The Cover Up

Matt 28:11 As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. 12 A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. 13 They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’ 14 If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble.” 15 So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today.

Title of today’s message is, The Cover Up.

This occasion we celebrate today is one of the biggest, in fact, it’s what separates true Christianity from every other religion and explains why we are sometimes called elitist, unyielding, snobby, unbending, uncooperative people.

The occasion we celebrate today is the resurrection of

Jesus the Christ,

the Son of God,

the Son of Man,

God incarnate,

the one who gave the blind their sight, gave the lame their legs, and raised the dead to life

the one who threw the money changers out of the temple

the one who embarrassed the Pharisees, Sadducees and the Scribes, by speaking truth to power

In fact, he embarrassed them so much they plotted to take his life.

What they didn’t know, was it was all part of the plan. Without death, there can be no resurrection

But before we get to that part let’s review the week leading up to today.

Jesus, the man who told the people parables, earthly stories that represented heavenly principles.

Jesus, the only man, yes he was a man, and he is God, but the only one to die and raise to life again and watch this, he still lives.

There are an infinite number of little g gods, but

only one who existed before time began,

only one who was there when God made, well everything

only one who was there when God said, let us make man in our own image. Meaning their spiritual image, not their physical image.

only one who said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father, but by me.

only one who was, is, and is yet to come.

Today’s occasion is what separates those who call themselves followers of Christ, from every other religion. We serve and worship a risen Savior. The only one who is still able to save, deliver, heal, and set free.

Last Sunday we celebrated his triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem. The people were there to celebrate the Passover Festival. In the week that followed

Jesus would tell the people many parables,

he would irritate numerous people who thought they were in charge

he would embarrass many leaders

he would anger the money changers

he would eat at the home of a man he cured of leprosy

while there a woman would anoint his head with expensive oil. Jesus would put his disciples in check about what she did when they called it a waste. Sidebar; is anything ever wasted on Jesus?

Judas, one of his twelve made a deal to betray him for 30 pieces of silver.

What is sometimes called the Last Supper or the Lord’s Supper would take place and Jesus would tell the group one of them was going to betray him. He was God, of course he knew it was going to happen and who was going to do it. They began to ask around the table, its it me? Is it me? Judas, still wanting to fit it and because everyone else was asking, asked too and received his answer, “You have said it.” and so he leaves to carry out the dastardly deed. Then the Lord’s Supper was served.

The revelation about Judas wasn’t the last of the night. Jesus told Peter, one of his inner circle, one who swore he would never leave Jesus, Jesus told him, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny you even know me three times. And he did.

Jesus was a praying man. He would go to the Garden of Gethsemane to talk to his Father. He had some things to work out, Even though he was God, he was still in a man’s body. He felt pain and he knew what was going to happen. He knew the torment he was about to suffer. He knew the lies that were about to be told. And so, he needed to talk to his Father.

Jesus asked his disciples to watch, while he prayed. He prayed, “Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” The disciples couldn’t hang. He came back and found them sleeping. He woke them up.

He goes to pray a second time. This time he prays, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” He goes back and the disciples were sleeping again.

He goes to pray a third time, echoing the same prayer. Comes back to his disciples and they’re sleeping again, but now Judas’ plan is in effect. The soldiers are there to arrest Jesus on some trumped up charges. A Black man being falsely accused, hmm it’s not new.

Not only does Judas betray Jesus, he does it—with a kiss and Peter responds with a sword, cutting off one of the soldier’s ears. Jesus fixes the man’s ear. No matter what happens around you, no matter what anyone else does, stay true to who you are.

Jesus didn’t need Peter to protect him. First he said,

those who live by the sword, die by the sword. Yes, that came from the Bible.

then he told him, I could ask my Father for twelve legions of angels, one legion is about six thousand. Jesus said, I can ask my Father for 12 legions of angels to protect me and he would send them instantly, but how would the Scriptures be fulfilled if I did?

Sometimes you just have to let circumstances and situations play out, because some things can only happen, if something else happens first. For the process of the cross to begin, Jesus had to allow himself to be taken.

But Jesus does have some questions for the soldiers who show up with swords and clubs. It’s not just that they showed up with all of that, but that they showed up where they did, when they did.

He had been around all week long, in the Temple teaching, in groups of people, at other people’s houses eating. So why not arrest him then? Why come to the Garden of Gethsemane? Why now?

Because they said if they tried to do it in front of the crowds, the people would riot, protest or worse. I told you last week there were two parades.

Caesar’s army was in town, just to make sure there was no trouble. If the soldiers had tried to take Jesus they thought the people would attack them and so, they did it on the sly, at night, in the garden, when there were just a few around him.

By the way, once he allowed them to take him, his disciples scattered, even his closet disciples. Those who were part of the inner circle, Peter, James, and John. They all left Jesus and now he faces the soldiers alone.

Peter, followed at a distance. Watching to see what was going to happen.

They looked for people who would lie on Jesus, but in the end could only find two whose testimony they could use. Twisting his words about destroying the temple.

The lie was he said he was able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days. The truth was he said to those who challenged his authority, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The temple they thought he was talking about was the building. The temple Jesus was actually talking about was his body.

There was so much more. It was a busy week for Jesus and it wasn’t over yet.

We didn’t have service, but there were many Good Friday services amongst the Christian community. The soldiers took Jesus.

There was a phony trial. Why do I say phony? Because the outcome was already decided before the trial ever started.

The leaders were going to kill Jesus, no matter what happened. No matter who came forward or not.

He was taken to this court and that one, he was beaten, he was battered, he was bruised, he was chastised, he was slapped, he was spit on, he was whipped, and he was mocked; and this lasted all night long. Despite his weakened state, despite the condition of his body, He was made to carry his own cross to be killed upon. Until he couldn’t bear the weight of it and Simeon was enlisted to carry it the rest of the way for him.

The people gathered around as if it was a show. The same people who just days prior had lined the streets with their own garments and palm branches, with shouts of hosanna to the son of David, hosanna in the highest.

Those shouts of elation have now turned to shouts of crucify him! Crucify him! Release Barabbas, we want Barabbas.

Crucify the man who had never harmed a soul.

Crucify the man who had never committed a sin.

Crucify the man who had fed thousands.

Crucify the man who had healed the sick.

Crucify the man who had raised the dead.

Crucify the man who had given sight to the blind.

Crucify the man who had caused the lame to walk.

Crucify the man who had performed so many miracles John said there the world doesn’t have enough space to hold the books that would be written.

Crucify the man who only spoke of love.

Crucify the man who came to save the lost

Release the man who was a convicted murderer and crucify the Savior of the world. But...

if they hadn’t, we’d still be sacrificing animals

if they hadn’t, we’d still be bound by the law

if they hadn’t, we’d still be lost with no hope

if they hadn’t, we’d still have to have the priest talk to God on our behalf

if they hadn’t, with a few exceptions, the Gentiles wouldn’t get to experience God’s blessings.

if they hadn’t, where would we be?

You see…

What Jesus endured was tragic.

What he endured was terrible.

What he endured was painful.

What he endured was foretold.

But that fateful Friday was not the end of the story, because as Jesus hung on that cross, there were things happening.

The curtain in the temple was torn from the top to the bottom, giving access to the throne of God to everyone. It was no longer just for the priests.

Prophecies were fulfilled.

They nailed him to that cross, driving spikes through his hands and his feet.

Darkness fell across the whole land from noon till three.

Jesus’ humanity came through as he cried out to his Father, the translation is My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

God cannot look upon sin, Holy Spirit cannot dwell in an unclean temple. Jesus was alone on the cross carrying our sins and God couldn’t bear to see his Son in that state. At that point Jesus was carrying the sins of the whole world, past, present, and future.

As was his nature, even with the pain he was in, when taunted by one of the thieves on the cross, the other asked for forgiveness and it was granted immediately.

And when everything was completed, when he had done all he was sent to do, he gave up the ghost, declaring it is finished. He hung his head and he died.

They pierced him in his side to confirm that he was indeed dead.

But what I will tell you is…

What he endured was necessary.

What he endured voluntary.

What he endured saved our lives.

What he endured provided us the opportunity to experience eternal life.

What he endured gave us direct access to God the Father.

What he endured took away the need for the Holy of Holies.

What he endured gave us the dispensation of grace.

What he endured gave us the opportunity for everlasting life.

Co-pastor Ed told this morning about the ladies at the tomb, now I’m going to tell you about the cover-up.

Friday night the situation looked bleak. Saturday morning the circumstances seemed grim. Saturday afternoon his followers felt deserted. Saturday night his foes felt victorious.

But then it happened! Early Sunday morning the earth shook. Early Sunday morning the stone was rolled away.

Early Sunday morning angels appeared.

Early Sunday morning another miracle took place.

Because early Sunday morning Jesus got up. Death couldn’t stop him and the grave couldn’t hold him.

The women were on their way to fulfill their assignments, but the guards left too. Some of the guards also went to tell about the events of the morning.

They gave their report to the leading priests. To the very ones who had Jesus killed in the first place.

The elders called a meeting and decided to bribe the soldiers to lie. What’s one more lie, when you’ve told so many. Sin is a slippery slope, the more you do it, the easier it gets to do.

The more Sundays you don’t come to church, the easier it is to skip the next Sunday and the next one and the next one until you look up and you haven’t been to church in months.

The cover-up was that Jesus’ disciples came during the night while the guards were sleeping and stole his body. The guards weren’t sleeping, the disciples didn’t come and Jesus’ body was not stolen. Lie, lie, lie, lie, lie.

Not only did they tell them to lie, they paid them a lot of money to lie. Sin doesn’t always seem bad, sometimes you seem to benefit from it.

Not only did they tell them to lie, they would help them lie and protect them if the governor heard about what happened. Those who want you to lie will help you.

The enemy provides help when you want to sin.

When you lie the lie spreads near and far. There are always those who are willing to carry a lie. The lie that was told is still affecting a group of people who don’t believe the Messiah already came once and that when he comes again it will be to collect his people.

Not everyone is going to heaven. Not everyone will get saved.

Not everyone who cries Lord, Lord will make it in.

When you’re sincere about giving your life to Christ, there will be a change, there will be some evidence, there will be some proof that you are no longer who you were but you are a new person, a new creation.

Old things are passes away, behold all things are become new.

There are those who will go to great lengths to be right, when they’re wrong as two left feet.

There are those, that when you tell them about the love of Christ, they won’t believe you. It’s okay. Shake the dust from your feet and move on. They rejected Jesus, do you think you’re better than he was?

There are those who enjoy sinning, tell them anyways, and remember some will plant, some will water, but God provides the increase.

Now get ready for the increase. If you’re watching online and you’ve never accepted Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, “Are you ready to be a part of the increase?

It’s time, today is a great day to give your life to Christ. All it takes is a prayer

Lord God, I admit I’m a sinner and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus is your son and that he came and died for my sins. Jesus I asked you to come into my heart, I give you my live, in our name I pray amen.

If you’re here in the sanctuary and you’d like to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior…

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