VERSES BEHIND THE SONG: EMPTY GRAVE

[ECCENTRICSHEEP]

For a while we are going to study the verses behind Disciple songs! Each week one song will be chosen, and we will take a closer look at the verses listed in the liner notes with that song.

Please focus your studies on the verses and let the lyrics contribute to your thoughts after a study of the verses. We aren't here to study Disciple lyrics, we are here to study the word of God.

This week we are studying the verses behind the song "Empty Grave."

[ECCENTRICSHEEP]

Colossians 2:12

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Lyrics
So reckless, left breathless, my weakness out on display
My heart was so broken, my scars had drowned out all my faith
It was hard to see my worst enemy hiding deep within myself
Needed you to save the only thing I had left

Wide awakened from the dead
A day that I could not forget
I was so empty the day that You found me
Kneeling at Your cross I find
A place that I can find new life
Where You resurrect me leaving an empty grave

Been fighting, been trying, been six feet down in my shame
My promise, I broke it, my God I did it all again
Though it's hard to see my identity lies in more than my mistakes
You know what I need faith to believe again

Wide awakened from the dead
A day that I could not forget
I was so empty the day that You found me
Kneeling at Your cross I find
A place that I can find new life
Where You resurrect me leaving an empty grave

Death couldn't hold You in the grave
Now by your power You can save my life
I'm alive 'cause You're alive
I'm alive 'cause You're alive

Wide awakened from the dead
A day that I could not forget
I was so empty the day that You found me
Kneeling at Your cross I find
A place that I can find new life
Where You resurrect me
You resurrect me
You resurrect me leaving an empty grave

[ECCENTRICSHEEP]

9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form

Jesus was the fullness of the deity in bodily form. He was God on earth. He was no mere man. He was God himself on earth.

People try to stick Jesus in a box all the time. They pull out their shallow temporary earthly identity tags and stick them on Jesus. The problem is, you can't put Jesus in a box. Jesus doesn't belong in any of your identity categories. He wasn't just a human. He was God himself. He is far beyond all these things.

So stop worrying about what color he was and how he looked. That's not what matters. He was God in bodily form, he's beyond all these silly things we do here on earth.

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4)

He was God on earth, and he was perfect. He was no mere human. He doesn't not fit in your box. Keep your earthly identity tags away from him.

[ECCENTRICSHEEP]

Death couldn't hold You in the grave
Now by your power You can save my life
I'm alive 'cause You're alive
I'm alive 'cause You're alive

Wide awakened from the dead
A day that I could not forget
I was so empty the day that You found me
Kneeling at Your cross I find
A place that I can find new life
Where You resurrect me
You resurrect me
You resurrect me leaving an empty grave

11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

We're alive because he's alive today. We were lost and hopeless and dead to our sins. We are alive in Christ because of his triumph on the cross where he conquered death forever.

We were never going to be able to save ourselves. We were never going to be able to keep the law and obey it perfectly. There was never going to be enough animal blood to atone for our sins. Only Jesus can save us. The way, the truth, and the life.