The Empty Egg: The Tomb Had Nothing Left
Opening an empty plastic egg gives a quick, tactile Easter image: the most important thing to inspect is not decoration but absence, because Jesus is risen as He said.
Big Idea
The empty tomb matters because Jesus is not missing; He is risen, just as He said.
Delivery Script
Hook Easter symbols can become so familiar that we stop asking what they are meant to point towards. This morning, one simple object is going to ask us that question.
1. Hold it up. [take the closed egg from the cloth or basket and hold it up for the room to see] At first glance, this looks like it should contain something. Decorated. Sealed. Promising.
2. Listen for nothing. [shake the egg gently so the room hears the silence inside] Nothing. Not a rattle. Not a sound. Already, something is different about this egg.
3. Open it slowly. [open the egg slowly, holding both halves out, and let the silence sit for a moment] The most important thing about this object is what is not here. Look at that emptiness. Do not rush past it.
4. Read the word. [hold the open egg in one hand, lift the open Bible with the other, and read Matthew 28:6] "He is not here, for he has risen, as he said." Three short facts. He is not here. He has risen. He said this would happen.
5. Tie absence to promise. [hold the empty egg beside the open Bible] The angel does not say Jesus was misplaced. He does not say the disciples were confused, or that the body was taken. He says Jesus rose. The empty place is tied to a fulfilled word. The tomb did not produce a mystery. It confirmed a promise.
6. Open it once more. [close the egg, pause, then open it again] Christian hope does not begin with decoration. It begins with an empty tomb and a living Lord. Every appearance of the risen Christ that followed, every witness Paul lists in 1 Corinthians 15, every life changed since, traces back to this. Not here. Risen. As He said.
Land Do not stop at emptiness. An empty tomb on its own would only be a puzzle. But the angel gives us the interpretation, the scriptures give us the prediction, and the risen Christ gives us Himself. Follow the angel's message from the empty place to the risen Christ, because He is not missing. He is exactly where He said He would be.
Call to action Trust the risen Christ's word, and bring one dead hope under the promise of resurrection life.
Transitions
In
Easter symbols can become so familiar that we stop asking what they are meant to point towards.
Out
Do not stop at emptiness. Follow the angel's message from the empty place to the risen Christ.
Scripture Anchors
Props & Setup
Props Required
- 1Large plastic eggEmpty and clean. Larger is easier to see.
- 2Small cloth or basketKeeps the egg hidden before the reveal.
- 3Open BibleMatthew 28:6 should be read, not merely paraphrased.
Setup Instructions
- 1Make sure the egg is completely empty.
- 2Test the hinge or snap so it opens smoothly.
- 3Place it in a cloth or basket before the sermon.
- 4Mark Matthew 28:6 and 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.
Stage Execution
- 1Take out the closed egg and hold it up. Say: "At first glance, this looks like it should contain something."
- 2Shake it gently so people hear nothing inside.
- 3Open it slowly and show the empty halves. Do not rush the silence.
- 4Say: "The most important thing about this object is what is not here."
- 5Read Matthew 28:6: "He is not here, for he has risen, as he said."
- 6Hold the empty egg beside the Bible. "The angel does not say Jesus was misplaced. He says Jesus rose. The empty place is tied to His fulfilled word."
- 7Close the egg and open it once more. "Christian hope begins with an empty tomb and a living Lord."
Safety Notes
Use a large plastic egg if children are present and avoid small detachable parts for very young children. Do not throw the egg into the congregation.
Theological Grounding
Matthew 28:6 joins absence and announcement: Jesus is not in the tomb because He has been raised, and this happened as He said. The empty tomb is not the whole resurrection case by itself; the New Testament also gives angelic interpretation, fulfilled prediction, and appearances of the risen Christ. The demonstration should therefore point beyond an empty object to the bodily resurrection and trustworthy word of Jesus.
Preacher Tips
- Do not hide sweets or paper inside if the point is emptiness. Even a small item weakens the image.
- Pause after opening it. Let people feel the surprise of absence.
- Avoid making the egg the proof. Say it is a pointer to Matthew's witness, not evidence in itself.
- If Easter eggs are culturally confusing, explain the symbol briefly or use a small empty box or stone-covered model tomb.
- Read "as he said" with weight. The resurrection vindicates Jesus' word, not only His power.
If Things Go Wrong
1The egg accidentally contains packaging or dust.
Recovery: Clean and check it beforehand. If something appears, remove it and say: "The tomb had nothing of Jesus left to hold."
2Adults find the prop childish.
Recovery: Move quickly to Matthew 28:6 and 1 Corinthians 15, showing that the image serves serious testimony.
3Children expect sweets and lose focus.
Recovery: Say at the start: "This one is empty on purpose."
4The egg symbolism does not fit the culture or setting.
Recovery: Use an empty cloth, box, or tomb model and keep the same line: "He is not here."
Adaptations
young children
Let children say together, "He is not here. He is risen." Keep it joyful and short.
older children
Show three objects: cross, closed egg, empty egg, and let them retell death, burial, resurrection.
teens
Ask why an empty tomb needs interpretation, then connect it to the angel's words and eyewitness testimony.
small group
Read Matthew 28:5-7 and 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, listing the different witnesses to resurrection.
Response Prompts
1.Why is the angel's explanation as important as the empty place?
2.Where do you need hope grounded in Christ's resurrection rather than vague optimism?
3.What changes if Jesus rose just as He said?
Application Questions
- 1Do I treat the resurrection as symbol or as news?
- 2What part of Jesus' word do I need to trust again?
- 3How should an empty tomb reshape fear of death?
Call to Action
Trust the risen Christ's word, and bring one dead hope under the promise of resurrection life.
Focus Note
An empty egg by itself proves very little. But in Matthew 28 the empty place is interpreted by the angel: He is not here, because He has risen as He said.
Cultural Notes
Plastic Easter eggs are familiar in some settings and unfamiliar or commercialised in others. The demonstration is easily adapted with any clean, empty container. Avoid letting seasonal customs overshadow the biblical announcement.
Themes & Tags
Sermon Placement
Memorability
The object is simple and recognisable, especially at Easter, with a strong reveal but familiar symbolism.
Type
object lesson
Difficulty
simple
Setup
minimal
Cost
under_10_gbp