PASTOR’S CORNER: Keep your eyes on the tomb

Now, last Sunday morning, we celebrated the most powerful day in Christianity. No other religion can compare to this day of days. That day and the reason for it is in a class by itself.

No other religion can even come close to this. Sunday was a beautiful day, an exciting day for all of us, but especially the Christians. Sunday was Resurrection Sunday, also better known as Easter. Resurrection Sunday is a Christian holiday.

There is a reason for this topic; a good reason. For our spiritual lives, and mental victory rises and falls on this subject, the tomb. It points to something beyond our wildest imaginations. It talks about the greatest bombshell that ever hit the face of the earth. It is a reminder to the Christian why all of us, every last one of us, should have been in celebration mode that morning.

I mean, Christian churches all over the world should have been on fire that morning with a hallelujah and words of triumph, along with cymbals and stringed instruments ringing through the air. Hymns like “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord,” “Because He Lives,” “He Did It Just For Me,” “The Old Rugged Cross,” ‘I Know My Redeemer Lives,” “Jesus Paid It All” or “I Serve a Risen Savior” should fill the atmosphere of every Christian church all across the land, and across the world.

It is the Super Bowl of all religions, and why every non-Christian should want to get on the Jesus train! Those who like winners, who love to be on the winning team should go with us this morning to the tomb; not just any tomb, not a member of our family’s tomb; not the tomb of some celebrity or rich individual or a veteran’s tomb; not even the tomb of the president of the United States; but it is a reminder of why there’s a steeple cross on most church buildings and in some churches like ours.

There are crosses on the wall as a symbol of what took place on a hill called Calvary, and why we celebrated that morning. The church is not about any pastor or the people in it, but about the risen savior and the tomb.

Community, the joy we have this morning — the peace, the hope, the glorious future, the eternal life, the defeat of the devil and every circumstance that comes against us, the fact that we can lift our hands and face the devil head on — is because of the tomb. There’s something about this tomb.

But friends, we can take our eyes off and lose sight of the tomb. Trials, life and the enemy can BLOCK our view and blind us to something that we should keep in front of us every single day. Today is a reminder.

Something happened 2,000 years ago, but I want to remind you this morning, regardless of where you are to keep your eyes on the tomb. Fix your eyes on the tomb no matter what you go through. That’s the cure for any problem, mentally and emotionally.

See, the disciples took their eyes off the tomb. They didn’t get it! That’s why they were not there at the tomb on that Sunday morning. Peter took his eyes off the tomb. That’s why he wasn’t there. Lazarus, who had been in a tomb took his eyes off the tomb. Blind Bartimaeus, the young man that took up his bed after 38 years and all of those that ate miracle fish and bread, took their eyes off the tomb. Others who should have been there took their eyes off the tomb. If you take your eyes off the tomb, you will lose your way, lose your footing, and you are subject to fall.

Community, this morning, there are some things we cannot afford to lose sight of. I hope ya’ll hear me! It is of the utmost importance to the Christian. It will cost us if we do.

For example, we can’t afford to forget to pay our light bill, or forget to pay automobile insurance or house fire insurance. There are certain medicines that we cannot afford to forget. It could mean life or death and men, we cannot afford to forget our marriage anniversary or our wives’ birthdays or Valentine’s Day. It could mean being in the dog house if we do. Some things we ought to keep in front of our eyes, and this is one of them. Don’t forget to keep your eyes on the tomb!

The Greeks in that day did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. The resurrection of Christ is a historic fact proved by the message of the Gospel, the testimony of witnesses and the conversion of Paul himself. If there were no resurrection, there would be no salvation, because Christ would still be dead, and a dead Savior can save nobody (I Corinthians 15:1-19). Community, because of the tomb, we don’t have to take a back seat to the devil. He has no authority over us. Because of the tomb, sickness can be healed, addictions can be broken, sin has lost its power. We have hope beyond the grave. We are the head and not the tail. We can have JOY if we keep our eyes on the tomb.

When storm clouds rise, and the devil comes against you, point him to the tomb, and remind him that he is defeated. Community friends, Jesus rose bodily with all power. Keep your eyes on the tomb.