Steve Fowler, April 3-4

Happy Easter!

God pulled off the best surprise ever on Easter morning. His Son had been executed just days prior, and the One everybody had hoped and thought would save them was now in a grave. Jesus’ friends were devastated. He tried to tell them He would rise from the grave, but it didn’t make sense to them at the time.

On a previous trip to the Middle East to visit some of our international partners, I went a little early to visit Israel. While there, I stood at the place believed to be the Garden Tomb of Jesus. There were long lines to see the place where Jesus was crucified, but at the Garden Tomb there were no lines. There were no people. There was just an empty tomb. It was a remarkable sight––an unfinished tomb carved out of a rock with a groove in the ground for a stone to roll in front to seal it shut. It’s just like the Gospel writers described it…and it’s empty.

It would be surprising to one day put a dead body in a grave and then three days later see the One who once was dead alive! Talk about a shock! Once Jesus’ friends realized what had happened, the news traveled fast and furious. He is Alive! People ran from village to village with the news. There are over 500 witnesses of the resurrected Jesus, but none so compelling as an empty tomb. Jesus conquered the grave. Jesus is Alive.

The church has been celebrating ever since, and I’m glad that you’re here today to celebrate as well. My hope and prayer is that the surprising joy of Easter would be fully embraced by you today. Let’s celebrate and worship! Jesus is Alive!