I read a great devotional this week that asks an important question:

“What Will You Do With Easter Now?”

This past Sunday we read the account of Jesus’ resurrection from the gospel of Luke. We sang songs of celebration in thankfulness for our Saviour. We witnessed baptisms that were a picture of the gospel – the putting to death of the old person and the rising of the new. Finally we opened God’s Word and heard that amazing news that the resurrection matters because it means that life comes from death for all who believe in Jesus.

But, what now?

We must never forget the reality of the empty tomb. It should impact our lives every single day.

But so often we forget. Life is busy. We move on. The stresses of everyday life beat down our confident, joyous posture in our risen Saviour.

We NEED to remember. I believe that’s why Jesus calls us to remember Him in the ordinance of communion – because we so often forget. So often we are shaken, we forget who we are in Jesus and what he’s accomplished for us.

So now I want to steal from that devotional I read and that encouraged me this week to in turn encourage you.

Here are Paul Tripp’s “three things the Empty Tomb does for us every day of the year:”

1. The Empty Tomb comforts us.

Difficult and unpredictable realities of life in a fallen world are guaranteed, but we can “be steadfast and immovable” even when we don’t understand, because our Risen Savior rules over everything that would confuse us.

2. The Empty Tomb motivates us.

If Christ rose from death, reigns in power, and is coming back again, we should be the most motivated community on earth, “always abounding in the work of the Lord.” Enough of mere survival – we should help others thrive right here, right now, because we believe in victory, redemption, and transformation.

3. The Empy Tomb assures us.

If the Resurrection guarantees eternity, then we believe that our suffering and ministry “is not in vain.” Life will get discouraging – at times, it won’t seem that there is an end in sight or progress is invisible. But a Second Coming is coming, and we will be rewarded for our faith.

May we walk confidently knowing that Jesus is alive today and may we be rooted in Him through all we do and all we face today and everyday. May we grip on to the truth from God’s Word:

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” – 1 Corinthians 15:58