There are three promises of Easter. You guys get the first promise…
1. Because it is early in the morning and sleep still fills your eyes.
2. Because at this time of the day we need something visual. Something to focus on, other than the old preacher up front.
3. And thirdly, because it is forefront and center to our faith.
I am talking about the cross. The cross ever looming in this sanctuary. Always looming.
The cross that towers over the middle of this sanctuary and everything we say and do in this place.
It was planned this way by the original builder’s way back in the 60’s. It was decided that for this congregation – the cross – would be central.
So there it looms.
Our world today is made up of a lot of skeptics. We know and believe the old adage of – if it sounds to good to be true – it probably is. We have all become a little bit street wise.
We are leery of anything or anyone that tells us we can have something for nothing.
If politics has taught us anything – it is that there are no “free lunches.” You can be sure, you will pay…and pay and pay…
Our world is full of empty promises and the whole area of advertizing and advertisements is based on selling you something that you do not want, that you cannot afford, and that you do not need.
Did you know that you can become popular, happy, sexy, rich or famous or have gorgeous skin…if you just purchase a certain product.
The world is full of empty promises and we have grown skeptical.
Easter offers promises. Three of them, and like an episode of Seinfeld, they are all based on nothing…
They are each marked by something empty. There is only emptiness. Nothingness.
There is an empty cross, an empty tomb and empty burial clothes.
Look at the cross. Because the cross was empty we have the promise of the forgiveness of our sins.
See there is no body. Jesus is not there. There is nothingness. It is empty.
On that first Easter morning a few of Jesus’ followers were on their way early to the tomb. It was the tomb where Jesus was buried.
Their conversation was no doubt quiet and subdued. The task before them was a sad one.
I wonder if from where they were – could they see the place of the Skull against the pinkish orange glow of the morning’s sky.
The crosses would have been a reminder of the horror of Friday. The Romans liked to remind people. They wanted them to see the crosses. They wanted all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the surrounding region to see the crosses. Rome meant business. You did not mess with Rome.
It was a reminder of death. A reminder of torture. Jesus was dead. The soldiers knew it. The Romans knew it. The Jewish elite knew it. The women knew it.
The cross was the place where he died.
But today, it is empty. That is the significance of an empty cross. Jesus is not there. It is empty. There is nothing there. Jesus rose.
That empty cross symbolizes for us -God’s promises. It is full of hope – in what can be a very hopeless world. We reside in a very scary world to be sure.
The promise of the empty cross is that you and I stand forgiven.
It was on the cross that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins. The sins…that you and I can never atone for…
Now, I realize that to talk about “sin” is not politically correct today…but the simple fact is – that we all sin. Every single one us, you, me, the person sitting next to you or across from you…
We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
I know this, we need to take responsibility for our actions. We need to be sorry for our misdeeds. We need to be sorry for the hurt we have personally caused others.
When you look to the empty cross – it is a reminder of God’s promise that we have been forgiven.
Jesus paid the penalty for our sins. “God demonstrated his love for us, that while we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us.” For you and for me.
When Jesus cried out and breathed his last, and said, “It is finished” …his work of redemption was complete. The blood that was spilled – was for our salvation. And that is the first promise of Easter.