Writings: Because the Tomb is Empty, Our Hearts are Full

By: Dr. Gregory S. Neal

“I have seen the Lord!”

That would become Mary Magdalene’s proclamation … but it wasn’t what happened at first. As John’s Gospel tells the story, when Mary first went to the tomb there was nothing there. no body; no angels to to announce that he had risen; no-nothing. The tomb was empty.

And so, she ran and told the Disciples. The Disciples were in hiding. They were sheltering-in-place, afraid of the religious authorities who had killed their Jesus, their Messiah, their Lord, their rabbi and friend. Mary Magdalene came into their quiet, darkened, fearful hide-out and cried:

“They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” (John 20:3)

This wasn't an affirmation of the resurrection, but a fearful lament. More bad news! More disaster! More trouble and more reasons to be afraid! It’s like watching the news these days: during this Coronavirus pandemic, as event upon event and bad news mounts upon bad news, I half expect to look out my window and see zombies lumbering down the streets. This morning, there were nearly 550,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the US, with nearly 450 in Collin County alone ... and, nation wide, about 20,000 deaths. The news is grim, we are rightfully “sheltering-in-place,” and many, like the Disciples, are understandably afraid. Into the midst of this comes a message that we all need to hear. It began filled with confusion.

“They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” (John 20:3)

Peter and John left their sheltering place, left their self-imposed quarantine, and ended up running to see the empty tomb. They saw it. They were still confused; they still wondered at the sight of the burial wrappings, and of the linen cloth that had been on Jesus’ face rolled up and set apart from the other burial wrappings. And they wondered. They struggled with belief. It’s like they wanted to believe, and the beloved Disciple did believe, even though neither he nor Peter yet understood the meaning of the empty tomb. And then these guys leave; they depart to go back into quarantine, leaving Mary Magdalene there, stooping to enter the tomb.

As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” (John 20:11-13)

The sight of the two Angels wasn’t enough to pierce her gloom, the darkness that had enveloped her. It's a darkness that threatens us all. The past week I’ve been reading all over the news, and all over social media, that Easter has been cancelled.

NONSENSE

No one has ever, can ever, or will ever take away our risen Lord! The celebration of the Resurrection doesn’t need a full sanctuary. Oh, it would be nice to have one. Looking around here in this empty building, with these empty pews … this is tough, my friends. I’d rather have you HERE, looking back at me, than in your homes. But it’s GOOD that you’re not here, but safe where you are, because an empty sanctuary doesn’t mean that WE are empty. The more important sanctuary, the sanctuary and temple of your HEART, is FILLED with the Resurrection Power of Jesus Christ our Lord.

God’s love reigns supreme even in the midst of a global pandemic. No virus, no bug, no failing of humankind can ever overcome the Love of God manifested in our midst in Resurrection of Jesus. Indeed, as I’ve said several times now, the Love of God proclaimed from the empty tomb:

“He is risen!”

Calls us to express God’s love for others by having an empty sanctuary today. Because the tomb was empty, our buildings are empty; and, because the tomb was empty, we will never be empty. Christ is risen! He is not in a tomb … he is risen!

When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (John 20:14-16)

All Jesus had to do was say her name in order to pierce the veil of tears and for Mary to recognize him ... not as a gardener, but as her Lord and savior, her Rabbi, her friend … Jesus.

And after spending time with Jesus, walking with him, talking with him, bathing in the grace of his presence in the garden, now it is Mary who runs … she runs back to the Disciples with an amazing, universe-transforming message.

“I have seen the Lord”

And so have we.

© 2020, Dr. Gregory S. Neal
All Rights Reserved