Opening illustration: Joyce Hollyday tells the story of a school teacher who was assigned to visit children in a large city hospital who received a routine call requesting that she visit a particular child. The teacher took the boy’s name and room number, and was told by the teacher on the other end of the line, "We’re studying nouns and adverbs in this class now. I’d be grateful if you could help him with his homework, so he doesn’t fall behind the others."
It wasn’t until the visiting teacher got outside the boy’s room that she realized that it was located in the hospital’s burn unit. No one had prepared her to find a young boy horribly burned and in great pain.
The teacher felt that she couldn’t just turn around and walk out. And so she stammered awkwardly, "I’m the hospital teacher, and your teacher sent me to help you with nouns and adverbs." This boy was in so much in pain that he barely responded. The young teacher stumbled through his English lesson, ashamed at putting him through such a senseless exercise.
The next morning a nurse on the burn unit asked her, "What did you do to that boy?" Before the teacher could finish her outburst of apologies, the nurse interrupted her: "You don’t understand. We’ve been very worried about him. But ever since you were here yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He’s fighting back; he’s responding to treatment. It’s as if he has decided to live."
The boy later explained that he had completely given up hope until he saw the teacher. It all changed when he came to a simple realization. With joyful tears, the boy said: "They wouldn’t send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a boy, who was dying, would they?"
This wonderful story invites us to celebrate the gift of life even when all we seem to see around us is pain and disappointment and brokenness. It shows us that on the other side of pain, there is resurrection. It reminds us of what is possible whenever there is hope.
Let us turn to Matthew 28 and catch up with the documented witness to Christ’s resurrection and see beyond the pain when there is hope …
Introduction: Jesus himself clearly and repeatedly prophesied his impending death and resurrection from the dead (Matt. 12:38-40; 20:17-19; 27:63; Mk. 8:31; 9:9, 31; 10:32-34; Lk. 18:33; 24:7, 46; Jn. 2:18-22; 10:17-18). Moreover, the fact and the doctrine of the resurrection were fundamental to the accounts of the gospel writers and to the testimony of the apostles both in their sermons in Acts and the epistles. Their gospel stood or fell on the truth of the resurrection. In fact, it was the truth of the resurrection that motivated the disciples to subsequently give their lives for Christ and the gospel. Once they had met the risen Christ, nothing could stop them preaching their message – not ridicule, torture, imprisonment, or martyrdom. The resurrection was the fundamental premise of what they believed and preached.
Such is the power of the gospel to change, challenge, and charge men and women who otherwise would have given up. And so it is still today. We do not follow, worship, and preach about a dead Christ, but the Christ who died and rose again.
Nonetheless, despite the commonly held belief in the one true gospel and its essential premise of the resurrection, there were still skeptics in the early church who questioned its veracity. So it was in the early church and is today, where some were challenging the whole concept of the resurrection of the dead.
This morning we will be looking deeper into the elements and emotions being manifested during the time of Christ’s resurrection.
What was the significance of the ‘Elements & Emotions @ Christ’s Resurrection?’
1. Earthquake (v. 2)
• It is far more important is to understand the prophetic implications of earthquakes and act accordingly. The exact moment Jesus yielded up his earthly spirit on the cross (Matt. 27:51) “. . . the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split.” The very instant God gave man access to the Holy of Holies of God’s presence through Christ’s sacrifice; the fallen earth reacted with an earthquake and a force that split rocks. And when the pagan Roman Soldiers witnessed the earth’s reaction “They feared, greatly, saying ‘Truly, this was the Son of God.’”
• Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see Christ’s tomb. . . “And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat on it.” The earthquake was earth’s reaction to heaven’s announcement that Christ had escaped the tomb and overcome death. And after the angel’s announced that Christ had risen, the women “. . . went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word (v. 8). Christ rose, the angel caused a “great earthquake,” on earth and when he announced the victory, the women literally ran to spread the good news.
• In Acts 16 when Paul and Silas were jailed for interfering with Philippi’s commerce by casting out a demon. While praying and singing, and with all the prisoners listening, there came a “great earthquake,” that shook the prison’s foundation and loosened their chains. But instead of acting in the flesh and racing out, Paul announced to the jailer, about to commit suicide because he would be killed when his superior discovered the escape, that they were still THERE. And the reaction to the announcement? The jailer actually asked “What must I do to be saved?” The earthquake was not only a reaction that heaven had opened the doors to the spiritual freedom of salvation in Philippi, but had prepared hearts to receive it, in part because they were still THERE.
• During all the thundering, lightning and smoke on the mountain, God calls Moses up the mountain to receive the ‘Ten Commandments.’
• Battle of the Gods at Mt. Carmel where the priests of Baal are unsuccessful in calling for fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice, whereas Elijah is successful.
• In Revelation 11 there is a mighty earthquake and 1/10th of the city fell.
So what is the significance and purpose of earthquakes from the Biblical context?
Through it, God has proclaimed that He is calling us to the top of His Mountain and we are to go despite the smoke and thunder.
This earthquake is also heaven’s proclamation that we have direct access to God’s presence, we serve a risen Christ and we are to run with the Good News.
After all, the foundation has been shaken, chains loosened and hearts prepared.
2. Stone – rolled away (v. 2)
• We know that the stone was not rolled away for Jesus, but do we know that the stone has been rolled away for everyone to see including us that the body of Jesus was no more in the grave but He was now the risen Lord.
• There are times we all feel that we are encased in some “tomb” or “death” experience and we can’t seem to find our way out of it. The stones that get in the way of our living a resurrected life are so large, so intimidating, so frightening, we assume that the stone in our path is immovable.
• In our lives, the stone symbolizes bondage, restriction, addictions, lack of freedom, despair, hopelessness, sickness and disease, lack – or anything else that hinders us from living a resurrected life.
• When you feel entombed by some bondage, look up and realize the stone has ALREADY been rolled away. The way has been made for you to walk out of that tomb free. Jesus calls us to come out of the tomb, whatever it is, that is holding us in death. When we realize that the stone has been rolled away and the door is open and we can walk free, how do we do that?
• Sometimes we quickly walk out but at other times, we slowly walk out of the tomb. We come out as Lazarus did, bound in grave clothes, and someone else has to unwrap those grave clothes from us. The grave clothes are those things that have been on us because we were in a “death” experience.
• Sometimes others have wrapped those grave clothes around us when they pronounced us dead. That is why sometimes it takes others to unwrap them. We can place grave clothes on people by our words about them. When we see someone in a place where they seemed to be imprisoned, what do we say about them? How do we respond to them? Do we wrap the grave clothes tighter by saying such things as, “They’ll never get out; they can’t be healed; they don’t deserve to be free; they’ve sinned and that is why this is on them”, or such other words? Those are just examples of things we can innocently say about someone but words have power, and those words can lodge in that person and the grave clothes becomes tighter and tighter. Even if they recognize they are free in Christ and see the opening, they can barely walk out of it. We as members of the Body of Christ need to minister to each other in love and desire for all to be free. That is what it means by “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” We want to be free, and we should desire that same freedom for everyone.
• Each of us has a gift of something we can give to others to help them become free. There are many ways we can take off the grave clothes: by showing love and compassion, being kind, speaking God’s word over someone, encouraging them. Being an intercessor is one of the greatest services we can give to the body of Christ to help bring freedom. To intercede means: “to act or interpose in behalf of someone in difficulty or trouble, as by pleading or petition.” As an intercessor, we stand in between that person and their need. We call them out of their tomb because there are times a person cannot intercede for themselves. Let’s begin to unwrap God’s people so they can live a resurrected life.
• Romans 8:2 says, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
• The Spirit of Life dwelling in us now can free us from any bondage because the “stone has been rolled away.”
3. Fear – believers / unbelievers (vs. 4-5)
Psychologists tell us that we are born with two fears, the fear of falling and the fear of noise; but we soon develop many more.
The Bible talks about two kinds of fear ~
(i) Fear God (Hebrews 11: 7)
(ii) Forbidden Fear (Luke 12: 32) ~ ‘Fear Not’
Men fear failure, unknown future, responsibility, old age, insecurity, what others will say / perceive, making ends meet (finances) and death.
(a) What were the ladies and apostles fearing?
• Don’t know what the guards and the Roman and Temple authorities did with Jesus’ body
• Probably they would blamed for opening the seal of the tomb and stealing the body of Jesus
• What they did to Jesus would now probably happen to them
• What next? How to deal with this unanticipated circumstance?
(b) What were the guards and the Roman and Temple authorities fearing?
• Feared Jesus
• Didn’t know what to tell the higher authorities and the people (fear of man)
• Were shameful of the event and didn’t know how to hide it so were willing to tell a lie
• Feared that there may be an uprising (revolt by the apostles) to overthrow the Romans, possibly a civil war within the Jewish factions, apostles of Jesus and common Romans
Tragic Effects of Fear ~
• wretched experience and warps the personality
• prevent one from doing the will of God
• renders one useless
• brings on the very thing we fear
• will cause the person to be lost
Overcoming fear ~
• strictly prohibited
• enthrone Christ (1 Peter 3: 14, 15)
• put your faith and trust in God (Isaiah 26: 3)
• conceive of God as a Father
• never lose sight of the fact that you are in the presence of God and that His help is nigh
• never take counsel of your fears (Philippians 4: 13)
• pray
4. Joy (vs. 8-9)
Nehemiah 8: 10 says, ‘… Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.’
The women had joy after hearing the good news of Christ’s resurrection from the angel. Jesus told them not to fear but rejoice and they did so … the apostles followed suite and even fell at the feet of Christ and worshipped Him.
So what was the role of Joy in the lives of these new believers in Jesus Christ?
(i) Joy Depleted ~ Why can’t all of us wear unbroken testimony to the glory of the Lord as does this dear servant of the Lord? Instead of getting under the circumstances why don’t we, with the Lord’s help, stay on top of the circumstances? We need to remind our hearts of what Jesus said in John 16: 33, ‘In the world re shall have tribulation: be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ Since He has overcome the world for us why should we permit the world to overcome us? When tribulation comes, why give up our peace when our peace is in Him and He is our peace? For He is our peace … (Ephesians 2:14).
(ii) Joy Challenged ~ These goals I am setting forth are of tremendous stature. From my observations, victorious, cheerful Christians are in the minority. This lack of joy does not honor our Lord. It does not prove that He is as great and as faithful as we declare Him to be. We are not demonstrating what He is doing for us – what we tell others He can do for them.
(iii) Transforming Joy ~ God grant that it be so. The acceptance of this truth, acting upon faith, will change any forlorn Christian into a cheerful Christian, a defeated Christian into a victorious one, a gloomy countenance into a glowing countenance. The Holy Spirit will help you if you will call Him in to furnish the wisdom and power you need to rejoice in the Lord. Maintain the Godly glow, beloved! The world needs to see radiant Christians. Let your light shine. Be an exhibit of the fruit of the Spirit – JOY. It has transforming power. The fragrance of joyful Christians is a wonderful therapy for a sick world.
These are some of the reasons why the angel and Jesus encouraged these new believers to be joyful and rejoice for He is not in the grave, Halleluiah! Christ is risen, He is risen in deed. What an awesome miracle of God so that we might have life and have it abundantly … eternity with Christ!
Application:
(i) Are there earthquakes (even today) in your life? Shaking up …
(ii) Has every stone been rolled away from our life (past / present) and are leading resurrected lives?
(iii) Are we still living in a state of fear of … do we know Jesus said, ‘Fear Not!’ (forbidden to fear)? How are we pursuing to be obedient to His instructions?
(iv) Do you have the Joy of the Lord? Let us not forget that it is our only strength!
(v) Surely Christ is risen in deed! But has he really been risen in your life?
