The Power of An Empty Tomb

May 6, 2020

“But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” (John 20:11-13)

That was the scene just moments before Mary became the first witness to the greatest miracle to ever take place – the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus from dead. Try to imagine the scene – she is standing outside the tomb and sees the stone has been rolled away (a feat that no human could have done alone). She’s weeping. She’s sobbing. Her emotions are going from bad to worse – not only is He dead, but they’ve gotten rid of His Body too (something very disgraceful in the ancient Hebrew culture).

A bad day just became worse and you can imagine her feeling standing inside that tomb – that empty tomb. Crushed. Depressed. Defeated. Hopeless. The tomb was the worst place ever.

But then it all changed. It all changed when she saw Jesus. He appeared to her and called her by name, “Mary.” She recognized Him immediately and that was it. That changed everything.

The Aim of our Lenten Journey

March 13, 2019

“that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” (Philippians 3:10)

As I wrote about last week, we are now officially in the midst of the season of Lent … oh no… wait a minute… I said that I don’t believe that Lent is meant to be just a “season.” A “season” comes and goes with no purpose; the only reason we are in a “season” is because the calendar tells us that it is time for that season.

ASIDE: Coincidentally enough, I just noticed that “spring” officially begins in one week, March 20 – but who cares? That proves my point. No one is expecting that next Wednesday is really any different than this one – it’s just what the calendar says. Seasons make no difference.

Lent is not a season, but rather a journey. A journey has a purpose. We are going somewhere. We have a destination. And on this journey of Lent, we have two specific destinations that we’re trying to reach: a CROSS and a TOMB.

Finding Power When You Need It Most

June 12, 2013

“LORD, give me strength. Give me power. Help me get through this. I can’t do it without you…” How many times have you uttered those words this week? This day? In the past 45 minutes?

Power. It's something everyone is looking for, but so many lack. God promises to give us power – that’s clear throughout Scripture – but then how come we find ourselves struggling so much? Struggling with sin, addictions, frustrations, hurt, failure. WHERE IS THE POWER????

(children of the 90s – aka ‘the greatest decade ever’ – what’s the first thing that popped into your head when I asked that last question? If it isn’t THIS SONG, then you are an imposter – not a true child of the 90s).

The Power of a Plastic Straw

October 18, 2012

One day an investigator was walking through the storm ravaged streets of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Amidst the rubble and destruction, he found a plastic straw – a flimsy plastic drinking straw. But this flimsy plastic drinking straw caught his attention. It was unique in a way that he had never seen before. This straw had done something that probably very few straws in the world have ever accomplished.

It was embedded in a thick wooden telephone pole – probably about 2-3 inches deep – and was sticking straight like an arrow shot from a bow.

Can you imagine how much effort it would take you to do that?

The Power of Sacrifice

June 28, 2012

“And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.” Acts 4:33

Great power. Great grace. I love those two phrases. I want that in my life and I bet you wouldn’t mind them in yours either. The question for today is this: where did that 'great power' and 'great grace' come from?You’ll be surprised by the answer. That verse is found in between some other verses that seem out of place. The verse before it says:

“Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.” (Acts 4:32)

And the verse after it says:

“Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.” (Acts 4:34-35)

Huh? Those verses are about giving. You’d expect a verse about 'great power' and 'great grace' would come from a passage about prayer or love or fasting or humility or something along those lines. But the Bible here connects it with generosity and giving instead. But not just any kind of giving – real giving, sacrificial giving, giving in a way that doesn’t make sense to give. Maybe the early church knew something that we don’t.

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