MATTHEW: THE KING HAS COME, WEEK 190

TITLE: THE EMPTY TOMB

TEXT: MATTHEW 28:1-10

INTRODUCTION: (1) THE YEAR 1985 MARKED THE BEGINNING OF A WAR IN CHRISTIANITY.

* IT WAS NOT A WAR OF WEAPONS; RATHER IT WAS A WAR OF WORDS.

** IT BEGAN WITH A COALITION OF QUOTE “SCHOLARS” WHO DUBBED THEMSELVES THE JESUS SEMINAR.

*** THESE QUOTE “SCHOLARS” WERE DETERMINED TO DEMOLISH THE BIBLICAL JESUS IN THE PUBLIC ARENA, RATHER THAN MERELY IN PRIVATE ACADEMIA.

**** THEY WERE DETERMINED “TO LIBERATE THE PEOPLE OF THE CHURCH FROM THE DARK AGES OF THEOLOGICAL TYRANNY.”

(2) JESUS SEMINAR FOUNDER ROBERT FUNK HAS BEEN BENT ON CONVINCING THE WORLD THAT THE HISTORICAL JESUS IS NOT WORTHY OF WORSHIP.

* FELLOW CO-FOUNDER JOHN DOMINIC C. ROSSAN TAKES DEAD AIM AT ONE OF THE CARDINAL DOCTRINES OF CHRISTIANITY, THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

** IN FACT, A PAST ISSUE OF TIME MAGAZINE REPORTED WHAT HE HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE RESURRECTION AND I QUOTE:

*** “THE TALES OF ENTOMBMENT AND RESURRECTION WERE LATTER-DAY WISHFUL THINKING. INSTEAD, JESUS’ CORPSE WENT THE WAY OF ALL ABANDONED CRIMINAL’S BODIES: IT WAS PROBABLY BARELY COVERED WITH DIRT, VULNERABLE TO THE WILD DOGS THAT ROAMED THE WASTELAND OF THE EXECUTION GROUNDS.” (END QUOTE)

**** NOW IN SHORT, THE FELLOWS OF THE JESUS SEMINAR BEGIN WITH AN ANTISUPERNATURAL BIAS AND THUS REJECT THE RESURRECTION.

(3) IN PLACE OF REASON AND EVIDENTIAL SUBSTANCE, THEY OFFER RHETORIC AND EMOTIONAL STEREOTYPES.

* AND THOSE WHO DISAGREE WITH THEIR PRESUPPOSITIONS ARE STEREOTYPICALLY REGARDED AS INTELLECTUALLY RETARDED AND REDUCED TO RESIDING IN THE DARK AGES.

** YET THE BIBLE, GOD’S WORD, IS VERY CLEAR AND REPETITIOUS THAT JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD.

*** NO ONE CAN HONESTLY STUDY THE NEW TESTAMENT AND COME TO ANY OTHER CONCLUSION.

**** I CORINTHIANS 15:19-22 SAYS: (READ IT).

(4) THEN IN ROMANS PAUL WAS INSPIRED TO SAY IN ROMANS 1:4 (READ IT – THEN READ, ROMANS 4:25 & ROMANS 10:9).

* ON TOP OF THAT JESUS SAID IN JOHN 11:25&26 (READ THEM).

** BEYOND THAT JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE WOULD RISE AGAIN AND ALL 4 OF THE GOSPEL ACCOUNTS CLEARLY TESTIFY THAT JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD, AND THAT WAS A CENTRAL PREACHING POINT IN THE BOOK OF ACTS.

*** AND MY POINT IS, JESUS WASN’T EVEN A GOOD MAN IF HE DIDN’T RISE FROM THE DEAD, FOR HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LIAR OR A LUNATIC.

**** BUT TO US THAT KNOW HIM TODAY, HE IS LORD, OUR RISEN LORD, THE TRUE HEAD OF THE CHURCH, READ COL. 1:18.

(5) AND SO THE RESURRECTION IS THE CORNERSTONE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.

* AND EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE AND HAVE, AND HOPE TO BE IS PREDICATED ON ITS REALITY.

** AND THERE WOULD BE NO CHRISTIANITY IF THERE WERE NO RESURRECTION. AND CHRISTIANITY IS SEPARATED FROM ALL OTHER RELIGIONS IN THE WORLD BY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST.

*** HE IS NOT THE GREAT I WAS BUT THE GREAT I AM.

**** AND IN OUR ON-GOING STUDY OF MATTHEW’S GOSPEL, WE COME TO MATTHEW’S ACCOUNT OF THIS CORNERSTONE DOCTRINE, THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

(6) AND LIKE EVERY PIECE OF GOOD LITERATURE, MATTHEW’S GOSPEL IS NOT A RANDOM COLLECTION OF FACTS OR IDEAS OR STORIES, BUT HAS A SPECIFIC PLAN AND PURPOSE.

* AND CHAPTER 28 IS NOT SIMPLY A CLOSING GROUP OF ANECDOTES ABOUT THE LIFE OF CHRIST, BUT IS THE POWERFUL CLIMAX OF EVERYTHING HE HAS WRITTEN UNDER THE GUIDANCE AND INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

** AND THE CENTRAL EVENT OF THAT CLIMAX IS THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST WHICH IS ALSO THE CENTRAL EVENT OF GOD’S REDEMPTIVE HISTORY.

*** AND IN MATTHEW’S GOSPEL WE’LL SEE THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST COMMUNICATED IN A CLEAR WAY AS WE STUDY MATTHEW 28:1-10.

**** NOW I’VE TITLED THIS STUDY TODAY ON EASTER SUNDAY “THE EMPTY TOMB”.

(7) AND UNDER THAT THEME WE’LL LOOK AT 3 POINTS. NO. 1 THE ACTION OF THE MARYS AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD, VV. 1-4; NO. 2 THE ADMONITION OF THE ANGEL TO THE WOMEN, VV. 5-8; AND NO. 3 THE APPEARANCE OF THE RESURRECTED JESUS TO THEM, VV. 9&10.

* AND WITH THOSE POINTS IN MIND, LET’S GET RIGHT INTO OUR TEXT TODAY BY LOOKING AT V. 1 OF MATTHEW 28 WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR FIRST POINT, THE ACTION. LOOK AT MATTHEW 28:1 PLEASE.

I. THE ACTION, (READ V. 1)

A. NOW IN THE NAS, THE NIV AND THE NKJV THE WORD AFTER IS USED IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE SABBATH, WHICH IS A GOOD TRANSLATION HERE.

* FOR AFTER THE SABBATH WAS OVER AT SUNSET ON SATURDAY NIGHT, TOWARD DAWN ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK WHICH IS SUNDAY, THE TWO MARYS COME TO THE GRAVE OF JESUS.

** NOW NOT ONLY DID THESE TWO MARYS COME TO THE GRAVE, THE TOMB OF JESUS, BUT ALSO SALOME ACCORDING TO MARK 16:1 AND JOANNA AND SOME OTHER WOMEN ACCORDING TO LUKE 24:10.

*** SO AS WE HARMONIZE THE GOSPEL ACCOUNTS THERE ARE AT LEAST 4 WOMEN NAMED WHO COME TO THE GRAVE OF JESUS AND SOME OTHER WOMEN.

**** NOW MATTHEW MENTIONS JUST THE TWO FOR HIS PURPOSES, THE TWO MARYS, FOR ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 27:61, THEY WERE THE TWO WOMEN WHO HAD FOLLOWED JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA TO THE TOMB OF JESUS AFTER JOSEPH HAD TAKEN THE BODY OF JESUS DOWN FROM THE CROSS AND WRAPPED IT IN A CLEAN LINEN CLOTH.

1. NOW THE QUESTION COMES UP AT THIS POINT, THEN WHY DID THESE WOMEN COME TO THE GRAVE OF JESUS ON SUNDAY MORNING?

* WELL, ACCORDING TO MARK 16:1, MARK EXPLAINED THAT THEY HAD GONE BACK TO THE TOMB TO BRING SPICES AND PERFUMES TO ANNOINT JESUS’ BODY BECAUSE THEY HAD NO TIME TO DO SO BEFORE THE SABBATH.

** AND ACCORDING TO JEWISH LAW TO KEEP THE SABBATH THESE DEVOTED WOMEN WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE SABBATH TO TAKE CARE OF THIS TASK.

*** SO WHEN THE SABBATH WAS OVER, THEY BOUGHT THEIR SPICES AND TOWARD DAWN ON SUNDAY THEY COME TO THE GRAVE OF JESUS TO ANNOINT HIS BODY.

**** AND ANOINTING A BODY AFTER DEATH WAS A SIGN OF LOVE, DEVOTION AND RESPECT.

2. BRINGING SPICES TO THE TOMB WOULD BE LIKE BRINGING FLOWERS TO A GRAVE TODAY.

* AND SINCE THEY DIDN’T EMBALM BODIES IN ISRAEL, THEY WOULD USE SPICES AND PERFUMES AS A NORMAL PRACTICE.

** AND OBVIOUSLY THEY WERE GOING TO FINISH WHAT JOSEPH AND NICODEMUS STATED, THE EXTERNAL APPLICATION OF THE FRAGRANT SPICES SINCE THE BODY OF JESUS HAD ALREADY BEEN WRAPPED IN A CLEAN LINEN CLOTH.

*** NOW ACCORDING TO MARK 16:3 THESE WOMEN AS THEY ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE TOMB OF JESUS THEY HAD A MAJOR CONCERN.

**** “WHO WILL ROLL AWAY THE STONE FOR US FROM THE ENTRANCE OF THE TOMB?”

3. WELL, NO PROBLEM, AS THEY WOULD SAY IN AUSTRALIA, “NO WORRIES MATE”, FOR THE LORD GOD WOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS DETAIL FOR THESE DEVOTED WOMEN. LOOK AT V. 2 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 2. NOW NO SOONER HAD THE WOMEN REACHED THE TOMB THAT THEY FOUND THE STONE HAD BEEN MOVED ASIDE BY A SEVERE EARTHQUAKE.

* AND THIS WAS THE SECOND SUPERNATURALLY CAUSED EARTHQUAKE IN CONNECTION WITH JESUS’ DEATH AND BURIAL, THE FIRST ONE HAVING OCCURRED AT THE MOMENT OF HIS DEATH, MATTHEW 27:51.

** NOW THIS EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED WHEN AN ANGEL OF THE LORD DESCENDED FROM HEAVEN, MOST LIKELY CAUSING THE EARTH AROUND THE GRAVE TO TREMBLE VIOLENTLY.

*** AND THE ANGEL HAD COME TO OPEN THE SECURED AND SEALED GRAVE, AND WHEN HE ARRIVED HE ROLLED AWAY THE STONE AND SAT UPON IT, POSSIBLY TO SYMBOLIZE CHRIST’S TRIUMPH OVER DEATH.

**** NOW THE WOMEN DID NOT SEE THIS HAPPEN, THEY ONLY SAW THE RESULT, AN EMPTY TOMB.

1. AND IN COMPARING THE GOSPEL ACCOUNTS, IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT JESUS HAD ALREADY LEFT THE TOMB WHEN THE STONE WAS ROLLED AWAY.

* AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE ANGEL MOVED THE STONE NOT TO LET JESUS OUT, BUT TO LET THE WOMEN IN, AND LATER PETER AND JOHN IN, TO GIVE EVIDENCE THAT JESUS HAD RISEN.

** AND WITH REFERENCE TO THE ANGEL MATTHEW CONTINUES BY GIVING A DESCRIPTION OF HIM, LOOK AT V. 3.

C. READ V. 3. NOW THE ANGEL’S APPEARANCE WAS LIKE LIGHTNING. AND ALL OF US HAVE SEEN LIGHTNING WHICH IS BRIGHT FLASHING LIGHT.

* AND IN ADDITION TO THIS BRILLIANCE, HIS CLOTHING WAS AS WHITE AS SNOW WHICH SUGGESTS GOD’S PURITY AND HOLINESS.

** FOR THIS ANGEL, A SUPERNATURAL MESSENGER SENT BY GOD, BORE THE VERY IMAGE OF THE CHARACTER OF GOD IN ORDER TO MAKE CLEAR TO THE OBSERVERS NOT ONLY THAT HE WAS A SUPERNATURAL MESSENGER, BUT THAT HE WAS AN AGENT OF GOD, NOT SATAN.

*** AND THE GUARDS GUARDING THE TOMB OF JESUS SAW THIS AND THEIR RESPONSE IS GIVEN IN V. 4. LOOK AT V. 4 PLEASE.

D. READ V. 4. NOW THE GUARDS WERE SO AWESTRUCK THAT AT FIRST THEY SHOOK FOR FEAR OF THE ANGEL.

* AND THE WORD SHOOK TRANSLATES A GREEK TERM THAT HAS THE SAME ROOT AS EARTHQUAKE IN V. 2, INDICATING THAT THE SOLDIERS WERE TREMBLING IN

FEAR, THEY WERE THROWN INTO A TREMOR, TO QUAKE FOR FEAR.

** AND AFTER THAT, THEY MUST HAVE PASSED OUT, BECAME UNCONSCIOUS, FOR MATTHEW SAYS THEY BECAME LIKE DEAD MEN.

*** SO THEY FAINTED OR WENT INTO SHOCK AS THEY SAW THIS ANGEL. AND WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THESE GUARDS IN V. 11, LORD WILLING NEXT SUNDAY.

**** BUT MOVING ON, WE MOVE FROM THE ACTION OF THE WOMEN AND THE ANGELS TO ADMONITION OF THE ANGEL TO THE WOMEN, OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, LOOK AT V. 5 PLEASE.

II. THE ADMONITION, (READ V. 5)

A. NOW THE WOMEN WERE ALSO FRIGHTENED, BUT UNLIKE THE SOLDIERS, THEY RECEIVED COMFORT FROM GOD’S MESSENGER.

* FOR AWARE OF THEIR FEAR, THE ANGEL ANSWERED AND SAID TO THE WOMEN, “DO NOT BE AFRAID”.

** NOW THE SOLDIERS HAD GREAT REASON TO BE AFRAID, FOR NOT ONLY WAS THE ANGEL’S APPEARANCE TERRIFYING IN ITSELF BUT, BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN CHARGED WITH PROTECTING THE GRAVE, AN EMPTY TOMB COULD SPELL THEIR DEATH.

*** THE WOMEN, HOWEVER, HAD NO REASON TO FEAR, AND THE ANGELS FIRST WORDS WERE MEANT TO GIVE THEM COMFORT AND ASSURANCE.

**** FOR THE ANGEL KNEW THAT THEY HAD COME TO TAKE CARE OF JESUS’ BODY, THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN CRUCIFIED.

1. AND YES, THESE WOMEN HAD NOT COME EXPECTING TO FIND JESUS RAISED, BUT IN HIS GRACIOUS MERCY GOD OVERLOOKED THEIR WEAK FAITH AND THEIR LACK OF UNDERSTANDING.

* FOR ACKNOWLEDGING IN A SENSE THEIR GREAT LOVE, GOD RESPONDED WITH GREAT LOVE BY SENDING THIS ANGEL.

** AND BEFORE I MOVE ON TO V. 6, LET ME MAKE AN APPLICATION HERE, AND THAT IS A REPETITIOUS PHRASE THAT IS COMMUNICATED 63 TIMES IN THE BIBLE TO GOD’S PEOPLE IS “FEAR NOT” OR “DO NOT BE AFRAID”.

*** AND IN THE CONTEXT OF REVELATION 1:17&18 IT HAS TO DO WITH THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST FOR IT SAYS: “AND WHEN I SAW HIM, I FELL AT HIS FEET AS A DEAD MAN. AND HE LAID HIS RIGHT HAND UPON ME, SAYING, “DO NOT BE AFRAID: I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST,

V. 18 – AND THE LIVING ONE; AND I WAS DEAD, AND BEHOLD, I AM ALIVE FOREVERMORE, AND I HAVE THE KEYS OF DEATH AND OF HADES.”

**** AND BELOVED THIS GREAT TRUTH IN REVELATION 1 COMES FROM THE ONE WHO IS ALIVE FOREVERMORE, OUR RISEN SAVIOR THE LORD JESUS.

2. AND OH HOW WE AS GOD’S PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE HEED TO THIS COMMAND. FOR THE NORMAL USE OF THIS PHRASE “FEAR NOT” IS IN THE IMPERATIVE MOOD IN THE N.T., SO THIS IS A COMMAND.

* FOR OUR SOVEREIGN GOD DOESN’T WANT HIS CHILDREN TO BE PARALYZED WITH FEAR, TO BE CRIPPLED BY FEAR THE WAY THE WORLD IS.

** ILLUSTRATE FLYING OVER TO AUSTRALIA, OUR PLANE WAS 20-25% FULL, A 747, A PLANE THAT WAS COMPLETELY BOOKED BEFORE THE WAR STARTED.

*** AND YES PEOPLE THAT DON’T KNOW CHRIST NEED TO BE AFRAID, THEY DO NOT HAVE A HEAVENLY FATHER WATCHING OVER THEM, AND THEY CANNOT TRUST IN OUR FATHER’S SOVEREIGN HIGHER WAYS. AND YOU NEED TO FEAR A HOLY GOD WHO WILL JUDGE YOU, MATTHEW 10:28 (READ IT).

**** BUT BELIEVER, OUR FATHER WATCHES OVER THE SPARROW, SO I KNOW HE WATCHES OVER ME, AS THE HYMN SAYS.

3. AND MAY WE LIVE LIKE OUR GOD IS ALIVE, FOR HE IS! OUR SAVIOR ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND HE LIVES TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR US AND HIS HAND IS UPON US.

* SO FEAR NOT, DO NOT BE AFRAID. LET THOSE WHO KNOW NOT CHRIST SEE THAT PEACE IN US, THE TRUST AND THE SECURITY IT BRINGS.

** REMEMBER WHAT THE LORD GOD SAYS TO US IN ISAIAH 41:10&13 (READ THEM).

*** AND WHAT A JOY TO KNOW OUR FATHER HAS SECURED OUR FUTURE AND THAT HE IS WITH US IN THE PRESENT, AND NOTHING CAN HAPPEN TO US, EXCEPT IT FIRST PASS THROUGH HIS SOVEREIGN HAND.

**** SO WE NEED NOT FEAR AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THE ANGEL TOLD THOSE WOMEN IN V. 5, AND HE CONTINUES TO GIVE THEM MORE INFORMATION ABOUT JESUS IN V. 6. LOOK AT V. 6 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 6. NOW THE TWO WORDS “HAS RISEN” TRANSLATES A GREEK AORIST PASSIVE AND CAN ALSO BE RENDERED, “HAS BEEN RAISED”.

* AND JESUS HIMSELF HAD POWER TO GIVE UP HIS LIFE AND TO TAKE IT UP AGAIN ACCORDING TO JOHN 10:18.

** BUT SCRIPTURE ALSO MAKES CLEAR THAT HE WAS RAISED BY THE POWER OF THE FATHER IN ROMANS 6:4 AND GALATIANS 1:1 AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ROMANS 8:11.

*** MEANING: THE ENTIRE TRINITY PARTICIPATED IN THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS. CHRIST’S RESURRECTION WAS THE WORK OF THE TRIUNE GOD, AS THESE THREE ARE AND ALWAYS WILL BE ONE GOD. OUR ONE GOD IS THEY, THE FATHER, THE SON, THE HOLY SPIRIT.

**** WHAT A WONDERFUL REVEALED MYSTERY.

1. NOW AS WE GO BACK TO V. 6 WE SEE THAT THE ANGEL GENTLY REMINDED THEM THAT JESUS’ RESURRECTION SHOULD NOT SURPRISE THEM, BECAUSE IT HAPPENED “JUST AS HE SAID”.

* FOR JESUS COMMUNICATED DURING HIS LIFE THAT HE WOULD DIE BUT RISE AGAIN.

** AND LUKE REPORTS IN LUKE 24:8 THAT AFTER THE ANGEL SAID THAT, THEY THEN “REMEMBERED HIS WORDS.”

*** WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TODAY, TO REMEMBER HIS WORDS, TO STAND UPON HIS TRUTH, TO STAND UPON HIS PROMISES AND THAT HE WILL ALWAYS DO WHAT HE SAYS.

**** THEN IN THE LAST PART OF V. 6, THE ANGEL INVITES THE WOMEN TO COME SEE THE PLACE WHERE JESUS WAS LYING.

2. AND AT THIS POINT AS WE HARMONIZE THE GOSPELS, THE WOMEN, PROBABLY MINUS MARY MAGDALENE WHO LEFT AT SOME POINT TO TELL PETER AND JOHN, WENT INTO THE TOMB AND OBSERVED THAT IT INDEED WAS EMPTY.

* AND WHILE THE WOMEN WERE IN THE TOMB, ANOTHER ANGEL JOINED THE FIRST, FOR WE SEE TWO ANGELS IN JOHN 20:12.

** ONE AT THE HEAD OF WHERE THE BODY OF JESUS WAS LYING AND ONE AT THE FEET.

*** SO THE TOMB IS CLEARLY EMPTY, JESUS HAD RISEN JUST AS HE SAID. AND AT THIS POINT ONE OF THE ANGELS TELLS THE WOMEN THERE TO DO SOMETHING, LOOK AT V. 7 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 7. NOW THE WOMEN’S FASCINATION MUST QUICKLY TURN TO PROCLAMATION.

* THEY DID NOT HAVE TIME TO REVEL IN THE MARVELOUS REALITY OF THE GOOD NEWS, BUT WERE TO GO IMMEDIATELY AND ANNOUNCE IT TO THE COWERING DISCIPLES, WHO WERE STILL HIDING IN JERUSALEM.

** AND THEN THE ANGEL GIVES FURTHER INSTRUCTION TO THE WOMEN, THAT THEY WERE TO TELL CHRIST’S DISCIPLES THAT HE WAS GOING BEFORE THEM INTO GALILEE.

*** AND IF YOU RECALL IN MATTHEW 26:32 EARLIER THAT WEEK JESUS TOLD THE 11 REMAINING DISCIPLES, “AFTER I HAVE BEEN RAISED, I WILL GO BEFORE YOU TO GALILEE.”

**** AND JESUS WOULD MAKE OTHER APPEARANCES TO THEM BEFORE GALILEE, BUT JESUS’ SUPREME APPEARANCE TO THE DISCIPLES WAS TO BE IN GALILEE, WHERE JESUS WOULD GIVE THEM THE GREAT COMMISSION, THE PLACE THEY WERE ALL FROM, THE PLACE WHERE JESUS BEGAN HIS MINISTRY, A SPECIAL PLACE.

1. NOW THE RESPONSE OF THE WOMEN OF THIS ADMONITION, THIS GLAD TIDING, IS GIVEN IN V. 8, LOOK AT V. 8 PLEASE.

D. READ V. 8. NOW THESE WOMEN ARE OBEDIENT AND THEIR OBEDIENCE IS RIGHT AWAY, FOR THEY “DEPARTED QUICKLY” AND “RAN TO REPORT IT TO THE DISCIPLES”.

* THEIR ADRENALIN MUST HAVE BEEN FLOWING, FOR THEY DON’T WALK TO TELL THE DISCIPLES, THEY RUN.

** AND THEY GO WITH “FEAR AND GREAT JOY”.

*** AND NOTICE IN THIS STRUGGLE BETWEEN FEAR AND JOY, JOY TRIUMPHS, FOR THE ADJECTIVE GREAT (MEGAS IN THE GREEK FROM WHICH WE GET OUR WORD MEGA) MODIFIES ONLY JOY, NOT FEAR.

**** THEY HAD HUGE JOY, BIG TIME JOY. AND UNDERSTANDABLY THEY HAD A REMNANT OF FEAR, FOR THERE WERE A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS, BUT THEY HAD GREAT JOY IN THE MIDST OF THIS EXCITEMENT.

1. AND THEIR PRESENT JOY, GREAT AS IT WAS, WAS GOING TO BECOME GREATER, FOR IN V. 9 JESUS WILL MEET THEM ON THEIR WAY.

* LOOK AT V. 9 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL QUICKLY START TO SEE OUR THIRD AND LAST POINT TODAY, THE APPEARANCE OF JESUS. LOOK AT V. 9 PLEASE.

III. THE APPEARANCE, (READ V. 9)

A. NOW OUR LORD REWARDS OBEDIENCE, AND HE DOES HERE WITH THESE WOMEN, FOR AS THEY’RE RUNNING TO TELL THE DISCIPLES THAT JESUS WAS ALIVE HE MEETS THEM AND GREETS THEM.

* AND THEY IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THEIR LORD AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS WHAT? WORSHIP.

** THEY DROP BEFORE HIM AND TAKE HOLD OF HIS FEET IN VENERATION AND WORSHIP HIM.

*** AND WHAT OTHER RESPONSE COULD THERE BE?

**** YOU SEE YOUR RISEN LORD AND WHAT WOULD YOU DO, DROP AT HIS FEET AND WORSHIP HIM.

1. AND THESE WOMEN DID WHAT EVERY PERSON, UNBELIEVER AS WELL AS BELIEVER, WILL DO ONE DAY, BOW THE KNEE AND WORSHIP AND CONFESS JESUS AS LORD, READ PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11.

* AND FOLKS IT BOILS DOWN TO BOW NOW AND TURN TO JESUS FOR FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SIN AS YOUR SAVIOR OR BOW LATER WHICH WILL BE TOO LATE TO BE RESCUED FROM A HOLY GOD’S HATRED OF SIN.

** WELL, THESE WOMEN FALL BEFORE JESUS AND WORSHIP AND CHRIST’S RESPONSE TO THEM IS GIVEN IN V. 10. LOOK AT V. 10 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 10. NOW JESUS REPEATED THE MESSAGE OF THE ANGEL.

* AND FIRST HE TOLD THE WOMEN TO STOP BEING AFRAID, “DO NOT BE AFRAID”, “FEAR NOT”.

** AND THE VERB USED HERE IS PRESENT TENSE IMPERATIVE WHICH MEANS TO STOP WHAT IS ALREADY IN PROGRESS.

*** AND YES THEIR JOY WAS GREATER THAN THEIR FAITH, BUT JESUS COMMANDED TO CEASE FROM HAVING ANY FEAR.

**** HE WAS ALIVE! THEY NEED NOT FEAR.

1. AND THEN SECOND, JESUS REPEATED THE INSTRUCTION TO RELAY TO THE DISCIPLES THE WORD THAT HE WOULD MEET THEM IN GALILEE.

* AND NOTICE THAT DESPITE THE DISCIPLES LACK OF FAITH, THEIR COWARDICE, AND THEIR DEFECTION, THE LORD GRACIOUSLY SPOKE OF THEM AS HIS BRETHREN.

** THE DISCIPLES WERE HIS FAMILY, AND OBVIOUSLY OUR LORD HAD ALREADY FORGIVEN THEM FOR THEIR FEAR AND FORSAKING HIM.

*** WHAT A TENDER WORD TO USE HERE “TAKE WORD TO MY BRETHREN”.

AND AS I WRAP UP MATTHEW’S ACCOUNT OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, I WANT TO MAKE SOME QUICK APPLICATIONS AT THIS POINT.

* AND THAT IS, THE ANGEL WHO ANNOUNCED THE GOOD NEWS OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST TO THE WOMEN GAVE THEM FOUR MESSAGES:

1. NO. 1 DO NOT BE AFRAID. AND BELOVED THE REALITY OF THE RESURRECTION BRINGS JOY, NOT FEAR.

* AND WHEN YOU ARE AFRAID, REMEMBER THE EMPTY TOMB. AND WHEN FEAR WANTS TO GRIP YOU AND PARALYZE YOU, REMEMBER THE EMPTY TOMB.

** AND WHEN YOU FACE DEATH SOMEDAY, REMEMBER THE EMPTY TOMB. JESUS SAID IN JOHN 14:19 (READ IT).

*** AND BELOVED WE THAT KNOW CHRIST WILL LIVE WITH HIM FOREVER BECAUSE HE CONQUERED DEATH. REMEMBER THE EMPTY TOMB.

2. NO. 2, THE 2’D MESSAGE BY THE ANGEL IS “HE IS NOT HERE”.

* AND THAT REMINDS US ALSO THAT JESUS IS NOT DEAD AND IS NOT TO BE LOOKED FOR AMONG THE DEAD. HE IS ALIVE WITH HIS PEOPLE.

** HE IS THE VICTORIOUS ONE, WE SERVE A RISEN SAVIOR, HE IS IN THE WORLD TODAY, I KNOW THAT HE IS LIVING, WHATEVER MAN MAY SAY…

3. NO. 3 THE ANGEL SAID, “COME AND SEE”. AND BELOVED THE WOMEN COULD CHECK THE EVIDENCE THEMSELVES. THE TOMB WAS EMPTY THEN AND IT IS EMPTY TODAY. THE RESURRECTION IS A HISTORICAL FACT.

* AND THE EVIDENCE IS JESUS IS LORD, SO YOU BETTER TURN TO HIM TODAY IN REPENTANCE OF YOUR SINS AND RECEIVE HIM AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. (READ ROMANS 10:9&10 AGAIN)

4. AND THEN FOURTHLY AND LAST OF ALL, THE ANGEL SAID, “GO QUICKLY AND TELL”.

* THE WOMEN WERE TO SPREAD THE JOY OF THE RESURRECTION.

** AND BELOVED, WE ARE TO SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT JESUS’ RESURRECTION.

*** WE ARE TO DECLARE HIS GLORY AMONG THE NATIONS, HIS WONDERS AMONG ALL PEOPLE FOR OUR LORD IS ALIVE AND GREAT, AND HE IS TO BE ADORED, SERVED AND WORSHIPPED.

**** MAY WE TAKE THAT GOOD NEWS TO THE WORLD TODAY. HE’S ALIVE!

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