Keep It in the Tomb

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he      has risen!” Luke 24:5-6 (NIV)

Props: white sheet stained with stage blood, representing Jesus’ grave clothes

When Jesus rose from the dead he left his old “grave clothes” in the tomb.  Those clothes that he was buried in stayed in the grave.  He wore new clothes.  He wore new clothes because he had a new life.

            When you take a bath, you don’t get out and put on the same dirty clothes you were wearing before you bathed.  That wouldn’t make any sense.   

If you’re clean, you put on clean clothes. 

            Jesus came to this earth to die in your place, to take your punishment.  Because he did that, God can forgive you for all the bad things you’ve done.  When He comes into your life, he wants to rid you of all the garbage.  It’s like taking off dirty clothes.  He takes away the lies you’ve told, the times you’ve been mean to others, the bad things you’ve said, the times you’ve been disobedient and bad. 

                Some people come to God and get forgiveness and he takes all those things away, but then they dig through the past and put those things back on.  When God changes you and cleans you up, stay clean!  Don’t go back to your old sins.  Jesus didn’t put on his grave clothes when he rose from the dead.  You don’t put on your dirty clothes when you get out of the tub.  So don’t go back to your old sins again.  Keep them buried. 

            What things in your life need to stay in the tomb?