He is Risen

The Death of the King

The King is dead - and vanity was His mission

The Whole of His mission

Matthew 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.””

Depended on His promise

Matthew 1:20–23 “But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).”

His Kingdom would be from everlasting to everlasting

Daniel 7:14 “And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

Even since the beginning - “You will be saved through your offspring” - The Seed of the woman will defeat the Seed of the Serpent

Abraham - “In you all the families of the Earth will be blessed”

David - I will build for you a an everlasting Kingdom

All of the covenants of God, depend on the life of Jesus - and He is dead

Women at the Tomb

After the Sabbath

Mary Magdalene, the ‘other Mary,’ (the mother of James - Mk), Salome and probably more

on the way to the tomb bringing spices - that Jesus might be anointed

Jews did not embalm the dead - as was the custom of the time

But brought aromatic spices in order to pay respect to the dead and keep the body fresh for as long as possible

Conversation - “who is going to roll the stone away, that we may pay our respects.”

Then a great earthquake rocks the land

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Angels

Ministers of God towards Men

Functions and Roles

Messengers of God - many times in the OT they are the ones bringing the message from God to the prophets and the people of Israel -

Also, they brought the message of Good news that Mary will bear the Christ

They directed the footsteps of the Disciples in the Book of Acts

They are directing our footsteps now?

Guardians and Protectors of the People of God and God’s plan

Psalm 91:11–12 “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.”

Agents of Divine Judgment

They act as administrators of the Judgment of God

Brought judgement to Sodom and Gomorrah

This is what John sees in the Revelation - Angels bringing the message of Judgment, then acting on behalf of God in the administration of Judgment

Worship and Adoration

Angels point our attention to the Worship of God

They are in the heavens worshipping now!

Revelation 4:8–11 “And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.””

Bonus: Angels aren’t cute - “Do not be afraid”

Either they come in the form of Man, with the authority and confidence of God

Or they they appear to Man as creatures that we have never seen before

Serve the Providence of God

This is what the Angel of the Lord is doing here (Mk and Lk mention more angels than this one)

Angel comes - descended from heaven - riding through the Clouds

Message - The Lord is not here, for He has risen

On behalf of the Lord - they move the rock - and He sits on it!

In protection of His message and His Will - the guard is knocked to the ground - utterly incapable of a an appropriate response - trembling on the floor - as if he were a dead man

Appearance - this is the appearance of a Holy being, one that is specifically commissioned for the will of God

Would He not represent the Lord God well?

The Angel appeared to Daniel Daniel 10:5–6 “I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.”

Transfiguration Matthew 17:2 “And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.”

Highlights the separation between us and God, How far we have come from the Holy appearance of the ones who - acts only on the will of God

What a Worship it is - to act on the Will of God! to put on clean robes - and handle the Word of God with such obedience as to bring upon the appearance of crashing lightening from the clouds of heaven

So,

An earthquake shakes the land

The ladies make it to the tomb

An Angel from heaven appears - white as snow - and commanding lightening from the sky

The Roman Guards fall to the ground like dead men and start to tremble

and the Angel, sitting on the Rock that has been rolled away says to the women, “Do not be Afraid.”

Afraid for What?

This is clearly an awesome experience

The Judgment of God has descended on His people

and your admonition to them is Do not be afraid?

Do not be Afraid!

The Lord lives.

For He has defeated death

All of those other things: The wind and the waves, the sickness, the deaf, blind, the sin, the hurt the pain

Because death reigned on the Earth - and now it has been defeated

Do not be Afraid!

for the Lord has fulfilled His promise to us!

Death is defeated, the head of the Serpent is crushed, and your sin has been paid for

Come and See

Come and see that the tomb is empty

Invitation to see what the Lord has done (Strong testimony of our faith)

Psalm 34

Now, Go and Tell

Matthew 28:7 “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.””

With Fear and Great Joy

This ought to be our posture

And those who seek Him will not be disappointed

“Greetings”

Do not Be afraid - Go and tell!

And I will meet them at Galilee

Where I first called you

Hebrews 10:32 “But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,”