I. Introduction
A. One man commented, I was a little taken aback when I got my receipt from the funeral parlor for my father’s funeral, on the bottom of the receipt, after the bill, it read, “Thank you. Please come again.”
B. Andrew was watching his father, a Vicar, write a sermon for the Sunday service. 'How do you know what to say?' Andrew asked. 'Why, God tells me', the father replied. 'Oh, then why do you keep crossing things out?'
1. Turn to Matthew 28:1 - 10
C. Last week we saw several times definitive proof that Jesus was dead.
1. The Roman soldiers, who were sent to break the legs of those on the crosses saw that Jesus was already dead
2. Pilate, when Joseph of Arimathea petitioned for Jesus body, sent and asked the centurion whether Jesus had been dead for some time.
a. The centurion confirmed Jesus death
3. All four gospel writers stated in one way or another that Jesus was dead
4. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15:3 testifies that Jesus died and why He died
1 Corinthians 15:3 (NKJV)
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
a. Be assured Jesus was dead
D. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus prepared Jesus’ body and they placed Him in Joseph’s tomb
1. The Jews set a guard over the tomb, sealing the stone covering the opening to the tomb
a. I say again, Jesus was dead
(1) Attested to by the Roman centurion
(2) And evidenced by the fact that the soldiers who were to break the legs of the crucified men did not break Jesus legs
(3) And the fact that the spear thrust into Jesus side allowed blood and water to flow out
(a) The spear probably puncture the lungs, myocardial sac, and the heart
(b) Which allowed blood and water to flow out of Jesus wound
b. Jesus was dead '
(1) Turn to Matthew 28:1 - 10 as we begin to examine
II. Body
A. Jesus resurrection, the angel
Matthew 28:1-3 (NKJV)
Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. {2} 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. {3} His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.
1. Why was an angel or angels sent to the tomb at this time
a. The angels were there at several times during Jesus life
(1) In Matthew 4:11 At the temptation in the wilderness
Matthew 4:11 (NKJV)
Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
(2) In Luke 22:43 an angel came to Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane
Luke 22:43 (NKJV)
Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.
(3) Angels were there at His birth
(4) And we don’t know how many other occasions involved ministering angels
(a) Lets turn to John 10:17-18
b. Jesus said that He had the power to lay down His life and Take it up again
John 10:17-18 ((NKJV)
"Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. {18} "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
c. Jesus had to die and be resurrected again to conquer death
(1) By conquering death
(2) We are free of the sting of death
2. Now at this occasion, it was appropriate that an angel or angels be involved in this momentous occurrence
a. Angel means messengers
(1) The angel or angels were sent to announce to Christ’s servants His resurrection
3. And what was the purpose of the great earthquake?
a. Evidently the earthquake was to cause or was caused by the movement of the great stone which had blocked the entrance to the tomb, or should I say the exit from the tomb
(1) Well, it would have allowed the women to enter and see that Jesus was no longer there
(2) And, I don’t know, to allow Jesus to exit
(a) But it seems the He could walk through walls
i) Well lets go on in Matthew 28:4 - 7
B. The announcement
Matthew 28:4-7 (NKJV)
And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. {5} But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. {6} "He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. {7} "And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you."
1. Big, strong, viral, Roman soldiers
a. Shook with fright
b. And they passed out
c. These were possibly the world’s mightiest soldiers in the world at that time and probably the most fearless of any place or time
(1) And yet, they shook in their boots with fear
(2) And fainted
2. Then the angel delivered his message
a. And the very first thing he said was, “don’t be afraid”
(1) There are so many places in Scripture where angels were involved that the very first words the angel spoke was something like this, “don’t be afraid”
b. “Don’t be afraid, I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified”
(1) This was an admission that Jesus had been dead
(a) To be crucified was to be dead
(b) The Romans never allowed anyone nailed to a cross to be take down from the cross alive
i) This was one of the reasons Pilate was surprised when Joseph asked for Jesus body when he did
ii) Jesus had only hung on the cross about 6 hours before He died
c. Jesus had bee crucified, He was dead
(1) He lay in the tomb for three days
(a) Part of Friday
(b) All Day Saturday
(c) And part of Sunday
(d) And on that Sunday morning we meet some women
i) When I was in charge of a maintenance shop, in the Army, I opened the shop in the morning and locked it up in the evening
ii) I was the first in the morning and the last out at night
iii) And so it was with these women
(e) Woman, last at the cross, and earliest at the grave.
(2) Even though they thought Jesus dead
(a) These women came to minister to Him
i) Even though Joseph and Nicodemus had anointed Jesus body with a hundred pouts of myrrh and aloes
ii) They had more to add to the preparation
(b) To prepare His body for burial
i) Myrrh and aloes were not cheep
ii) Just how much the women had bought and prepared, we don’t know, but it had to be expensive
(c) It must have been a shock to see the angel and hear his message, “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said”
i) Turn back to Matthew 28:7
3. Then there was the invitation to enter the tomb and witness this extraordinary fact, the body of Jesus was not there
Matthew 28:7 (NKJV)
And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you."
a. Now turn to Mark 16:7
b. Here in Mark, the message to the women is the same as in Matthew, but one thing is added
Mark 16:7 (NKJV)
"But go, tell His disciples; and Peter; that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."
(1) The angel emphasized that Peter should be told
(a) Turn to Luke 22:31-32
c. Jesus said to Simon Peter, that even though Peter would deny Jesus, he would return to Jesus in faith
Luke 22:31-32 (NKJV)
And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. {32} "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."
(1) The Lord wanted Peter to know that he was forgiven
d. Tell His disciples and Peter
(1) Turn to Matthew 28:8 - 10
C. The women meet Jesus
Matthew 28:8-10 (NKJV)
So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. {9} And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. {10} Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."
1. The women’s reaction was to do as they were told by the angel
a. They turned to go
b. They were afraid and yet full of joy
c. I could not even begin to understand how they felt
(1) Fear and joy
(2) I have always been taught that joy and happiness are two different things
(3) But, how would joy, in this instance, be manifested
(4) And mingled with fear
(5) Needless to say, these were probably conflicting emotions
(6) But, their intention was to tell the disciples and Peter what they had learned
2. Then these women ran into Jesus
a. And Jesus first word to them was, “rejoice”
b. And their reaction was to worship Him
(1) It says they held Him by His feet
(2) A very humble position indeed
(a) In the Matthew passage, it says they held Him by His feet
(b) But in John 20:16-17, Jesus tells Marry Magdalene not to cling to Him
John 20:16-17 (NKJV)
Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher). {17} Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'"
c. In Matthew Jesus is worshiped as the women hold onto His feet
d. What is different here in John as Mary would have done the same thing
(1) It is not the act of touching Him
(2) It is the motive for touching Him
(3) Mary would have held Him, to keep Him close to her
(4) The Matthew occasion was worship, but not keeping Him close by
(a) Now back to Matthew 28:10
Matthew 28:10 (NKJV)
Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."
3. The next thing Jesus said to the women was, “Don’t be afraid”
a. Apparently this was quite an experience for these devout women
b. First, the angel
c. Then the open empty tomb
d. Then the words of the angel
e. Then running into Jesus Himself
f. And His instructions
g. Then Jesus reiterated the instruction to tell the disciples the good news, “Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me”
(1) There are other things which take place
(2) But Matthew breaks and describes the conspiracy by the Jewish leadership and the Roman guards
(a) Lets turn to Matthew 28:11 -
D. The conspiracy
Matthew 28:11-15 (NKJV)
Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. {12} When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, {13} saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.' {14} "And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure." {15} So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
1. Imagine the guards anxiety
a. They were Roman guards
b. Under normal circumstances, if they had fallen asleep on duty, they were summarily executed
(1) But, the Jews knew the problem
(2) And promised to intercede for the soldiers with Pilate
(3) Just how just boggles my mind
(4) If they admitted to being asleep, they deserved to be executed
(a) But according to Matthew, the guard was not asleep
(b) And if they were not asleep, the disciples would not have been able to steal Jesus’ body
c. The soldiers must have been given a great deal of money to lie and stick their head in a noose, hoping the Jews would be able to convince Pilate not to execute the soldiers
2. But, the soldiers took the money and spread the lie as they were bribed to do
3. But we have a great crowd of witnesses that testified of Jesus resurrection
a. Aren’t we glad
b. My faith has found its resting place, in Christ the ever living One
