Billy Graham's the Reason for My HopeSample

Mercy Tree

The Bible says the apostle Paul “went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. ‘This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the [Christ],’ he said” (Acts 17:2–3 NIV).

When you look for Jesus you will not find Him on the cross nor will you find Him in the tomb—the cross is barren, the tomb empty. Your empty heart, though, can be filled with the forgiveness of the bloodstained cross and the glory of the vacant tomb. He lives and abides within those who believe and obey Him by following His Word. We live and die, and in between we are all given the same choice—what will we do with Jesus—the resurrected Christ? . . .

Are you looking for Jesus? He is near you today. Look at the cross, and you will see the evidence—His blood shed for you—but He is not there. Look at the tomb, and you will see the evidence—it is empty—for He lives! The Bible says, “Look to Me, and be saved. . . . For I am God, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:22). Look for Jesus—He is knocking at the door of your heart.

. . . The evidence is before you. Examine it and then examine your heart. Roll back the stone of unbelief and behold the glow of an empty tomb and the thrill of a full heart and new life. The stone at Christ’s tomb was not rolled away to let out Jesus but to let in the eyewitnesses to declare, “He is risen!”