April 18, 2007 — Greetings friends and neighbors! I trust that your Easter holiday was blessed and that you took the opportunity to worship the risen Lord Jesus Christ, who conquered sin, hell and death on that first Easter morning!

At First Baptist Church last week, we had wonderful worship services in which to celebrate the resurrection. On Easter Morning, we began with a sunrise service at 7:00 am in order that we might commemorate that first Easter morning. Imagine what it must have been like early that morning as the two Marys and Salome approached the tomb to do an honorable and loving thing by anointing the body of the one who had meant so much to them in life.

Perhaps the pall of death still hung heavy over them. Maybe as they walked to the tomb, they passed by the empty cross and all of the emotions and memories of Jesus‚ horrible crucifixion overwhelmed them. Perhaps they wept as they walked. Or maybe they reminisced about the miracles he had performed, the lives that he had changed, or perhaps they remembered the authoritative words that he had taught.

Whatever the case, the grief that had overshadowed them as the morning began soon turned to excitement, confusion, and chaos. Upon their arrival at the tomb, as all four gospels tell us, they found the stone rolled away and the body of Jesus gone! What joy and confusion must have filled their hearts! Their Lord was gone. Had he been stolen? Were they at the right place? Had he really risen like he said he would?

Their confusion soon turned to joy as men in white announced to them that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead (Luke 24:5-9)! Soon, they would see him again in Galilee! Oh, the excitement that must have overcome these women on that first Easter morning! Certainly it must have been difficult for them even to contain themselves as they went from the tomb, telling others about this marvelous work of God, Jesus had risen!!!

Whatever happened to that excitement? Where is it now? Today, the very same message that brought such amazing excitement to the early church has become “old-hat” to many Christians. Even though the resurrection is the most crucial doctrine of the Christian faith (indeed, Paul says that without it, there is no Christianity, 1 Cor. 15:12-19), very few Christians bubble-over with excitement at the prospect of telling someone about it! Very few Christians boldly witness today to the truth and power of the resurrection. Meanwhile, Satan continues working doubt in the world, putting forth false claims that the bones of Jesus have been found, or making others believe that Jesus never really died in the first place.

We need more Christians today to get excited about the good news of the miraculous resurrection of our Lord! Do you remember how exciting the message was the first time you heard it? Do you remember hanging on every word of the story as a child? Do you recall the emotions of amazement and joy as your sadness (because of his death on the cross) turned to celebration upon hearing the story of the empty tomb?

Perhaps this is where a real revival needs to begin in the church today - at the same place where the excitement and revival of the early church began. That place is the empty tomb of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! The powerful message of the resurrection transformed the early disciples - could it do the same for a cold, materialistic, defeated church today?

Return to the empty tomb today and allow God to once again excite you about your faith in Christ. Do not wait for next Easter to get excited about the resurrection again. Rather, allow God to do a work of resurrection in your spiritual life as you ponder each and every day the wonder and amazement of the old, old, story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

Pastor Terry Leap II

FBC Grayson, KY

pastorleap@yahoo.com

606-474-5641

The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. (I Jn. 2:17)