Jesus Christ was ridiculed, horribly beaten, and nailed to a cross to die for our sins. God, in all his wisdom, determined this to be the most graphic example of His love for us; the ultimate sacrifice. Although fully divine, Jesus felt every stroke of the whip and every bone shattering nail being driven through his skin. He felt the pain. All we need do to realize the reward of the eternal life that His sacrifice promises is to believe. Believe in God the Father. Believe in Christ His Son. Believe in the empty tomb. In so doing, we turn from our sin and follow Jesus as he walks away from that tomb to return to heaven and take His seat at the right hand of God.
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” Hebrews 1:3 (NIV)
As a follower of Jesus, our path is clearly marked by the Word of God. Page after page of vivid instruction guides our every step. While this world tries to push us in the opposite direction, we have power and strength provided by the Holy Spirit to keep us on the straight and narrow. As long as we keep our eye on Jesus, we are moving in the right direction. No matter how difficult the road becomes, no matter how impossible the odds seem to be, in the end we will have victory.
“Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.” Hebrews 3:1 (NIV)
The power of God’s Word is made real when we apply it in our lives through sincere service to God by serving others. The simple act of believing in Jesus becomes the complex act of living out a true Christian life of loving service to God. Through diligent study of the Word and constant application of the lessons learned, we grow ever closer to God.
“Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity.” Hebrews 6:1 (NIV)
A Christian life is not without difficulty. In fact, in some ways it may be more difficult than the life of an unbeliever. While we know the ultimate destination is life in eternity with God, we still must travel through this life in a world that is sometimes hostile to our faith. Prayer and fellowship with other believers will keep our hearts full of joy in spite of times of trouble. The empty tomb is a reminder of our ultimate victory.
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)
There is absolutely nothing that can prevent a true believer in Jesus Christ from reaching the Promised Land. All of God’s promises are fulfilled. The empty tomb was designed to demonstrate that God is in complete control. The empty tomb is our insurance as believers that the impossible is completely possible with God.
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” Hebrews 12:28 (NIV)
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