Crosses and Tombs

...thoughts from Luke 24:1-12

And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. (Luke 24:2-3, ESV)

The cross is a universally recognized symbol of Christianity. For Christians, the cross reminds us of Jesus' sacrifice to take away our sins.

Even for people who aren't Christians, the cross is a symbol of hope and a reminder that there's a deeper purpose to life.

In Luke 24:2-3 we see something that's probably an even more important symbol than the cross: the empty tomb.

Thousands of people in history were killed by crucifixion--we know of two others executed along with Jesus. Tradition even says that Peter was later crucified. But of all the people who ever died on a cross, only Jesus' tomb is empty.

This is what all of Christianity is built on. Yes, it's important that Jesus lived, what He taught was important. And of course, it's important that Jesus died.

But if Jesus were still in that tomb, everything about Christianity would be a joke.

People have a hard time with this today--they'll believe everything else about Jesus--but then, people have always had a hard time believing Jesus rose from the dead. In our passage today we read about Mary, the other women, and all the disciples who needed some convincing. "But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened" (Luke 24:12, ESV).

Jesus is not the only one who has ever taught about being good, and He's not the only one who has ever been wrongly killed for His beliefs.

But He is the only one whose tomb is empty. That alone deserves a second look.