Hey Everyone,
On this Good Friday, I want to step back from our usual updates on campuses and metrics to focus on the ultimate foundation of why we do what we do. The work of bringing Love in Action to broken places is entirely anchored in one historical weekend.
1 Story of Impact
For three hours, the light was leaving Golgotha. Three men hung on a cross, one so badly beaten he was barely recognizable. Above him hung a sign that read: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” Within viewing distance stood his mother, a few women who loved him deeply, and the only disciple who dared to follow Jesus to his crucifixion. Their world was crumbling before their eyes. Thirty-four years earlier, Mary had been told by an angel she would carry the Son of the Most High. Days before, crowds were waving palm branches and screaming for the Messiah. But now, he was dying a horrible, public, and painful death. On Friday around 3:00 PM, after the cry of “It is finished,” the earth shook and all the light in the world was gone.
For many of us, we get fixated at this point in the story. In our faith, we get fixated on the cross. We have crosses in our churches, around our necks, and in our houses. And rightfully so—the suffering and sacrifice of Christ made us clean. He was the ultimate Passover Lamb, taking the sins and stains of all eternity and carrying them to the grave.
But the story didn’t end on Friday.
After the Sabbath, at the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb. The stone was rolled away, and an angel sat on it, saying, “Do not be afraid, for I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” And then Jesus appeared! It was bigger and better than any human had imagined. The tomb was empty, and Jesus was alive.
As followers of Christ, we remember the cross, yes, but we live as empty tomb people.
Jesus didn’t just take the sin of the world on His back; He overcame death so that we may have life to the full. He is the only person in history to have come from Heaven, lived on Earth, gone to hell, returned to Earth, and returned to Heaven. All for us. He is going to come back in strength and power to right the wrongs. He is the Hope of the world.
During this Easter season, I pray for you to truly live as empty tomb people. We all have crosses we must bear in this life. For some, this cross has created a wound that is still open and hurting. For others, the wound is a scab, but easily torn off by the harsh realities of life. And for some, the wound has healed, but the scar remains for all to see.
Wherever you are at in your pain, be still and know that He is God. On the other side of your pain, there is an empty tomb, with a promise that absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus Christ. Cling to this promise. We don’t follow a dead guy; we follow a living, loving, good, powerful, and resurrected King!
3 Points to Ponder
- The Friday Fixation. It is easy to get stuck in the pain, defeat, and darkness of our current circumstances, forgetting that the story isn’t over. Where in your life or leadership are you currently fixated on a “Friday” defeat, forgetting that “Sunday” is coming?
- The Purpose of the Scar. Scars are proof that a wound has healed. When we allow God to heal our deepest hurts, those scars become testimonies of His faithfulness to others who are still bleeding. How can you use a scar in your own life to point someone else toward the hope of the empty tomb this week?
- Living as Empty Tomb People. Living in the reality of the resurrection changes how we work, how we give, and how we love. It means we build with eternal confidence because we know the final victory is already secured. What is one specific way you can actively demonstrate Love in Action as an empty tomb person in your workplace or family today?
2 Quotes to Share
“The resurrection of Christ means that the worst thing is never the last thing.” — Frederick Buechner
“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” — Matthew 28:6
Wherever you find yourself this Easter, whether nursing an open wound or standing in the light of the resurrection, know that you are loved by a King who conquered the grave.
Feel free to reply and share—I read every response.
Live with impact,
Tim
