Easter Tomb

Everything Jesus had been sent to earth for led to this week. The journey to Easter culminated in this moment that was about so much more than changing the world.

Make no mistake: Jesus came to save the world.

From triumph to tears

Just one week before the first Easter Sunday, Jesus triumphantly rode into Bethlehem on a donkey as followers and admirers excitedly waved palm branches and laid them—and their own clothes—on the ground in front of Him. The people yelled, “Hosanna!” (“Save me!”) and “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”

You can imagine the excitement of the day. Still, it was a far cry from the triumphal entries of Roman emperors and conquering heroes. Then again, Jesus wasn’t the king people were expecting.

But things quickly changed in the week following His arrival at Jerusalem. Jesus raised the ire of religious leaders upset about Him claiming to be the Messiah, calling out their hypocrisy, pride and arrogance and undermining their authority and way of life.

They plotted to kill Him, convincing one of Jesus’ beloved disciples to betray Him. On Friday, Jesus was falsely accused of a crime, convicted, severely beaten and tortured. He was made to carry the very wooden cross he would be nailed to and killed upon.

It was an excruciating, gruesome death. But it was why God sent Him here. A sinless man died to suffer for the sins we have committed—sins that separate us from God.

Following his death that afternoon, Jesus’ body was removed from the cross and placed in a tomb. His followers were overcome with sorrow, confusion and fear.

The tomb was sealed. Hope was lost.

What we know today as Good Friday felt anything but good .

But Jesus’ death was not his demise. In fact, it was far from the end for Him—or us.

‘He is not here’

On Sunday, “Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.” (Mark 16:1) On their way, they discussed how they would open the tomb. Then, things got wild.

“But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. ‘Don’t be alarmed,’ he said. ‘You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.’” (Mark 16:4-6)

Jesus was dead. But a few days later, God performed a miracle and brought Him back to life, just as planned—and foreshadowed in Scripture.

Later, the Apostle Paul wrote, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…”. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

But why? Well, Paul answered that, too: “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:17)

So, today, mourning has turned to celebration. Christ has been raised and our sins have been forgiven. Darkness has become light. Death has been defeated.

Jesus is alive!

Good news for you

Jesus died for far more than punishment for a bogus criminal charge. He had no sin, no reason to be punished. But we do—and our sin is what separates us from God.

Jesus sacrificed Himself to pay for our sins. He died so we could live with hope and purpose in unity with God. As Peter wrote, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18a)

He died for you and me.

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Notice there is no asterisk next to “whoever.”

In other words, God loves you no matter who you are, where you’re from, what you’ve done or what’s been done to you. He loves you so much that He allowed His son to be brutally beaten and killed so you wouldn’t have to feel the sting of darkness and death because of your sins.

And then, God performed the miracle of resurrection, bringing us hope and purpose that comes with new life.

You don’t have to be separated from God. He loves you. He wants the best for you. He is FOR you.

Today, accept God’s love. In embracing Jesus, you will find forgiveness, purpose and a source of unwavering love.

When you acknowledge your need for forgiveness and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, you will be saved. It’s not about striving to be perfect or earning your way to heaven. It’s about putting your trust in Jesus and accepting his forgiveness as a free gift.

And, when that happens, Scripture says you become a new creation in Christ, and your relationship with God is restored. Paul wrote about that in 2 Corinthians 5:17, saying: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

That’s the heart of the message—the good news. It’s about God’s love, Jesus’ sacrifice, and the opportunity for a transformed life through faith.

If you’re longing for forgiveness, hope and a deeper connection with God, don’t hesitate to take this step.

Please contact us if you would like to speak with someone about God’s love, Jesus’ sacrifice or experiencing a new life in Christ. We’d love to chat with you.