What is Empty and What Is Filled?
Good Morning Friends,
Our celebration of Easter Sunday was a couple weeks ago but the stone has been rolled away for almost 2000 years and yes it is still rolled away. Thankfully it is not too late to come to the empty tomb. I have visited the site in Jerusalem and indeed it is empty. Now with Pentecost just weeks away, I am reminded of Jesus’ first miracle of taking empty jars and filling them with water He turned to wine. So today we contemplate the meaning of the empty tomb, the clay jars of our lives, and the filling of the Holy Spirit. What is Empty and What is Filled?
Scripture: He said, ‘Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not just a few.
2 Kings 4:3 (NRSV)
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
John 2:1-11 (NRSV)
After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.” This is my message for you.’ So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
Matthew 28:1-8 (NRSV)
‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. ‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’ Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. ‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.
John 14:15-26 (NRSV)
Message: Think for a moment now of hopeless situations…of shattered hopes and the difficult situations of life. Friends, we as Christians are called to the cross but thankfully we are also called to the empty tomb as well. Now maybe when some of us got up this morning we were just going through the motions like the two Marys, living in dark shadows and limited hope… with passion drained from our being. But we do not have to leave this moment the way we came. The stone is rolled away. The tomb is still empty. Look inside. Jesus is not there. He is alive. What He said is true. We can have that same life, joy and peace. We can share in this resurrection. And as we look into the tomb we discover the hope of the filling of the Holy Spirit. As we walk down the path we find Jesus. See with your heart friends. Believing in the empty tomb means that forgiveness of sins has been assured. We get a second chance… a life with God… a life that is no longer empty but filled with the understanding that Jesus is alive and has called us to new life. So if Easter is just a faint memory, return to the empty tomb and rediscover a living Jesus. Hear this word of hope… the invitation still stands. Know that the Spirit of Jesus is coming to fill us with the fire of life that unlocks the grave and open up the joy of life. Jesus is the key to life. Feel His gentle touch. Recognize that He proves that life comes from death. See in Him the assurance of eternity, that He is the first and the last, He has been there before us and holds the keys to our resurrection. Rejoice, the tomb is empty. This sun is rising. The Son has risen. The work of the cross is done and the work of the Holy Spirit begun. The water is turned to wine. And the work of the Holy Spirit in our heart and life, and body changes us and fills us to overflowing. Today’s scripture teaches us that when we trust in the Lord’s plan, joy can be ours. When we love, the Holy Spirit will be enabled within us, will guide us and take up residence in us…changing us. Today we experience the joy of something in us that was empty but is now being filled to overflowing. Discover as the disciples that the empty tomb was filled with hope and turned into joy so the party can continue. Here Jesus reveals the scope of God’s interest in our lives. So do not be afraid. Come and see. Go and tell others to come to the party of life resurrected.
Pray that today the power of the Holy Spirit would fill each of our lives with the love of Jesus, the strength of Jesus, and the joy of Jesus.
Pray we continue to rejoice in the reality that the tomb is empty so that our lives might be filled to overflowing. Pray we see the path of joy laid down before us. Pray we find Holy Spirit joy in finding something to do, someone to love and a future to look forward to. Pray that today we all would experience Jesus and realize that in Him we have nothing to fear…that His Spirit has come to overcome our feelings of hopelessness. Pray the Holy Spirit come with fire to fill the void in our lives.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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