It's all about Jesus: the Cross, the Tomb, & the Grave Clothes

It’s all about Jesus: the Cross, the Tomb, & the Grave Clothes

(Part 1)

“Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.”-Luke 24:1-3

Jesus’ triumph over death, hell, and the grave are a fundamental part of the gospel message. On numerous occasions Jesus spoke of his death and resurrection, however, it was not until they stepped into the empty tomb and gazed upon his abandoned grave clothes that they remembered His words:

“And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” And they remembered His words.”-Luke 24:4-8

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a roller coaster ride of emotion spanning from the agony of his death on the cross to the elation of His resurrection from the dead. It embodies the passing of an old life and the embracing of a new life!

The cross was a place of death and dying; where Jesus died for you and me and took upon himself the due penalty of our sins. It is where we remember Christ’s sacrifice and share in his sufferings. The cross is a reminder to us that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). It reminds us that wages of our sin is death (Romans 6:23); but it also reminds us that God demonstrated his love for us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

The cross is the place where our old sinful lives are put to death; lives steeped in sexual immorality, unforgiveness, bitterness, greed, gluttony, deceit, and selfishness. When we live in sin, it seems that all we see is the cross! When we are living according to the pattern of our old sinful life all we seem to experience of Christ is the conviction of the Holy Spirit, but never the empowering of the Spirit.

Although Jesus instructs us to take up our cross daily and that we should share in his sufferings; he also desires for us to experience and enjoy the power and privilege of a resurrected life!

Author and Pastor Watchman Nee once wrote: “Our old history ends with the cross; our new history begins with the resurrection.

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church