Christ is Risen! So What?

Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:1-10

28 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went 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 and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 

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5 But the angel 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 has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he[a] lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” <CLICK> 

8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

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11 While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

The Great Commission

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 

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INTRO

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If you had a chance to meet any historical figure, 

who would you like to meet? 

And what would you most like to ask that person?

These 2 questions were asked <CLICK> to a BBC radio personality in the 1940s. His name was Cyril Joad. 

Professor Joad was an agnostic most of his life. 

Meaning he didn’t believe in the God of Jesus Christ, or any other faith, 

but he believed there was some sort of higher being or force.

Professor Joad, when asked who would he like to meet from history, said: <CLICK>

“I would very much like to meet Jesus Christ.”

And the question he would most like to ask Jesus was: <CLICK>

“Did you or did you not rise from the dead?” 

The reason why I mention Cyril Joad, is because he didn’t take for granted that Jesus rose from the dead.

On the contrary, many of us can be so familiar with the story of Jesus that we take for granted that He rose from the dead.

We look at the first Holy Week on hindsight, and always see Good Friday in the light of Resurrection Sunday. 

That’s why we have no problem calling Good Friday good!

That’s why we have no problem celebrating Resurrection Sunday.

But at that first Good Friday, <click> the disciples were not expecting Jesus to rise from the dead. Good Friday was not good at all for them.  

At the dawn of that first Resurrection Sunday, the disciples were not expecting Jesus to rise from the dead.

Just 2 days earlier, they witnessed the horrible death of their teacher and leader. 

which must have brought 

devastating pain, dashed hopes and shattered dreams. 

Imagine being in a state of shock at the death of your loved one.

Only to be told 3 days later, that your loved one’s tomb was empty??

That he has risen from the dead?

So we cannot blame some of the disciples for doubting that Jesus really rose from the dead.

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We know that some of them doubted, 

from Matthew 28:17:“.. when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.”

Many people today still choose to believe that Jesus did not rise from the dead. 

But the physical bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is crucial. <click>

Because Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:14, that “..if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.”

What I’m doing now is pointless. 

Our gathering here today and every weekend is pointless, if Jesus did not rise from the dead.

Our prayers are pointless, if Jesus did not rise from the dead.

Our small groups are pointless, if Jesus did not rise from the dead.

Our Bible reading is pointless, if Jesus did not rise from the dead.

Our moving onward and outward is pointless, if Jesus did not rise from the dead.

There is NO Christianity, if Jesus did not rise from the dead.

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I’ll share 3 points affirming that Jesus really rose from the dead. There are more, but within the short time we have here, I’ll share 3:

Firstly, the first witnesses of the resurrected Christ. In other words, who Jesus first appeared to.

if you were trying to make up a story, 

you would try to base your story on credible witnesses.

Unfortunately, women in 1st century Israel 

were not considered credible witnesses. 

They were not allowed to testify in a Jewish court of law. 

But v1 shows that the very first witnesses of the empty tomb were women. 

In fact, all 4 Gospel accounts of the first Resurrection Sunday affirm that the first witnesses of the empty tomb, were women. And Mary Magdalene is consistently highlighted in all 4 Gospels as being in this group of first witnesses.

I believe this is how God affirms the dignity of women in a very male-dominated patriarchal culture then.

But coming back to the resurrection of Christ. 

The question is,

If the writers of the Gospels were trying to fabricate a story, why would they choose to use women as witnesses for a story, (and first witnesses), unless they were just trying to tell the truth?  

<CLICK> The 2nd point affirming that Jesus rose from the dead is the empty tomb. 

All Jesus’ enemies needed to do was produce his dead body, to show that Jesus was a fraud.

And this would not have been difficult. 

Because Jesus’ tomb was not in some obscure location. It was in the private garden of a wealthy and well-known public figure in Jewish life: Joseph of Arimathea. 

Also, the tomb was heavily guarded by the Roman authorities. No one outside the establishment could easily steal the body.

All that the Jewish leaders needed to do was to exhume the tomb. 

But they did not.  

Simply because, the body really wasn’t there.

Which is why the chief priests had to bribe the soldiers to spread fake news, that His disciples stole His body (v12-15). 

And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day, as v12-15 tell us.

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Third point affirming the resurrection of Christ, is the spiritual boldness of the disciples, 

and their willingness to die for what they believed in. 

Remember Peter, saying, “I will die for you Jesus”… Then, when Jesus was arrested, Peter denied he knew Jesus when a little girl recognised him as a follower of Jesus.

Remember the disciples, who all fled from Jesus when He was arrested at Gethsamane.

They were not just scared. They abandoned Jesus.

But somehow, after that first resurrection Sunday, the disciples went on to boldly proclaim the Gospel, <CLICK>

and all, except for John, died for the faith. John didn’t have an easy time either. He was exiled for the faith.

These are the different ways the disciples were killed for believing that Jesus rose from the dead

The point here is: 

Would you die for something you knew was not true? 

Would you, while being skinned alive, 

nailed to a cross upside down, 

impaled with a spear,

sawn in half,

Would you still insist that Jesus rose from the dead, 

if you knew that it was not true?<CLICK>

The only logical explanation for the spiritual boldness of the disciples, and the existence of the global church today, is that

 Jesus Christ did rise from the dead!

And conquered the one thing that no one can escape: death.

The Resurrection is a reality! 

It actually happened in history. 

But you may ask, Christ is risen! So what?

Well, because Jesus rose from the dead, Firstly,

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1. God keeps His promise  

v6, the angels says “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said”

Jesus promised His disciples that he will rise again on the third day after His death. And He did!!

If we can trust Jesus to rise from the dead, 

surely we can trust Him when He says that He is the Son of God, He is our Lord, He is our Saviour, He is our Rock, He is our Refuge, He is our Redemmer, Who came to restore what is broken in our lives.

So Jesus keeps His promise to us.

We live in a world of broken promises.

Perhaps you have been hurt by broken promises in your life, from those closest to you.

But our God is a God Who keeps His promises.

No scheme of man can thwart His promises.

The religious leaders made plans to seal the tomb. 

They bribed soldiers to spread fake news 

that Jesus’ disciples stole his body.

But none of these could keep Jesus in His tomb. 

Jesus lives!

Because Jesus lives, we worship a Promise keeping God. We worship a God we can trust. We worship a God Who holds our hands, so that we can face tomorrow.

God keeps His promise

<click> Number 2: Because Jesus rose from the dead:

2. We can have joy amidst fear  

v8 we read that “the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples”

The women were fearful and joyful at the same time. 

We all have fears. 

Fear of death. Fear of losing our loved ones. 

Fear of losing our jobs.

Fear is our most fundamental emotion, from the time we were born.

But the resurrection of Jesus means that 

We have a hope that will not disappoint.

We worship a God Who keeps His promise

we can have joy amidst our fears.

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Jesus said in John 16:22-24 “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. … Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

Jesus is saying that amidst the sorrow and fears of life, He gives us His joy. All we have to do is to ask, that our joy may be full.

Even amidst our fears.

<click> Because Jesus rose from the dead:

3. Our rightful response to Him is Worship 

v17 says that when the eleven disciples saw Jesus, 

they worshipped Him, but some doubted.

Nobody told them that they should worship Jesus when they saw Him. 

In fact, as Jews they would not have worshipped a mere man. Even a great rabbi.

Unless.. they really believed that Jesus was God and Lord.

So they worshipped Him. 

It was their instinctive response. 

It was their rightful response

Interestingly, v17 also says, that while the disciples worshipped Jesus, some doubted.

Some of the disciples worshipped Jesus even though they doubted.

<click> Worship can take place even in the presence of doubts.

Maybe you have doubts that you will be able to get through the future.

Maybe you have doubts about your own capabilities and worth.

Maybe you have doubts that God is with you

Maybe some of you today have doubts about your faith. 

Or you have doubts about whether Christianity is real. 

You struggle with belief, with whether God is real, 

especially if you are going through a hard time in your life, 

and nothing seems to come through. 

God does not seem to be there.

We learn from this passage that it is possible to worship God amidst our doubts. To praise Him, to honour Him.

Mark 9 tells of a man who pleaded with Jesus to heal his spirit possessed son. 

He says to Jesus, 

v22 “But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” ”

And Jesus responded by saying, 

“If you can? All things are possible for him who believes!”

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Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, 

“I believe [or want to believe]. 

Help me overcome my unbelief!”

This man was aware of his unbelief, or his doubts, and he wanted to overcome his unbelief.

We may have doubts, 

but they do not have to hinder us from worshipping the risen Jesus, 

if our desire is to eventually overcome these doubts.

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Today as we gather here on Resurrection Sunday, 

We affirm that Jesus has indeed risen from the dead! 

Because Jesus has risen from the dead,

He has kept His promise.

He gives us joy amidst our fears.

And our rightful response to Him is worship.

Some of us here today need a reminder that God is a Promise keeper.

Some of us here need a reminder that He gives us His joy, even amidst our fears and sorrow.

Some of us here need a reminder that He calls us to worship Him, even in our deepest doubts.

Some of us here do not

Well, our Risen Saviour gives us all this today. 

He invites us to come, not to the empty tomb, but to His throne of grace.

So that we may receive His resurrection power, to walk in His promises and joy, and worship Him.

If you do not yet know the risen Jesus, who has overcome the greatest enemy, death, He says to you, as he did to Mary Magdalene: Come and see.

If you would like to know Jesus, I invite you to say this prayer with me…

Dear God,

Thank you for loving me.

I confess my sin before you, and acknowledge that I have not lived the life you want me to live.

I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins on the cross, because He loves me.

I believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, because He truly is the Son of God. 

I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Saviour!

Thank You God, in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!