Resurrection Introduction: Empty Grave

Can you see it?  Can you feel the stirring?

I feel the earth trembling and power surging all around…with wonder, I look ahead…

In the distance, I see an empty grave.  As I walk closer, I see the tomb, whose entrance was once covered, now has the boulder rolled away.  Suddenly, I can feel the stirring of life all around me.  Can you feel it too?

He is alive!!  By His power we are coming alive too!!

The Resurrection power of God is releasing across the earth.  He is stirring the dry bones.  He is bringing what we once thought to be lifeless and hopeless, back to life!  Not just life, but life abundant.

This is the season.  The season to come alive in the dead places.  This is the season to receive restoration and returning of stolen years.  This is the time to take back your promises and war with them…using them as a sword to strike down all the enemy’s advances. 

It’s time to prophesy to our own dry and weary places, “Come alive dry bones!  Come alive!”  Oh, what a wonder to feel fully alive again!  No matter what life has looked like for you, no matter what struggles have plagued you…He whispers over you…” Come alive!”

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.  He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.  He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”  I said, “O Sovereign Lord, You alone know.”  Then He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!’ Ezekiel 37:1-4

Just as Ezekiel began to prophesy life back into those bones, are you ready to do the same over the boneyard of your own life?  Prophesy life to those dry bones!!

This year, we will reach into the places that we once believed were dead and gone, and we will prophesy!  We will call them alive, with the Word of the Lord. 

In true and faithful fashion, it was our Savior, Jesus Who showed us this resurrection power Himself.  Oh, what a Savior we have. 

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.  There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.  The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.  The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, Who was crucified.  He is not here, He has risen, just as He said.  Come and see the place where He lay.  Then go quickly and tell His disciples.  ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.  There you will see Him.’  Now I have told you.”  So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples.  Suddenly Jesus met them.  “Greetings,” He said.  They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshiped Him.  Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid.  Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”  Matthew 28:1-10