See the Grave
Matthew 28:1–10
Come, see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:6

Think for a minute about why we should see the grave and how we may profit by it.

First, we see the grave that we might understand the condescension of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is not just a man for whom such a death would be natural. Jesus is the Lord! Jehovah! The Savior! Christ! Messiah! He is the one who dwelt with God in all eternity—who was God, equal to God, equal in all power and glory—yet laid aside the glory to take upon himself the form of a man in order that he might die to save us. Oh, the condescension of such a God who would come from the glories of heaven to this earth and then die and lie in such a tomb! When we look at the grave, we see there the love and condescension of our Lord.

We see something else too. We see the horror of our sin, for our sin placed him there. He did not die for his own sin; he was sinless. He died in our place. When we see the place where the Lord lay and say, “It is my sin that brought him to that end,” we begin to develop a proper awareness of sin and hatred for it.

The third reason we should see the tomb is that we might be reminded of where we also will lie. Unless the Lord comes for his own before that moment, we too must die. There is a time when we will be separated from all that we now know. We will leave friends and loved ones behind. We will leave our material possessions. The tomb teaches us that there is a life beyond this life for which we must prepare.

Fourth, we look at the tomb to see that Jesus is not in it now. He is risen! He has conquered death! That is the one great evidence for the resurrection. In all the reports we have, whether in the New Testament or those preserved indirectly by secular writers such as Josephus or in the Jewish Talmud, there is not one instance of any attempt to deny that the grave was empty.

Finally, looking at the tomb reminds us not only that Jesus rose from the dead, but that we shall rise also if we are united to him. Jesus came, as the Scriptures say, “to save to the uttermost” (Heb. 7:25) those who believe on him. We are saved, not just in spirit in order to have fellowship with God; not just in soul in order to be transformed during the days of our earthly life, but in body also. The salvation Jesus brings is complete. So we look to the empty tomb to see that one day we too shall rise and shall be with him.

Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865

Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.