🎙️ 25-317 — The Cross and the Empty Tomb

If the Cross was the price, the Empty Tomb was the proof.Without the Resurrection, we’d have a martyr.With it—we have a Messiah.Picture that tomb.Three days of silence.Soldiers standing guard over a corpse.Religion celebrating its victory.Then—one breath.Light splits the grave.Stone shatters.The Lamb walks out as a Lion.Death itself loses jurisdiction.This is the hinge of human history—where sin met its match and death met its defeat. Jesus didn’t just die for sin; He crushed the serpent’s head and broke the back of the grave. Everything changes from this moment on. The Cross paid the debt—but the Tomb proved the payment cleared.Our Springboard for Today’s Discussion Is:“We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him.”— Romans 6:9 (ESV)TeachingWhen Jesus cried, “It is finished,” Hell heard its own death sentence.But when the stone rolled away, Heaven announced its victory anthem.For three days, silence filled the tomb.Soldiers guarded it.Religion mocked it.Darkness celebrated.Then, with one breath, everything changed.Light split the grave.Breath filled His lungs.The Lamb stood as a Lion—and history tilted forever.That same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in you. (Romans 8:11)That means resurrection power isn’t just a story—it’s a strategy for daily living.You were never meant to live as a prisoner of yesterday when the stone has already been rolled away.It means your past is not permanent.It means your failures don’t get the final word.It means no situation—no sin, no shame, no sickness, no sorrow—is beyond His reach.Personal ResurrectionI know this because I’ve lived it.My roots were shallow. When triggers came, I fought with words the way my grandfather taught me—to attack, belittle, and win. That pattern cost me everything: my closeness with Christ, my marriage to Michelle, my relationship with my three kids, and the friendships that once anchored me.I was alive on the outside but dead in every way that mattered.But God didn’t leave me in that tomb. He met me in the rubble of my pride and said, “Stop. Slow your roll. Don’t let Satan get a foothold.”That whisper became the spark of resurrection.The same power that raised Jesus from the dead began raising me—from anger to humility, from control to surrender, from religion to relationship. God resurrected my marriage, rebuilt my family, and restored my purpose.If He can breathe life into what I destroyed, He can resurrect anything in your life too.Living in the Power of the Empty TombResurrection isn’t just a past event—it’s a present reality.It means you don’t fight for victory; you fight from it.It means when guilt whispers, “You’ll never change,” the empty tomb answers, “Watch Me.”It means when fear tells you, “You’ll never make it,” the risen Christ declares, “I already did.”Stop living like it’s Friday when Sunday already happened.The grave is empty—and so is your excuse to stay defeated.Daily ActionAsk yourself today:What tomb have I been guarding?What part of my life have I labeled “too dead for God to move”?Then pray this simple but dangerous prayer:“Lord, roll away the stone.Breathe life into what I’ve buried.”Practice* Read Romans 8:11 out loud every morning this week.* Write down one “dead place” in your life and invite Jesus to resurrect it.* Share your story—even one piece of it—with someone who needs to hear hope is real.Challenge of the WeekLive like Sunday happened.Speak like Sunday happened.Forgive like Sunday happened.Love like Sunday happened.Because it did.PrayerFather, thank You for the Cross that paid my debt and the Empty Tomb that sealed my freedom.Help me live like resurrection power truly abides in me.Breathe life into every place I’ve given up on—every broken relationship, every failed dream, every sin that still whispers shame.Let Your victory become my identity.I don’t live under a sentence—I live under a sunrise.In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.Remember: The tomb is empty. So is your excuse to stay defeated.Let’s Get To Work!🛡️ Every mission needs supply lines.If this battle cry resonated, help us keep the line strong and the truth loud.👉 Support This Work –Thanks for reading My Reasons To Believe! This post is public so feel free to share it.My Reasons To Believe is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myr2b.substack.com/subscribe