The Rising Son & Dropping Soldiers

Hope...

We all long to have hope, we long to have peace,… yet a place like a cemetery is not usually the place we find these things.

We BEGIN our celebration of Jesus Christ today in a CEMETERY because that is where it began that day…

Matthew 28:1–6 “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. 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 clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.”

Why Guard a Dead Man?

Imagine the guards at the tomb… especially at shift change:

Laughing as they ask “any movement? Nope, been real dead around here!”

Continuing in mockery… “Wow, for a king He sure doesn’t have many visitors and mourners here!”

Laughing they make statements how they all lost hope… you can’t have hope in a dead man… why hang around a cemetery… nothing to live for here

Recalling the days prior they may have made jest about how it would at least bring some excitement or something to do if those sissy’s who ran away at His arrest, abandoned Him when He died would come and try to take the body. One of the soldiers chimes in recalling one of the followers “Great Sword Skills” laughing!

Mind you… This is a Trained Roman Guard (a group of highly skilled soldiers)

They stand at the ready to prevent an insurrection, a theft, to prevent claims of a King who would rise again three days later…

The Third Day

As the dawn would break that day… the third day… the soldiers mat have felt relief as this uneventful assignment would soon be done.

As the dawn would break some ladies made their way to the tomb to care for the Lord’s body

Still grieving Jesus’ death

Carrying the spices and oils to anoint his body

Speculating about how to move the stone

Not even aware that a Guard had been placed there

As the dawn would break the Son of God would rise from the dead!

The earth when its creator breathed His last break would tremble

So too it trembled once again as the Creator, the King of kings, Lord of lords, the Son of God conquered death

The earth trembled with joy and praise

“Oh death were is your victory, oh death where is your sting!?”

Message of Hope

God sends His messenger… an Angel

For the soldiers there is great fear such as much they faint / those alive drop as dead men

But the One who was dead rises up ALIVE!!!… He is Risen!

God delivers Hope… the angel roles the stone back

NOT… to let Christ out (no stone could hold Him… No tomb could hold him)

He had crushed death, Hope was alive, and the One called peace on earth was alive and well

HOPE & PEACE were now a reality!!!

The stone was rolled back to offer a glimpse of HOPE “He is not here!”

The women were tasked with two things

1) Do not fear… truth removes fear… Matthew 28:7–10 ““Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.””

2) Go and tell others Jesus is Risen...

They Go… yet the waves of emotion, wonder, excitement… there is still some fear…

Jesus Himself comes and meets them as they go… JESUS REMOVES THE FEAR!

What Hope it must have given them… What Peace they must have felt… and they RAN to spread the NEWS… HE IS RISEN!!!