I am excited about the Easter celebration. As you are reading this article, perhaps you are celebrating or preparing to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.
This always has been an exciting time for me. I have very fond memories of getting new Easter clothes and shoes and going to the church’s Easter-egg hunt. What a time we had as we gleefully sang Easter songs and recited our Easter speeches while anticipating finding the most eggs as soon as the program was over. Now, many years later, I still am excited about the resurrection. But today, it is not the clothes, speeches or eggs that excite me, but rather the truth of the empty tomb.   
The empty tomb declares that on Friday, Jesus was crucified and buried, and on the third day, God raised him from the dead. While this story may sound strange to the non-Christian, the empty tomb boldly declares that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
The empty tomb declares the patience of God. Patience is a virtue that rarely is seen today. Products that claim to offer instant results flood the marketplace. We constantly are looking for a machine that will do the job faster. While instant may be good for commerce and faster is better for technology, I am glad that God is patient with us. The empty tomb reminds us that “the Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering to us not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
The empty tomb declares the power of God unto salvation.   There are many religions with claims about their life-changing abilities. But only the Gospel of the empty tomb makes the bold boast of being the “power of God.” This power is not simply life-altering as others religions claim, but it is life-saving! Subsequently, I join the Apostle Paul and say, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).
Finally, the empty tomb declares the simplicity of salvation. There perhaps are many people who will miss heaven because they were looking for something mystical and complicated. The message of the empty tomb is simple. If you will confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved.  
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” — Romans 10:13

Scott is pastor of Baconton Missionary Baptist Church and a member of the United Ministerial Alliance