Good Morning, let’s just thank these people for the work that they have all put into the musical this morning.

One day a Sunday school class of kindergartners had just finished studying the creation story.  It was now the time to do a review.  "What did God make the first day?" the leader quizzed.  "The second day?"  The kids were able to answer both questions correctly.

"And what happened on the third day?" the teacher asked.

One little child, face shining with enthusiasm, exclaimed, "He rose from the dead!"

There is an empty tomb in Egypt that dates back to the fourteenth century B.C.  It is an elaborate tomb that was prepared for King Tut's military leader Horemheb, but he was never buried there.  Four years after King Tut died, Horemheb became the pharaoh and was later buried in the Valley of the Kings at Thebes.  That empty tomb in Egypt does not have quite the significance of the empty tomb in Israel!

If you will turn with me this morning to Matthew 28:1-10 we will take a look at the empty tomb.  Each of the Gospel writers put this scene in similar ways, but today we are going to look only at Matthew’s account of the event.  Here in Matthew 28:1-10 it says, “1”

This empty tomb is much greater than the empty tomb in Egypt.  This tomb shows the power of Christ and it is this tomb that can lead us to our savior.

Billy Graham had this to say about the cross, “In the cross of Christ I see three things: First, a description of the depth of man’s sin.  Second, the overwhelming love of God.  Third, the only way of salvation.”

I don’t know if Graham was trying to, but he hit the meaning of Easter on the head.  Man’s sin is what sent Christ to the cross.  If there were no sin, there would be no need for Christ to come and take that upon Himself, in order that we may spend eternity with Him in Heaven.

Second the overwhelming love of God.  They sang this morning a song titled Who Am I.  Who are we that God loved us so much that He would die for us.  We all know John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Notice that it said, “For God so loved”.  He loved us so much that he was willing to die in the cruelest way on a cross so that we may spend eternity in Heaven with Him.  Who am I, I am one of His creation, and He wants me to be one of His children as well.

Finally it is the only way of salvation.  If Christ had not gone through what he did on our behalf, we would have no way to gain salvation.

The great news that we have today is that Christ did rise from that grave. That is the great truth that we are here today to celebrate.  Children have a way of understanding things in a different way than adults do.  A minister told of an even with his daughter.  He said, “Our three-year-old, Nicole, was as anxious for Easter to come as she had been for Christmas to come.  Since my wife was expecting our third child in just a few weeks, many people were giving us baby gifts since this was our first child in this church.  Nicole had picked out a new dress and Mom had given her a new white bonnet.  As we stopped at a store to buy her a new pair of shoes to go with her outfit, she once again said, "I can't wait for Easter, Daddy!"  I asked her, "Do you know what Easter means, honey?"  She replied, "Yes."  "Well, what does Easter mean?"  In her own sweet three-year-old way, with arms raised high, a smile on her face, and at the top of her voice she said, "Surprise!"”

What better word could sum up the meaning of Easter!  We can say Surprise to death!  Surprise to sin!  Surprise to the mourning disciples!  Surprise to modern man!   We can say Surprise, because He's alive!

The group sang today, a song called He’s Alive.  Here are some of the words from that, “Jesus is alive.  Death has lost its victory, and the grave has been denied.  Jesus lives forever, He’s alive, He’s alive.”

That is the truth that we have today.  As we read in Matthew 28:5-7 it says, “1”

This morning the youth have prepared and passed out a gift for the adults here this morning.  You may now go ahead and open it at this time.  Inside you will find first a nail.  This is the reminder of Christ’s love.  He took on our sin and was nailed to the cross for us.  It has been said, “if love had not kept Him there, nails would not have been able to hold Him on the cross.”

The second thing that you will find is a cotton ball.  This stand as a reminder that He rose again and that He ascended into Heaven to be with His Father.  In Luke 24:50-53 it says, “2”

He’s alive He’s alive.  And He invites us to follow Him.

In closing I have about a three minute clip to view.   We have all heard that a picture is worth a thousand words.  If you would just listen to the song and watch this clip, perhaps we will gain a better understanding of His love for us.  Lets watch.

John 14:6 says, “3”

At this time we enter into a time of invitation.