The Power of an Empty Grave

Belated thoughts on the resurrection this Easter

What difference does an empty grave make?

On Easter Sunday, as we sang about the resurrection, this line stood out to me:

Oh, look and see our God and celebrate
The power of the cross and empty grave

What particularly struck me was the idea of there being power in an empty grave. How does something empty have power? It is by definition missing or lacking something crucial.

But in the story of Jesus' death, the empty grave is the most powerful moment of all. What difference does the empty grave make? Surely the work was done on the cross? That is where Jesus said 'it is finished.' But the empty grave shows that death is not the end. If Jesus died, and stayed dead, even if he took on all the sins of the world in that death - what victory is that?

So the empty grave is powerful - it is a powerful statement that death is not the end. The difference the empty grave makes is everything. It means this life is lived in light of the resurrection. We live in the hope that death has been defeated. Right now it is present and painful in our world - and that grief is real and not to be dismissed. But it means everything to those who grieve.

It means my grandparents who passed more than a decade before she was born will see my daughter one day. It means my babies who died will be waiting in heaven.

It means those I know who are grieving the recent loss of someone do not grieve without hope. It means those anticipating death have confidence of being held safe in the arms of Jesus. It means every chronic illness, every injustice and wrong I see in the world around me is not forever. This I believe. I can’t not believe it, no matter how nonsensical or silly it seems. Something deep within me just knows it is true.

He is not here. He has risen. The grave is empty, death has been defeated.

An empty grave means everything.