The tomb is empty!
...I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE
LIFE... John 11:25
Nine year old Philip had Down's syndrome. In Sunday
School the children made fun of him because he was 'different'. The
Sunday before Easter the teacher gave each child a plastic egg and
asked them to look for symbols of new life like seeds and leaves, then
place them inside the egg. The idea was to open their eggs the
following Sunday (Easter Day) and discuss what they'd collected.
When the children gathered, they'd collected things
like flowers, butterflies and leaves. But when the teacher opened
Philip's egg it was empty.
One child said, 'That's not fair, he didn't do it
right.' Philip tugged at the teacher's sleeve and said, 'I did it
right. It's empty because the tomb is empty. That's why we have new
life.' The class gasped and from then on he became part of the group.
Philip's family knew that time would be short; too
many problems for one small body. That summer he died. As the class of
eight year olds faced the reality of death, they processed up to the
altar, but not with flowers. Together with their teacher they each
placed an empty plastic egg on their friend's small coffin.
Jesus said, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He
who believes in me, even though he die, yet shall he live.' Someone
once said, 'The cross is rich with God's gifts ... As you feel the
timber ... trace the thorns of the crown .. finger the point of the
spear - pause and listen. Perchance you will hear Him whisper, "I did
it just for you." '
So are you willing to live for him?
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