I remember walking through the beautiful National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. a few years ago. I saw there the tombs of President Woodrow Wilson and Helen Keller. Outside of Washington, D.C. is Arlington National Cemetery, the honored resting place of many outstanding Americans, including two presidents, John F. Kennedy and William Howard Taft. The great pyramids of Egypt are famous because they contain the mummified bodies of ancient Egyptian pharaohs.
Westminster Abbey in London is renowned because in it rest the bodies of famous individuals from England. One can visit President Grant's tomb in New York City and that of George Washington at Mount Vernon. Napoleon’s tomb is in Paris. Millions have seen the tomb of Lenin in Red Square in Moscow.
But there is all the difference in the world between the above mentioned tombs and that of Jesus of Nazareth in Jerusalem. The tombs mentioned above are famous and draw visitors from all over the world because of what they contain. The tomb of Christ is famous because that tomb is empty.
That is the fact that Christians in this community and around the world will remember and celebrate this Sunday. The tomb of Christ is empty because Christ is alive! Because of that fact, all of history has been changed. Because of that fact, our lives may be changed. As we walk through the valley & darkness of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, we look forward to Sunday morning. Because of that empty tomb, we can have hope and confidence in tomorrow.
Jesus Christ is alive! He truly makes a difference in our lives. We celebrate that fact this Sunday morning. Happy Easter!