EMPTY TOMB< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Luke 24:13-32, John 20:19-30

Despite the fact that Jesus had repeatedly told His disciples He will be crucified and rise the third day, they seemed not to remember or they just didnÕt believe. After the resurrection of Jesus, on the way to Emmaus, the two of His disciples did not recognize Him. Jesus drew unto them and walked with them. Luke 24:16, ÒBut their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.Ó What a sad situation. They did not know because their eyes were restrained. It was also the disciples that have walked with Jesus, dined with Jesus, and witnessed His miracles that locked themselves up because of fear of those that called for the persecution of Jesus. John 20:19,  ÒThen the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for the fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, ÔPeace be with you.ÕÓ The disciples seemed to have lost confidence in all that Jesus told them. Among the same disciples was Thomas who wanted to see proof that Jesus had resurrected because he missed the visitation of Jesus the first time. When Jesus visited again, Thomas was present. John20:27, ÒThen He said to Thomas, ÔReach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving but believing.  Which one do you fit into among those disciples? Is it lack of sight, fear or unbelief? Those acts and display of the disciples represent the church of today–spiritual blindness, absence of peace because of sinking faith, and unbelief. The church can find the way out of all the above limitations if there will be constant remembrance of the truth that He is no longer in the tomb. He has risen!