THE DAWNING OF A NEW DAY
MATTHEW 28:1-20
THE PASSAGE THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO LOOK AT, MARKS THE CLIMAX OF THE ENTIRE GOSPEL. IF THERE IS NO RESURRECTION, THEN THE ENTIRETY OF CHRISTIANITY IS A HOAX AND WE WHO BELIEVE ARE TO BE PITIED MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE.
PAUL TEACHES:
1 CORINTHIANS 15:19: IF ONLY FOR THIS LIFE WE HAVE HOPE IN CHRIST, WE ARE OF ALL PEOPLE MOST TO BE PITIED.
HE IS SAYING IF THERE IS NO RESURRECTION THEN OUR BELIEF IN HEAVEN IS ONLY TO HELP US FEEL GOOD NOW. IT IS ULTIMATELY AN ILLUSION AND SO THEREFORE WE SHOULD BE PITIED FOR SUCH SHALLOW BELIEF.
PAUL WOULD NOT LEAVE IT THERE THOUGH. 1 CORINTHIANS 15 IS A STRONG PASSAGE ON THE RESURRECTION AND PAUL STATES CLEARLY THAT THE RESURRECTION DID OCCUR.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:20: BUT CHRIST HAS INDEED BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD, THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP
THIS MEANS THAT THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST ARE THE CENTRAL POINTS OD CHRISTIANITY. FOR THE BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN, BECAUSE OF THE RESURRECTION WE CELEBRATE THAT THIS WORLD WITH ALL ITS PROBLEMS IS NOT OUR FINAL HOME, AND THAT WE HAVE AN ETERNAL HOME WITH CHRIST TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
WHEN MARY MAGDALENE , MARY THE MOTHER OF JAMES AND SALOME WENT TO THE TOMB THAT DAY THEY EXPERIENCED NOT ONLY THE DAWNING OF THAT DAY, BUT THE DAWNING OF A NEW HOPE IN THE RESURRECTED CHRIST.
THIS DAY THOUGH DID NOT BEGIN WELL FOR THEM. THEY WERE COMING TO THE TOMB TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS OF BURIAL. WE KNOW THE PAIN SHE MUST HAVE FELT AS SHE WLAKED TO THE TOMB. WE HAVE WALKED THAT PATH MANY TIMES AS WE SAID A FINAL GOODBYE TO FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES WHO HAVE PRECEDED US IN DEATH IN CEMETARIES.
THE DISCIPLES AND THE WOMEN WERE ALL COMING TO GRIPS WITH THE DEATH OF JESUS. IT WAS SO VIOLENT AND THE FEAR THAT THEY COULD BE NEXT WAS REAL TO THEM. THERE WAS NO PLACE FOR HAPPINESS TODAY.
THE TOMB WOULD BE GUARDED BY 16 ROMAN SOLDIERS EACH TAKING FOUR HOUR SHIFTS. THE TOMB WOULD NOT ONLY HAVE THE ROCK SEALING IT, BUT ALSO A ROMAN SEAL TO PREVENT ANYONE FROM REMOVING JESUS’ BODY. HOW WERE THEY TO GO IN AND FINISH THE BURIAL. TO TAMPER WITH A ROMAN SEAL WAS A CAPTIAL OFFENCE. CERTAINLY THE SOLDIERS WOULD NOT DO IT. HOW WOULD THESE WOMEN MOVE A TWO TON ROCK?
THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS FOR GOD WOULD OPEN THE TOMB FOR THEM. OUR PASSAGE RECORDS THAT AN EARTHQUAKE DISLODGED THE ROCK AND ALLOWED THE WOMEN TO GO INTO THE TOMB. SOME BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS AN AFTERSHOCK FROM THE QUAKE THAT OCCURRED AT THE TIME OF JESUS’ DEATH.
LET US BE CLEAR ABOUT THIS. THE STONE WAS NOT DISLODGED TO ALLOW JESUS TO GET OUT OF THE TOMB. JESUS’ RESURRECTION HAD ALREADY OCCURRED. NO MASSIVE STONE BARRIER COULD HOLD THE RESURRECTED LORD. THE STONE WAS MOVED TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO GO IN.
THE APPEARANCE OF THE ANGEL, AND HIS WORDS “DO NOT BE AFRAID” REMIND US OF THE TIME THAT JESUS WAS BORN. THE ANGEL TOLD THE SHEPHERDS “DON’T BE AFRAID”, THE ANGELS APPEARED TO JOSEPH AND TOLD HIM “NOT TO BE AFRAID”, THE ANGEL TOLD MARY “DO NOT BE AFRAID”, AND THE WORD GOES FORTH TO US TODAY, WHEN GOD IS IN CHARGE “DO NOT BE AFRAID” HE IS SOVEREIGN AND IN CONTROL.
THE ANGEL TOLD THEM THOSE BLESSED WORDS “HE IS RISEN JUST AS HE SAID”
JESUS BEFORE HE WAS CRUCIFIED SAID:
JOHN 2:19-21:
JESUS ANSWERED THEM, “DESTROY THIS TEMPLE, AND I WILL RAISE IT AGAIN IN THREE DAYS.” 20 THEY REPLIED, “IT HAS TAKEN FORTY-SIX YEARS TO BUILD THIS TEMPLE, AND YOU ARE GOING TO RAISE IT IN THREE DAYS?” 21 BUT THE TEMPLE HE HAD SPOKEN OF WAS HIS BODY.
HERE IS THE BIBLICAL PROOF OF JESUS’ DEATH AND RESURRECTION. THE ANGEL SAID “WHO WAS CRUCIFIED” MEANING JESUS, AND UNDERLINED THE REALITY OF JESUS’ DEATH. THE INVITATION TO COME AND SEE THE PLACE WHERE JESUS LAY VERIFIED THAT THIS WAS THE CORRECT TOMB, IT’S EMPTINESS STRESSING THE FACT THAT HE WAS ALIVE.
THERE ARE THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION WHO BELIEVE THAT MARY WENT TO THE WRONG TOMB, AND THAT THIS IS WHY IT WAS EMPTY. THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE DOES NOT SUPPORT THIS. IT WOULD MEAN THAT GOD MADE THE SAME MISTAKE AS HE SENT THE ANGEL TO ROLL AWAY THE STONE. THERE WERE NO ROMAN SOLDIERS PRESENT, AND THE ROMAN SEAL WOULD NOT BE THERE. THESE WERE ALL PRESENT IN THIS ACCOUNT SO WE KNOW MARY WAS AT THE RIGHT TOMB.
THE RESURRECTION WAS ANOTHER WAY TO SHOW HOW GOD THE FATHER SHOWED THAT HE ACCEPTED THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS ON THE CROSS. AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH GRAVES WERE OPENED AND PEOPLE WHO WERE HELD CAPTIVE BY DEATH WERE RELEASED TO LIFE, SHOWING US THAT NOW DEATH HAD NO POWER OVER GOD’S PEOPLE. THE VEIL IN THE TEMPLE WAS TORN FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM, SHOWING US THAT THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN HAD BEEN MADE IN CHRIST AND NOW WE COULD FELLOWSHIP WITH THE FATHER.
JESUS WAS RAISED TO LIFE BY THE FATHER AT THE TIME OF THE RESURRECTION. THE NIV TRANSLATION OF V.6 IS NOT THE BEST USE OF THE GREEK. THE VOICE OF THE VERB egerthe (EGERTHE) IS PASSIVE, MEANING THE ACTION OCCURRED BY SOMEONE ELSE. IN THIS CASE JESUS WAS RAISED BACK TO LIFE BY GOD. THE SAME THING IS GOING TO HAPPEN FOR ALL CHRISTIANS. DEATH WILL NOT KEEP US FROM OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD. HE WILL RAISE US UP TO LIVE WITH HIM FOREVER IN HEAVEN. HE HOLDS THE KEYS TO THE POWER OF DEATH. HE TOLD JOHN IN REVELATION:
REVELATION 1:17-18:
WHEN I SAW HIM, I FELL AT HIS FEET AS THOUGH DEAD. THEN HE PLACED HIS RIGHT HAND ON ME AND SAID: “DO NOT BE AFRAID. I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST. 18 I AM THE LIVING ONE; I WAS DEAD, AND NOW LOOK, I AM ALIVE FOR EVER AND EVER! AND I HOLD THE KEYS OF DEATH AND HADES.
MATTHEW THEN RECORDS THAT THE WOMEN BEGAN TO DO WHAT THE ANGEL TOLD THEM TO, AND IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THIS, HAVE AN ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST ON ROUTE TO THE CITY.
THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS WE COULD CONSIDER WHEN IT COMES TO THIS MEETING, BUT I WANT TO FOCUS ON TWO. JESUS GREETING WASN’T LIKE THE GREETING THAT YOU WOULD GIVE SOMEONE YOU MEET IN THE MALL. THE GREEK WOULD INDICATE THAT THIS WAS A CHERY “HELLO”.
IT INDICATES THE PHYSICAL NATURE OF JESUS’ RESURRECTION AS THEY GRASP HIS FEET. JESUS’ DISPLAYS THE ATTITUDE OF A PERSON WHO HAS COMPLETED HIS TASK AND IS NOW BASKING IN THE SATISFACTION OF A JOB WELL DONE. HE ALSO RECOGNIZES THAT THIS MAY BE TOO MUCH FOR THE WOMEN TO TAKE IN AND SO HE REPEATS THE WORDS OF THE ANGEL IN VV. 5-7.
THIS IS ALSO THE ONLY PLACE IN THE GOSPELS WHERE HE REFERS TO THE DISCIPLES AS “BROTHERS”. HE WAS ABANDONED BY THEM, HE WAS DENYED BY THEM, AT THE DARKEST TIME OF HIS LIFE AND YET HERE HE CALLS THEM “BROTHERS”.
JESUS IS TREATING THEM AS EQUALS, AND WANTS THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY REMAIN LABOURERS WITH HIM IN THE WORK OF THE FATHER.
THIS IS THE MESSAGE HE WANTS US TO UNDERSTAND TODAY. IN VERSES 19-20 HE COMMISSIONS NOT ONLY HIS DISCIPLES, BUT BECAUSE WE ARE “BROTHERS” HE COMMISSIONS US TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL AND DISCIPLE NEW CHRISTIANS. AS HE CALLED THE DISCIPLES “BROTHERS” HE ALSO CALLS US “BROTHERS”. PAUL TAUGHT THAT WE ARE:
ROMANS 8:16-17:
THE SPIRIT HIMSELF TESTIFIES WITH OUR SPIRIT THAT WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN. 17 NOW IF WE ARE CHILDREN, THEN WE ARE HEIRS—HEIRS OF GOD AND CO-HEIRS WITH CHRIST, IF INDEED WE SHARE IN HIS SUFFERINGS IN ORDER THAT WE MAY ALSO SHARE IN HIS GLORY.
IN CALLING THE DISCIPLES HIS BROTHERS, JESUS IS NOT DENYING HIS UNIQUENESS NOR DEIFYING THE DISCIPLES. HE IS PORTRAYING THE CHURCH AS A BROTHERHOOD THAT MANIFESTS MORE EQUALITY THAN OFFICE.
VV. 16-20 ACTUALLY OCCUR SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER JESUS’ RESURRECTION AND ARE MORE CONNECTED WITH HIS ASCENSION IN ACTS CHAPTER ONE. NONETHELESS AS BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS THE GREAT COMMISSION IS OUR MARCHING ORDERS AS A CHURCH IN THIS WORLD. WE ARE TO BE GOD’S AMBASSADORS AND MOUTH-PIECE TO THE WORLD AROUND US. WE ARE TO HELP BUILD HIS KINGDOM, AND KEEP THAT KINGDOM STRONG.
CONCLUSION:
I DOUBT IF YOU CAN FIND A MORE SOMBRE, GRIM ACCOUNT IN LITERATURE THAN MATTHEW 26 AND 27. THE BETRAYAL, TRIALS AND CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS ARE HEAVY BEYOND ANY WORDS TO DESCRIBE. AND THEY SHOULD BE. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DEATH, AND WHAT LEADS UP TO DEATH IT SHOULD BE DISTRESSING TO OUR SPIRITS.
THEN CAME THE MORNING OF A NEW DAY. FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, THERE IS A JOY, A BRIGHTNESS AND A HOPE IN EVERYTHING. JESUS LIVES, AND THE GRAVE IS NOT OUR FINAL HOME. JESUS LIVES, AND WE CAN REJOICE FOR HE IS KING. PAUL TEACHES:
PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7:
4 REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS. I WILL SAY IT AGAIN: REJOICE! 5 LET YOUR GENTLENESS BE EVIDENT TO ALL. THE LORD IS NEAR. 6 DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERY SITUATION, BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD. 7 AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH TRANSCENDS ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS.
HE SUSTAINS US IN THIS LIFE AND PREPARES A PLACE FOR US IN DEATH. AS CHRISTIANS OUR JOY BEGAN AT THE RESURRECTION AND IT ALL BEGAN ON THE DAWNING OF A NEW DAY OVER TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO. IT IS A DAY THAT WILL NEVER END AND I THANK GOD FOR THAT MORNING.
