What Stayed Dead on Sunday Morning

Easter Communion Meditation 2024

Since we are celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior on this Lord’s Day, it’s safe to assume that our communion meditation will have something to do with resurrection. And you would be right, except that I want us to think about what stayed dead on Sunday morning. That’s right, what didn’t come out of that tomb?

Before Jesus died on that terrible cross and was placed in the borrowed tomb, He declared “It is Finished!”, and while we cannot know the exact moment when everything happened, I think it was right around this time that the veil in the temple tore from top to bottom. So in Word and in World we have the evidence that no more sacrifices were needed: Jesus paid it all. So what stayed dead on Sunday morning, when Jesus walked out of the tomb?

Your envy and your hatred stayed dead. That time you took the name of the Lord God in vain, or when you coveted your neighbor’s car, or house, or wife, when you committed adultery – or just cast the adulterous look – these all stayed dead on Sunday morning. When you backtalked your parents, when you violated the Lord’s Day, when you lied about your friend, or your enemy, or a stranger – none of these things survived the cross, and none were resuscitated on Sunday.

The times of being eaten up by jealousy, or consumed by rage, or living for selfish ambition, or when you sowed discord in the church: none of these emerged from the tomb. The proud look, the lying tongue, the hands that are swift to violence, the heart that devises wicked plans, the feet that run to mischief…all these acts met their death in the death of Christ and did not share in the glories of His resurrection. When Jesus came out of the tomb, He was no longer bearing every bitter thought and every wicked deed. These all stayed dead.

Something – or rather Someone! – did come out of that tomb, and with Him came everlasting life, the forgiveness of sins, justification, adoption, sanctification, glorification, and an eternal inheritance incorruptible and un-defilable. These all came out with Jesus, but your sins are gone. You may have lied last week, but that lie died on the cross 2000 years ago. You may be struggling right now. Tempted. Out of control. On the verge. But rest assured my friends, whatever you are struggling with today was dealt with 2000 years ago on an old rugged cross. What stayed dead on Resurrection Sunday were your sins, and the one who bore them to their grave welcomes with you nail pierced hands today.