Tag: bible

Is the Tomb Empty?

This week, millions of Christians across the world are reflecting on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is Holy Week. On April 5th, Christians will gather in small pockets of churches scattered over the world to celebrate our risen Lord and King, Jesus.

              A man named Jesus, who claimed to be God and the promised Messiah, rode into Jerusalem on a donkey on the first day of Holy Week. By Thursday, he was falsely accused, arrested, and found guilty. He was flogged, beaten, crucified, and died on a Roman cross. He was buried in a borrowed tomb and on the third day rose to life and walked out of the grave. What if this is true?

              Paul said it was of most importance and “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless, you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). Was Christ the son of God? Was He the Messiah? Lee Strobel has a particularly good way to remember the proof. Here’s Strobel’s Four E’s.[1]

  • Executed – Jesus died on a Roman Cross. The Romans were exceptionally good at executing people on the cross. Jesus died.
  • Early – The creed found in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 is an early creed of the church. Paul probably wrote the letter around AD 54.
  • Empty Tomb – There is no good alternative story. The tomb was empty.  
  • Eyewitnesses – Paul is again helpful when he writes, there were many people Jesus appeared to after his resurrection and “most of them are still alive…” (1 Corinthians 15:5-7).

Consider these things and join us on Easter Sunday, as we ask, “What if?” What if the tomb is empty? What if Jesus really is the Son of God and the promised Messiah? If it’s true, it changes everything.

[1] I saw this first on Patrick Shreiner’s X post, @pj_schreiner, on March 23, 2026.

Introduction to 300

              After completing my Doctor of Ministry at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, I am returning to my blog and invite you to join me. It takes about three hours to read Isaiah, about an hour and a half to read the Gospel of Matthew, and about three minutes to read the Epistle of Jude. If a person is ambitious, The Grapes of Wrath takes only twelve hours, give or take a few minutes. The average time spent on social media is two hours and forty-three minutes per day. It takes the average person about two minutes to read 300 words. Since most people spend 163 minutes on social media per day, could you spare two minutes every other Tuesday?  

              There is a well-known story in Exodus 17 of Joshua fighting the Amalekites while Aaron, Moses, and Hur watched from the top of a hill. With the staff of God in hand, Moses raised the staff high. When it remains lifted, Joshua is victorious. However, Moses’ hands grew tired, and the staff lowered, but Moses found help from Aaron and Hur, who raised his hands.  Something you may not know about this story is the connection between Aaron and Hur. We know Aaron is from the priestly tribe of Levi, and Exodus 31 states that Hur is from the tribe of Judah. Now, go back and consider this. Moses corresponds to the law, and on either side of the law are the priestly and the kingly tribes. Jesus, our faithful priest and king, came not to abolish the law but to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17).  

Thanks for your two minutes. Most weeks, I hope to offer a biblical nugget like the one above or a spiritual challenge. Keep coming back every other Tuesday. The final word count is 302, not a bad start.