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If you are a true Christian, you believe in the literal, physical, bodily resurrection of Christ. So, I don’t want to carry ice cubes to Eskimos this morning. But I wonder, do you really grasp its significance? Do you realize what this says about every other world religion? It means Christianity is true and all the others are false. Neither Islam nor Judaism, nor any other religion has a risen Savior. The bodies of Buddha, Mohammed, and Confucious have all decayed into dust along with the dust of all the other more than 100 billion human beings. Do you know what Christ’s resurrection says about the future? Jesus Christ is Lord of the living and the dead and He’s returning to rule and judge.
Do you realize Christ’s resurrection proves He is the Son of God (Romans 1:4)? Do you realize that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in every believer? Christ’s resurrection power is the source of all your growing and changing and victory over sin! Romans 6:4 says, “As Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
Do you realize this message of Christ risen from the dead is what fired up and fueled the preaching in the book of Acts? Their message was, “You murdered Him, but God raised Him up, so repent and believe in Him!” Do you realize how the resurrection of Christ is God’s declaration that Christ’s work on the cross has been accepted for the salvation of sinners. David Guzik writes, “The cross was the payment, the resurrection the receipt, proving that the payment was fully accepted.”
Do you realize Christ’s resurrection has taken the sting out of death, and for His people “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8)? And do you see that Christ’s resurrection is the reason we do not grieve as others do in the face of the death of our loved ones (1 Thessalonians 4:14)?
Christ is all we need and we all need Christ. Revelation 5:6 describes Him as the Lamb standing in heaven as if slain, alive forever to intercede and represent us at God’s right hand, forever bearing the marks of His crucifixion. If you ever wonder if Christianity is real and true, the empty tomb is the one infallible proof, the one fool-proof evidence. And do you realize that faith in Christ’s resurrection is required to be saved? “If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
Let’s go to Matthew 28 and follow the resurrection story. After they buried Christ’s body, in Matthew 27:62-66, the Jewish leaders were concerned about the disciples stealing the body. “No way are we letting those deluded followers get in there and steal the body of that blasphemer!” So Pilate gave permission for a stone with a seal and a guard to be in place. The stone may have weighed a ton, the seal was probably a cord stretched across the stone sealed at each end with wax, and we don’t know how many fully armed soldiers were appointed to guard the tomb. I have to think God looked down from heaven laughing at these futile efforts. We pick-up the account in Matthew 28.
A WORLD-SHAKING EXPERIENCE – vv. 1-5.
Verse 1 – Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave.
There are very few experiences that totally change everything. These resurrection moments changed the world, not only for these ladies, but for all time. They came “to look at the grave.” We know from other gospels that they brought perfume and spices to anoint Jesus’ body. They came in deepest grief, severe disappointment, and yet loyal love. Mark says they wondered who would roll the stone away. They didn’t come expecting anything but His cold, dead body.
Verses 2-3 – And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his garment as white as snow;
God had sent an angel clothed in lightning and dazzling brilliance to greet these ladies. Look at the power of God here. A severe “mega” earthquake accompanied the angel who rolled the stone away before the ladies arrived, and now he is sitting on the stone. Hendriksen thinks the angel laid the stone over and then sat on it. He’s not standing there – he’s sitting there, on that stone. When do you often sit down? After the work is done! There he is sitting on this stone he removed, not so Jesus could get out, but so the women and we could look in. He’s sitting there symbolizing Christ’s victory, as if saying, “We won! The Victor has emerged, the Warrior has conquered, hope has dawned bright for a dying humanity. The cosmic war is strategically won. Sin and death and the devil have been smashed. The future is secure.” And as President Trump said in his Easter week message last Sunday, “On Easter morning, the stone is rolled away, the tomb is empty, and light prevails over darkness – signaling that death does not have the final word!”
Verse 4 – The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.
This lightning-clad heavenly messenger scares these guards witless! A related word for earthquake is used of them. They experienced an earthquake in their souls! Boom! They fell over, unconscious, much like when officers came to arrest Jesus in the garden. Jesus asked them, “Whom do you seek?” “Jesus.” “I am.” And boom! Down they went! How easily God could crush His enemies, yet how patient He is with unbelievers. All three guarantees set up by the Jewish leaders that the body wouldn’t be stolen, the stone, the seal, and the guards, all three were rendered powerless before the Lord. This scheme to keep Jesus’ body in the grave was like trying to extinguish the sun with a water pistol. How futile are man’s efforts to deny God and Christ, and the Word of God.
Verse 5 – And the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.”
But now, these dear sweet ladies, God bless them, these devotees of Jesus, are here, shaking with fear, astounded. These are life-changing, world-changing, history changing moments. They would never be the same. This God-sent messenger embraces them with his words. One commentator says, “Let us learn that all God’s angels are our lovers and helpers, if we love and seek Jesus.” The angel tells the women, “Don’t be afraid.” He assures them, “I know why you’ve come. You saw your Lord crucified and buried. You love Him so much. You are seeking Him. But you are seeking Him as if He were still dead.”
And now, better news no human ears have ever heard. Here is what sets Christianity apart from all other faiths and assures us that Christ is Who He said He is and did what He said He’d do, that He’d die and rise again.
A WORLD-CHANGING MESSAGE – vv. 6-7.
“He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going before you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”
The angel just gave us a five-point message that takes ten seconds preach. May God engraft these five points into our hearts this morning. Before we look at them, though, imagine if the atheist Richard Dawkins was right when he said this in a debate: “We come down to the resurrection of Jesus. It’s so petty. It’s so trivial. It’s so local. It’s so earthbound.” Imagine if the angel’s five points said this:
#1 He’s still here, ladies.
#2 He’s not risen.
#3 He said He would rise, but it didn’t happen.
#4 Come and see – His body is still there.
#5 Go tell His disciples He’s dead. The enterprise has failed.
It’s almost unbearable to even say this, isn’t it? If His body were still in that tomb, it would mean the permanent triumph of wrong over right, evil over good, death over life, and Satan’s victory over God. But what does the angel say? Let’s relish every word of his announcement.
#1 He’s not here! How can it be that some churches and Bible scholars deny the physical resurrection of Christ. These simple words should reverberate in our hearts and around the whole world. Every elementary and high school and institution of higher learning should make sure all their students hear these words without denying them. We should shout it out like the angel, “He’s not here! Ladies, you came to look at the grave and to anoint His body. You expected Him to be here, but He’s not here!”
#2 He is risen! “He was dead, you saw Him, but now He is risen. He’s alive, breathing, walking, and warm. His mind is active. His hands and feet and side still carry the scars. You’ll see them. This isn’t a myth or legend. God sent me. I’m sitting on this stone throne that used to cover that tomb right there to prove to you forever that He is risen. This is the one final fool-proof evidence that your faith is not in vain. He is risen.”
#3 Just as He said. Jesus told his disciples “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men; and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day” (Matthew 17:22-23). It’s like they never heard those last nine words: “and He will be raised on the third day.”
But He did rise on the third day, just as He said. You can write it down – God keeps His Word, always. He told Abraham that his offspring would be in slavery for 400 years and then be brought out. Sure enough, down into Egypt they went for 400 years of slavery and then God sent Moses and they followed him to freedom through the Red Sea. God promised them the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey, and every one of His promises came true. Joshua 21:45 says, “Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.” We live on God’s promises.
Do you believe this Book? There is an omniscient Mind and a sovereign Hand behind all 66 books of the Bible. God controls everything, from beginning to end. Christ told His followers He’d die and then rise again. And He did! Just as He said He would. Whatever God says He’s going to do He does. You can believe Him. This world has a built-in bias against believing God, but let’s write it down, “God said it, I believe it, that settles it.” Jesus said He’d rise again, and He did. Do you believe it?
What else did He say? He said He will come again and receive us to Himself, and He will. He said every knee will bow before Him, and they will, everyone ever born. Every person you know. Every celebrity we know will bow. Every Democrat and Republican, capitalist and communist. Every world leader – Churchill, Clinton, Bush, Biden, and yes, Donald Trump. Every human butcher and mass murderer – Herod, Hitler, Hussein. Every financial wizard – Buffet, Gates, Soros, Musk. Every atheist, false teacher, mocker, hypocrite, Mohammed himself. All will fall on their knees before this risen, living Lord and Judge and glorify God, “just as He said.”
So these ladies came early in the morning to anoint Jesus’ body. Imagine standing with them before the angel and hearing, “He is risen, JUST AS HE SAID!” Wow!
#4 Come and see. What an invitation. God invites all of us. Come on in and look around. Do you see His body, ladies? You were there when Joseph of Arimathea laid His dead, lifeless body in there. You were there and saw Nicodemus, that teacher of the Jews, with 100 pounds of spices to bury with Jesus. Look, is He there?
What did they see? They saw the linen bandages lying here, and over there was the face cloth all neatly folded up, everything in its place. But there was no body. The most wonderful nobody you’ll ever see. Jesus had walked out of that death tomb gloriously alive! He is not there. In Revelation 1:18 Jesus assures us, “I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.” Do you believe Him?
#5 Go quickly and tell! “Tell His disciples He has risen from the dead.” This is the message we have. He died bearing the penalty our sins deserved, and now He is risen. This is the final proof. The one fool-proof evidence. You can deny it, but you can shut your eyes and deny the sun is out there too. You can deny it and go on living as if this life was all there is, that “you’re born, you live, and you die, that’s it.” But then you’ll discover too late how wrong you were. This truth of Jesus Christ’s resurrection is the keystone of our faith. It is the one final piece that fueled the apostles in the book of Acts. “You killed Him, but God raised Him from the dead and now you have one thing to do – repent and believe in Him.” Embrace Him by personal faith right now. He is alive and stands at the end of every man and woman’s journey. Every one of you will meet Him face to face one day, either as Savior or Judge.
JESUS’ FEET AND A HUGE FABRICATION – vv. 8-15.
Verse 8, And they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.
Would you not be shaking? The women ran, shivering with awed fear, but hearts bursting with joy. This is our joy as well – joy unspeakable and full of glory. They had life-transforming, hope-giving news to report. So do you and I. We have the one message this world needs to hear, in spite of our secularism and relativism and chaos. People need to hear this today and we ought to be gripped with fear and great joy, overwhelmed by the reality of the fact that Jesus rose from the dead! There’s only one hope for this world – the risen, ruling, returning Christ! But look what happens next.
Verse 9, And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.
This is so good! They are running like sprinters, quickly (taku) heading straight for the city, and suddenly, who meets them? And what does He say? “Good morning, ladies.” Just the typical greeting, chairein. Instantly they are on their faces, their hands reaching out, touching His feet. What an amazing detail – they took hold of His feet. Literal, physical, living, warm feet, feet with nail marks – undeniably Jesus’ feet.
Verse 10, Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they shall see Me.”
What does He tell them in verse 10? “Go tell My brothers!” Not, go tell those cowards, those deniers, those quarrelers. No, Jesus said, “Go tell My brothers.” These words indicate much. “They, like you ladies, are in My family forever. Sure, they stumbled all over themselves and got it mixed up, but I love them. I loved them from the beginning and will love them to the uttermost, as well as all who receive Me as their Lord and Savior.” Then Jesus gives a command, “Go and tell them to meet up with Me in Galilee! I’ve got an assignment for them.”
THE LADIES AND THE LIE – vv. 11-15.
The Ladies:
Verse 11a, Now while they were on their way…
There they go, quickly. What does this account tell you about the ladies? Men, where were you early that Sunday morning? Sleeping in? Were you cowering, hiding out, afraid of reprisals from the Jewish rulers? These women proved their loyalty and love for their Savior! God has used ladies to this very day to be “up and at ‘em,” telling the good news. What a joy it is right here in our church to see all the ladies coming to the Thursday morning study in Genesis. Christianity has always honored the ladies. On that eventful morning, it was ladies who came early, even before the sun was up, and saw that lightning-clad divine messenger and heard those world shaking, life changing truths.
The Lie:
Verses 11-15, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ 14 “And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.” 15 And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.
So what happened to those guards God had knocked out with a boom when that angel appeared? Some of them went and reported to the big shot religious leaders who had murdered Jesus three days ago. And here you have the biggest cover-up in history. You’ve heard of the Russia Hoax; this is the Stolen Body Hoax. Here’s what the guards were told to do: “Here’s the narrative you need to repeat whenever asked about it or whenever interviewed by the mainstream media. Here’s the story, here’s the fabricated line to save your necks and protect our reputation and power. Say his disciples came and stole the body while you slept and we’ll cover your tails for you.” So much for truth. The religious leaders of that day didn’t care about the truth if it didn’t fit with the narrative. They cared only about their own power and position. And this lie has been perpetrated down to this very day in various ways.
THE FOUR “ALL’S” – vv.16-20.
But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated to them. 17 And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you all the days, to the end of the age.”
Christ did meet with His disciples, and as the resurrected Lord He gave them the great commission with four all’s. I have all authority, go to all the nations, teach them all My truth, and I will be with you all the days, to the end of the age. All the days to the end of the age means He’s with us still and forever!
People can say whatever they want about the resurrection, call it a myth, a fabrication, a nice ending to a religious fable. But listen again to that angel, “He is not here. He is risen, just as He said. Come and see. Go and tell.”
May God fill us with the joy of resurrection reality, not just for today but for the rest of our lives. And if you have never bowed your heart to Christ and trusted Him for your salvation, do it now!