Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

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Tag: The empty tomb

Easter Eggstra Special

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On April 6, 2015

In Christian

This past, Thursday, when our 3 year old beloved son, Ittai, came home from school, he had with him a beautifully painted egg and I asked him what it was. He said it was an Easter egg. So I asked him, do you know the meaning of Easter? His response was “Eggs and Baskets.” Well, I tried explaining to Ittai, what Easter truly meant – that it was a celebration of Jesus’ victory over sin and death and how he rose from the grave – but I felt extremely inadequate in explaining resurrection to a three year old. I was also a little disappointed and mad at the world system that tries to take out the true meaning of a celebration, replacing it with something that is politically correct (case in point, Happy holidays for Merry Christmas, XMas for Christmas and Easter eggs/bunnies for the Resurrection).

Then on Easter morning after the service at the Austin Christian Fellowship of India, in which Pastor Samuel Madhavaraj preached about how the tomb of Christ was not only open but empty as well, one of the church members pointed Ittai to an Easter egg that was under his chair. Excitedly Ittai ran and picked up the egg, but when he opened it, it was empty. It was probably the remnant of an Easter egg hunt that may have taken place earlier that weekend. I saw the look of disappointment on Ittai’s face and as a father, I melted. Then it struck me. I took the empty egg, picked Ittai up, sat him on my lap and explained – “Ittai, you know how I asked you what Easter is all about?”. He nodded. “See, Easter is like this empty egg. The candy that was within is not there anymore. It has probably been taken out and eaten by someone who must have tasted and experienced how good it was. They must have enjoyed it. As long as the candy was in the egg, nobody could enjoy it. Now that the egg shell is empty and the candy is out, it can be enjoyed.” I continued, “in the same manner, Easter is like an empty egg. The tomb when Jesus was buried is empty. If he remained in the tomb, no one could have enjoyed his sweetness. The Bible says, O taste and see that the Lord is good. We must take Jesus (like candy) and accept him and take him into our lives so that he comes into us and becomes one with us. We can then truly enjoy his presence as a child would enjoy candy. Infact, Easter eggs that are empty is a poignant picture of the empty tomb. This is what Easter is.” I couldn’t tell if he fully understood what I was trying to say, but atleast, I hope that he recognizes, Easter is not about eggs and basket … but about an empty tomb, because Jesus, who was placed in the tomb, is risen – He is risen indeed. Death could not hold him; the grave could not keep him – He is alive.

Points to ponder:
Have you tasted the sweetness of the grace of God? In other words, have you received and believed in Christ Jesus, taking him into your lives so that you can truly relish and enjoy his presence, or, are you leaving Christ in the tomb as a child would leave candy within and Easter egg.

1 Corinthians 15:12-14 (KJV)
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

Jesus in the NT :: Philippians

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On December 19, 2011

In Christian

The book of Philippians gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the  New Testament (N.T).

And as we explore Christ in the Scripture, from the book of Philippians, we learn that Jesus Christ is the EXALTED ONE. The Apostle Paul writes in this book, “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being God, thought it robbery to be equal with God and made himself of no reputation.”

See God became a Servant to a man to a dead man, but not a dead God.  The April 8, 1966 Time Magazine frontpage cover read “Is God Dead?” and the article began with the statement – Is God Dead? It is a question that tantalizes both believers, who perhaps secretly fear that he is, and atheists, who possibly suspect that the answer is no. but sadly, the very last statement in this article read as follows – Perhaps today the Christians can do no better than to echo the prayer of the worried father who pleaded with Christ to heal his spirit possessed son. “I believe, help my unbelief”

A legal term, res ipsa loquitor (reez ip-suh loh-kwi-ter) in Latin means – the thing itself speaks. Now if God was dead, there is no reason for the world to prove that he is, is there? The fact that people are so caught up in proving that God is dead is res ipsa loquitur that He isn’t and more importantly it is evidence that those who try to prove their case are themselves dead and blind to the truth.

So God became a dead man, but He did not remain there. He rose again and is now Exalted because of His humility to be above all. He is exalted with a Name that is above all names, that at the name of Jesus Christ, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is God. Jesus did not find it right to rob God or claim his sonship for our sake, so that he could rob us, the sons and daughters of men, from the bondage of death and the grave.  Petra’s song ‘Grave Robber’ beautifully expresses this.

In Philippians, Jesus is the HUMBLE one who is EXALTED over all other names; Jesus is a robber God.

Points to ponder:
You have heard of pride goes before a fall, but the inverse is true as well. If pride goes before a fall, then humility goes before exaltation. How humble are you and me? Has Jesus Christ robbed your heart to be his.

Philippians 2:5-11 (KJV)
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Why seek ye the living among the dead?

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On April 5, 2010

In Christian, Easter

When visiting the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, I took a picture of what was recreated as the tomb in which Jesus was laid, and what was interesting is that within this tomb, there was a plaque which read “He is not here, He is risen.” We just celebrated Easter in the year of the Lord 2010, and remembered his power over death and the grave (1 Corinthians 15:55-57), and his resurrection from the dead according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), but did you realize that on the first Easter, there was a question that was posed, right in the tomb where Jesus was laid.

The first question that was asked in the tomb where Jesus Christ was laid after his resurrection by angels of God (Luke 24:23) was “Why seek ye the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5-6). They further went on to affirm that “He (Jesus) is not here (in the tomb), but is risen”.

The answer to this question is of paramount significance. Within a tomb is dead men’s bones and uncleanliness (Matthew 23:27). When Jesus arose, He arose in His physical body (bones and flesh). This He affirms when He tells the disciples “that a spirit has neither bones nor flesh, as you see me have” (Luke 24:39). Acts 2:27,32 refers to Christ Jesus as the Holy One who was raised by God and He who is Holy is not unclean.

Jesus proclaimed verily that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6); He is the Resurrection and he that believes in Him shall have eternal life, even though he was dead (John 11:25). Jesus is Life!

“Why seek ye the living among the dead?” is akin to asking “What communion can Light have with darkness?” Think about it, when you shine a light in a dark room, that room is no longer dark. The shining light takes over the darkness. So is the case, when Life encounters death, death is consumed. The sting of death is vanquished by the victory of Jesus’ resurrection ( 1 Corinthians 15:55-57) . Just as light and darkness cannot co-exist, Life and death cannot co-exist. You are either dead (not knowing Jesus Christ and God the Father who sent Him) or you are alive (knowing Jesus Christ and God the Father who sent Him) (John 17:3)

And of this we are to be witnesses (Luke 24:48), proclaiming that we don’t have to seek the living (Resurrected Jesus) among the dead (in the tomb), because Jesus is the Holy One of God, resurrected in his body (bones and flesh) and those who believe in Him; the Resurrection; shall have eternal life, i.e., be themselves resurrected from death unto life; unto newness of life. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Revelation 20:6 (KJV)
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

For a related article, see “Living among the dead“

Living among the Dead

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On April 12, 2009

In Christian

It’s Easter (Passover), the day where people worldwide, celebrate the fact that Jesus, who was killed had risen from the dead and is Alive today.

The question that the two men posed to those who sought the body of Jesus in the tomb where they had laid Him, after they had taken Him down from the Cross, was “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” and then they exclaimed, He is not here, but is risen.

Because He is risen (alive), all who come to accept Him (Jesus) as Lord and Savior will have eternal life and not perish (die the second death).
We are commissioned to reach out (seek) souls that don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior (dead souls), among those who do (living souls).

This Easter, the question is not just “Why seek we Jesus, the living among the dead?” but the real question must be
“Why aren’t we seeking the dead for the living One who is risen?“. Think about it!

Luke2 4:1-8

1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
8 And they remembered his words

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