Mohammed’s tomb is located in Medina, Saudi Arabia; Buddha’s body was cremated and ashes were distributed to his followers; Confucius’ cemetery is in Qufu in Shandong province, China. What do these graves/tombs of famous religious leaders/philosophers have in common? The remains of the deceased are all there.
But the Garden Tomb of Jesus is famous because it is empty. The uniqueness of Christianity is the worship and commitment of God’s people to a Risen Jesus/Leader; and the crucible of Christianity depends on the authenticity of the resurrection of one God-Man, Jesus Christ.
On Good Friday the disciples and close associates of Jesus scattered and acted as if they were the living dead. Satan danced to the tunes of the hammer that pounded the nails into Jesus’ hands and feet. But on Easter Sunday, the disciples were transformed from a band of zombies to become a legion of truth at Pentecost, proclaiming the power and presence of the Risen Christ.
The first message of the risen Jesus given to the band of disciples when he appeared to them in the upper room is a message of peace – Shalom. So the resurrection of Jesus reclaims peace amidst turmoil and trumpets important life-giving messages we all need to hear.
