to life.
In His own words,
“Truly, I tell you, anyone who hears My words and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.” John 5:24
This Easter, Celebrate the empty tomb! Both of them!
Blessed by you… Bro. Sherman
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