## Buried!

## I Cor. 15:1-4

Growing up in this part of Indiana, I became acquainted with a T.V. character known as Sammy Terry! Every Saturday night he would host some of the worst horror films ever produced! But I would grab a bowl of popcorn, and a Pepsi and settle in to watch. If I felt really, really brave, I would turn out the lights!

I believe that it was because of watching some of those old Vincent Price movies that I developed a great fear…a phobia…I later found out that it was quite common among many folks. I developed a fear of being buried alive! My fear was only fed as I entered high school and began reading some of Edgar Allen Poe's stories.

Now, I haven't watched Sammy Terry in years, and I can't remember the last time I read anything by Poe, but I still get a chill when I think about being buried alive. Thoughts of helplessness come to mind …thoughts of hopelessness …but putting that all aside, the topic I have chosen this morning is 'Buried'.

Who is Buried in Grant's Tomb?

This is an old joke…the answer = no one! Our eighteenth president and his wife Julia are, however, entombed there.

Who Is Buried In Jesus' Tomb?

The answer = no one! No joke! It's empty!

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

Our passage makes it very clear that although Christ died and was buried … He didn't stay in the tomb! On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead and is alive! Of course that truth is what separates Christianity from every other belief in the world! As the old hymn says, "I serve a risen Savior!" Now, that is the message of hope to all! Since Jesus was victorious over death, hell, and the grave…we can also have that victory as we place our faith in His finished work of redemption! "Because He lives…I can face tomorrow" and so can everyone in this auditorium this morning who has believed on Him.

Ro 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

A wonderful truth…the gospel…all who believe in Him will be saved! But that isn't my topic this morning…we will hear more of the resurrection next week. Today I want us to consider 'Buried'.

The question for today is this…What was buried in Jesus' tomb? I am not talking about the burial clothes…or the ointment…I am talking about my sins…and yours if you have trusted in Him.

I. My Sins…the power of sin.

A. It was my sin that nailed Him to the cross.

1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1. He became sin for me.

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

2. That was the great exchange!

3. He took my sins upon Himself on Calvary…

4. He gave me His righteousness.

B. My sins were taken to the grave and buried for all eternity!

1. Literally, He put my sin away from Himself…

2. That is hard for me to grasp sometimes…

3. But that is exactly what God tells us in His Word.

Ps 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

C. Now sin has no power over me.

1. I once was a slave to sin…

2. But now I've been set free!

Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

3. Free from sin's dominion and power over me.

Ro 6:17-18 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

4. Am I without sin now? No I still struggle with my old nature, but I no longer a servant to sin…now I am a servant of righteousness!

II. My Condemnation…the judgment of sin.

A. There is a price to be paid for sin!

Ro 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

B. Jesus paid it all!

Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Ro 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

III. My Alienation…the condition of sin.

A. My sin separated me from God!

1. I couldn't approach Him.

2. I didn't really want to approach Him, but even if I wanted to…I wasn't able.

3. My sins created a barrier between God and myself.

Isa 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

4. This is what Paul was talking about when he wrote to the believers in Ephesus.

Eph 2:13-14 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

IV. Your Sins…if you will trust in Him.

A. Jesus didn't just die for me…He also died for you!

B. You can be free…

1. From the power of sin in your life

2. From the condemnation of sin for all eternity

3. From the alienation of sin

C. It can be yours simply by faith!

Ac 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Ro 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Ro 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.