I. Introduction: He Is Risen! April 24, 2011 Matthew 28:1-10 In 19th Century England long before instantaneous news via the internet or even telephone the people were anxiously awaiting news regarding the outcome of the Battle of Waterloo where the British forces under General Wellington faced off against the French forces of Napoleon. A signalman was placed on top of a cathedral near the shore with instructions to keep a lookout on the sea for messages from ships in the English Channel. When he received a message, he was to pass it on to another man on a hill. That man was to pass it on to another, and on and on. In that way, the news of the outcome of the battle was to be relayed finally to London and then all across Britain. At long last a ship was sighted through the fog, which on that day lay thick on the channel. The signalman on board sent the first word Wellington. The next word was defeated. Then the fog closed in, and the ship could no longer be seen. Wellington defeated! The tragic message was sent across England, and a great gloom descended over the countryside. After a few hours the fog lifted, and the signal came again Wellington defeated the enemy! Now the full message went racing across the countryside again, but this time the nation rejoiced. This story is similar to Jesus death on the cross. When Jesus gave up His spirit on the cross and died, His followers were devastated. Jesus had apparently experienced a tragic defeat. The hopes of His followers died with Him. We see this in the preceding chapter where Matthew records the final events of Good Friday: Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus along with several women placed Jesus body in a tomb, rolled a stone in front of the opening, and hurried home to prepare for Passover. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary Mary the mother of James and Jose (Matthew 27:56) stayed behind sitting there opposite the tomb (Matthew 27:61). Their destroyed hopes and dreams lay dead in the tomb locked behind a large stone. They didn t know that this was not the end. Although the different Gospel writers are in harmony regarding the same basic truths, each of them presents the resurrection from a different perspective. Matthew doesn t approach the resurrection from a scholarly, historical, analytical or evidential point of view. Instead he focuses on the simple truths of the resurrection as he records the emotional reactions of a group of women who loved Jesus deeply as they experienced the empty tomb. We see them go through a variety of emotions beginning with compassion. 1
II. Emotions at the Empty Tomb A. Compassion According to Mark 16:1-2, the same women, who had remained at the cross as Jesus died, came very early Sunday morning to the tomb bringing spices so that they might anoint Jesus body. Sabbath restrictions had limited the women s travel and ability to purchase the necessary materials. So it wasn t until after the sundown which marked the end of the Sabbath that they were able to purchase the materials needed when the shops reopened. Matthew reports that they came to the tomb well after the end of the Sabbath at dawn on the first day of the week. John 20:1 states that it was still dark. The Jews didn t have names for the days of the week but simply numbered them in relation to the Sabbath. Sabbath means seventh and, although it was at the end of the week, because it was the central day to their lives, all other days were numbered from it. As everyone knows, the first day of the week is what we call Sunday. This particular Sunday was not only the beginning of a new day and a new week, it was also the beginning of a new way to God established as a New Covenant in Jesus blood. It is because of Jesus resurrection on the first day of the week that Christians worship on Sunday rather than on the Sabbath. The women obviously thought Jesus was dead. In fact as they walked to the tomb, Mark 16:3 says that they wondered who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb? Despite their lack of faith in Jesus promise to rise on the third day, they came to the tomb out of deep affection for their Lord. What they lacked in faith, they made up in loving compassion and courageous devotion. B. Fear and Wonder The next 2 emotions Matthew shows us are fear and wonder. As the women were on their way to the tomb there was another earthquake the 1 st one had been on Good Friday when Jesus died. This 2 nd earthquake occurred when an angel of the Lord came down from heaven. The angel had come to open the secured and sealed grave, and when he arrived he rolled back the stone and sat on it. Luke 24:4 tells us that 2 angels had appeared. One of them had rolled the stone away from the door. The angel didn t move the stone in order to let Jesus out of the tomb. As Jesus would demonstrate during several appearances after His resurrection, He was no longer bound by the limitations of the physical world or time (Luke 24:31; John 20:26). In His glorified body He could escape a closed grave just as easily as He could enter a closed room. The angel moved the stone not to 2
let Jesus out He was already gone. The angel moved the stone to let the women and the apostles in to see that the tomb was empty. The appearance of the angel sitting on the stone terrified the guards. Initially they shook with fear and then became like dead men. These battle-hardened soldiers were so traumatized by what they saw that they passed out. The women were also afraid, but the angel sought to calm them by saying, Do not be afraid. I don t know about you, but I m not sure that would help much. They had not come expecting Jesus to be raised from the dead or to see an angel, but God in His mercy and love overlooked their weak faith and lack of understanding. He responded to their great love of His Son by allowing them to be the first witnesses of the empty tomb. The angel said, I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. The women had come seeking Jesus as the one who was crucified, but He was no longer in that state. He was not there as the Crucified One. He has risen. Jesus had the power to give up His life and to take it up again, turn to John 10:18. But Scripture also says that He was raised by the power of the Father, turn to Romans 6:4. The Holy Spirit also raised Him from the dead, turn to Romans 8:11. The entire Trinity participated in the resurrection of Jesus. As a pastor friend of mine would say, This was a God-thing. The angel gently reminded the women that Jesus resurrection shouldn t surprise them, because it happened just as He said. Luke 24:8 says that then they remembered his words. Next the angel invited them to Come and see the place where He lay. At this point the women went into the tomb and saw that it was really empty. The angel followed them in. Because what they were seeing was so amazing Mark tells us in Mark 16:6 that the angel said again, Don't be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. The women would have seen the same thing Peter and John would see later when they came to the tomb. Turn to John 20:3-7. The grave clothes were lying on the stone shelf, perhaps they were still wrapped in the shape of the body. There was no sign of a struggle or chaos caused by robbers. Even the cloth which had been wrapped around Jesus face was folded carefully and in a place by itself. Luke 24:5-7 records a third time that one of the angels tells the women the amazing truth. We read: In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, 3
"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again. Then one of the angels said, Go quickly and tell his disciples, He has risen from the dead. Their fear and wonder at what they were seeing had to change. They couldn t keep this miracle a secret, they needed to go tell the rest of the disciples. God didn t let the rest of the disciples stew in their juices. In His mercy, God sent the women to tell the disciples as soon as possible what they had seen. They wouldn t have to suffer in misery and grief any longer than they had to. God s messenger didn t rebuke the women for their lack of faith but sent them as messengers with words of comfort and hope. In addition to telling the disciples the good news about the risen Lord, they were to tell them that they would see Jesus in Galilee. Here they would spend some intense time with Jesus as He prepared them for their leadership role in the church. C. Joy The women obeyed the angel s command and hurried away from the tomb. Although they had been filled with fear, now they were filled with great joy the Greek says, Mega joy (cara/j mega,lhj). All that they had hoped for in Jesus was beginning to come true beginning with His resurrection. Compassion, fear, wonder, joy, and finally... D. Worship As they ran to tell His disciples, Suddenly Jesus met them. Greetings, he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Now they knew with certainty that He truly was the risen Messiah, the divine Son of God. The only proper response to His presence was adoration, praise and worship. They did what every person, unbeliever and believer will do when He comes again. As Philippians 2:10-11 says, Every knee will bow... and... every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. At last the reality of the resurrection was finalized settled in their hearts and minds. They had heard the angel s proclamation of the resurrection. They had seen the empty tomb. Now they saw and touched the glorified body of the risen Lord. They could do nothing less than to adore and worship Him. He is risen. He is risen indeed! III. Conclusion The significance of the Resurrection The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. No one can deny it and be a true Christian. Without the resurrection there is no Christian faith, no salvation, no hope. The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:17, If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Here are some consequences of the Resurrection: 4
A. It proves that Jesus is God s Son. As we read earlier in John 10:18, Jesus stated that He had the authority to lay down His life and to take it up again. No one is able to resuscitate a person who has been dead for 3 days, only God can do that. As Jesus said in John 10:30, I and the Father are one. Jesus resurrection proves that Jesus is the Son of God. He is God incarnate. B. It validates the truth of Scripture. In the Old Testament (Psalm 16:10; 110:1) and in His own teachings like Matthew 12:40; 16:21; 17:9, 23, Jesus resurrection is taught. If Jesus had not come out of the tomb, then these Scriptures and for that matter all Scripture would not be true. C. It assures our own future resurrection. Turn to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Because Jesus died and rose again, we will one day be raised to be like Him. Without His resurrection, we have no such hope. D. It guarantees our future inheritance. We aren t only going to be resurrected, but because Jesus Christ is alive, we have a glorious future. Turn to 1 Peter 1:3-5. E. It is proof of a future judgment. In John 5:22 Jesus said, The Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son. Acts 17:31 says, For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead. Since the Son is now risen and alive, His judgment is certain. IV. Application So what is your response to Easter and Jesus Resurrection? 1. Some of you may choose to reject the resurrection. There are a variety of reasons people make this decision. Some people are just indifferent they don t want to be bothered one way or another. Some refuse to accept the resurrection because it can t be explained scientifically or by using human reasoning. That s true, it isn t natural. But 11 of the Apostles and many of the first Christians died in horrific ways to keep this lie going and that s not normal either. There are other things that are also not natural like Christian love. Then, sadly, a 3 rd reason some people reject the resurrection is because they want nothing to do with the God of the Scriptures. 2. I would suspect, though, that most if not all of you here believe in the resurrection. But just believing that Jesus died on the cross and rose again isn t enough. Satan was there, he knows. In James 2:19 we read, You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-- and shudder. If you want to take advantage of God s gift, if you want to spend eternity in heaven and not in hell, then as the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 10:9 you must confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, (then) you will be saved. Notice 5
that he says nothing about doing good works or having the best of intentions. All anyone has to do is believe. DO YOU? If on the other hand, you have made Jesus your Lord and Savior not just in words but in actions, today is a day to celebrate. Because of Jesus death and resurrection, you know where you will spend eternity. You have a mansion prepared just for you. And that is just one of many promises for those who are children of God. Because of Christ s resurrection and God s love and mercy we can rejoice. He is risen! 6