Untitled Sermon (2)

CONSTERNATION OF UNBELIEF

Matthew 28:11

“Now when they were going, Behold some of the watch came into the city and showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done” (Matthew 28:11).

intro;

Our text is about the report given by the watchmen to the religious leaders about the situation at the tomb of Christ, The traumatic events at the tomb not only ended the watchmen’s duties but it brought great consternation to the religious leaders.

FIRST—THE PEOPLE WITH THE REPORT

a.“Some of the watch.” It was not all of the watchmen.

b. Some fled from the tomb because of the events, when they came out of their fearinduced faint.

c. The events at the tomb had destroyed military discipline. It is a grave offense to forsake your post in the military.

d. But God will not be mocked and the resurrection caused many watchmen to flee the tomb of Christ.

SECOND—THE PRIESTS FOR THE REPORT

a. “Showed unto the chief priests.” The men who had provoked the crucifixion were getting the news of the events at the tomb which spelled their defeat.

b. The watchmen did not go to Pilate for as a Roman leader he could cause their deaths and would not tolerate their leaving their posts of duty, and anyway since Pilate assigned the watch to of the priests, the watch’s failure would help him escape criticism by the religious leaders. He was a crafty soul, but not crafty enough to escape Divine judgment.

THIRD—THE PERIOD OF THE REPORT

a. “When they [the women] were going.” While the women were going to the disciples to tell them the wonderful news that Jesus was risen from the dead,

b. the watchmen were going to the religious leaders to tell them of the events at the tomb. The news the watchmen gave, however, was met by a different reaction than what the disciples would greet the news.

c. Consternation would reign among the priests as they attempted to bribe the watchmen go get them to lie about what happened.

d. Unbelief refuses to accept the truth no matter how convincing is the evidence.

e. The disciples did not all believe the resurrection report either, it was too good to be true, but when evidence was given them they soon went from unbelief to faith. We still have both kinds today.

FOURTH—THE PARTICULARS OF THE REPORT

a. “Showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.” This would include the earthquake, the angel’s moving of the stone door which had been sealed, and the empty tomb.

b. The report would evidence Divine involvement, but the religious leaders, like today, tried to stop such talk.

c. They would not admit defeat.

d. Unbelief knows much consternation instead of victory because it utterly refuses to believe the facts. And unbelief will fry in hell forever (Revelation 21:8), because of its stubbornness to believe the truth. This is like the unbelief that prevailed in spite of the judgment in the end times.

The New King James Version Chapter 21

6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”