After the Resurrection: The Gift of Life in the Empty Tomb

Sharing Christmas with my future husband’s family for the first time was exciting, but also nerve wracking. We hadn’t spent much time together and I was still a bit intimidated. But they were so gracious and welcoming. They even bought me gifts.

I’ll never forget gathering in a big circle in the living room to take turns opening our presents. When it was my turn, I picked up the small box, tore the paper carefully, opened the lid, and looked inside to find it empty. All eyes were on me. It was my turn to exclaim what a lovely gift it was, how much I loved it, and to thank the person who gave it. But how do you thank someone for an empty box? (I tell the rest of the story in our Season 1 Episode 008 podcast… all’s well that ends well).

Sometimes an empty gift is awkward.

And sometimes an empty gift is the best gift ever. In fact, we spent a lot of time and money to go see our empty gift—the empty tomb.

But what do we do with it?

We received our righteousness, the forgiveness of our sins, at the cross. We gained the eternal hope through the resurrection that allows us to live knowing that once we are in Christ we are eternal. Our bodies will one day wear out, but we never will.

But now what?

We follow the example of Christ. After the resurrection, His mission was finished, but there was still work to do. He started by appearing to those closest to Him to strengthen their belief. He made a special effort to find Peter and restore him with the knowledge that he was forgiven. And He continued to instruct them saying go and make disciples (see Matthew 28:19).

It is easy for us to get caught up in the life saving wonder of the cross. So much so that some people never make it beyond that to the empty tomb. And of those who make it to the tomb, there are those who pull up a comfy stone in the garden where they can wait for the Lord’s return.

But Jesus isn’t there. He didn’t linger at the tomb like a tour guide waiting on curious pilgrims to stop by with their questions on the way to the gift shop.

When He left the tomb, He left the tomb.

So what is the gift of the empty tomb for followers of Christ?

It is the invitation to a larger-than-this-earthly-life adventure. We became eternal beings when we first accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord. And with the empty tomb, He showed us that death has no hold over us. Jesus became the prototype for our eternal heavenly bodies. He walked, He talked, and He cooked and ate. He taught, explained, and forgave.

Christianity is the opposite of a dull, boring experience. It is being fully alive.

Fully alive to do bold things. Fully alive to love our neighbors (yes, even the hard to love ones). Fully alive to worship God with our whole heart because we know that one day we will stand in His presence.

The empty tomb doesn’t just mean that Jesus returned to life. It’s the example for us to follow and the promise of our victory.

Don’t follow my example from the empty Christmas gift, sitting around in awkward stillness, confused and uncomfortable.

Live with the joy and boldness of knowing that an empty tomb means anything is possible.