The Privilege of Connection

INTRODUCTION

One of the biggest and most successful advertising campaigns launched by any credit card company was the “Membership has its privileges” campaign which appeared from 1987 to 1996. The strategy of the ad execs was to convince consumers that there are meaningful advantages to carrying the green, gold, and platinum American Express charge cards— even if it meant paying fees that were not assessed by other rival credit card companies like Capital One, Discover, MasterCard and Visa. This strategy proved to be one of the most lucrative advertising campaigns American Express has ever promoted.

“Membership has its privileges” campaign which appeared from 1987 to 1996. The campaign strategy was to convince consumers that there are meaningful advantages to carrying the green, gold, platinum charge cards— even if it meant paying fees not assessed by other rival credit cards like Capital One, Discover, MasterCard and Visa. This strategy proved to be one of the most lucrative ad campaigns American Express has ever used.

Why, you ask?

“Membership has its privileges” appeared from 1987 to 1996American Express

Their strategy was to convince consumers that there are meaningful advantages to carrying the green, gold, platinum and other colorful charge cards — even if it means paying fees not assessed by other rival credit cards like Capital One, Discover, MasterCard and Visa.

I believe it’s mainly because everybody wants to possess some form of privilege. People everywhere caught up in the rat race of life want to boast of some insider trading advantage. We all want some sort of benefit, boon, prestige or perk that we can boast is exclusively ours. Something we can say is to our specific advantage to the exclusion of other people that we know. The advertising agency for American Express figured this out and used this fact as the basis of their “Membership has its privileges” promotion.

Well, I’ve come on this Resurrection Day to proclaim that those of you who are in relationship and connected with God the Father through Jesus the Son, that you have the singular satisfaction of knowing that you have been given the grace of divine privilege! God has given you benefits that others have not been allowed to boast of, primarily because you have a personal relationship connection with the Savior of the world. I proclaim to you today that you have connections with the One Person who is in the highest of places! You are connected to Him!

Moreover, if you are questioning whether your connection to our King of Kings is worth any real value in this world, consider our text for this morning. I want to give you conclusive evidence that will convince you of the privilege you posses as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Look with me at our text as we take note of the...

A. THE ANGELIC COMMAND

1. The Women’s Consideration

Matthew reports that Mary Magdalene and the “other” Mary came to the tomb while it was yet dark, before the sunrise. Their reason was to complete the burial process that probably was done in haste due to the coming observance of the Jewish Passover. Their concern was to give respect, care and attention to the body of Jesus in death that they were not able to lavish on Him in life. The Holy writ informs us that while they were traveling on their way to the tomb with the spices to anoint His body, a violent earthquake was heard and felt by the devoted pair. Matthew gives us the cause of the earthly disruption, and makes us aware of a divine, angelic visitation. An angel descends from heaven, rolls back the stone from the door of the tomb and takes a seat on the top of the stone, posing, while waiting for the women to arrive. Note that the angel has rolled away the stone, not to allow the risen Jesus to get out of the tomb, but that the women might get in! Jesus had already risen from the grave. It’s clear that the stone was removed to allow the women to see that the body of Jesus was no longer there! Remember, these women were the last to leave on Friday, and the first to arrive on Sunday. They needed to see the stone removed from the tomb in order to confirm that Jesus’ body was not there!

2. The Guard’s Convulsion

Matthew writes in verse 4 that the soldiers who had been posted by Pilate’s command saw the angelic being and convulsed and trembled from fear! Matthew says they shook and fell as men who were dead. Note the interesting play on words Matthew makes. The women have come to see a dead corpse that is alive, but the soldiers who are alive and guarding the tomb fall as dead men due to their fear of the angel.

3. The Angel’s Communication

Notice that the angel never even acknowledged the presence of the guards. He spoke to the women as if the guards were not even there. To the angel, the guards are irrelevant. But the women are of major concern. They had come to bury a dead body, but instead find an angel sitting on a mammoth stone with armed guards on the ground trembling with fear, paralyzed as dead men. The angel senses the women’s unexpressed fears and says “Don’t you be afraid.” The angel has been sent as their helper, so he seeks to calm the women. He responds to the women’s concern by assuring them that he knows who they are and why they have come: “You are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said.” In other words, “He told you that He would be raised by His heavenly Father, but you did not pay attention! However, the predictions of Jesus have come true. He is risen, just as He said!” The predictions of Jesus were too important to not take them seriously. However, the followers of Jesus did not take His predictions seriously, when His enemies listened and wrote down every word. The angel remind the women that Jesus had predicted this outcome and it had now come to pass!

“This was not a situation in which Jesus had undergone a totally unexpected fate and had then experienced an unanticipated deliverance.” Leon Morris, Author of the Pillar Commentary

Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (p. 737). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.

4. The Angel’s Invitation

The angel then backs up his announcement that the tomb is empty by inviting the women to “Come, see the place where He lay.” The tomb is empty, the graveclothes are lying in place and the burial cloth that was around His head is now folded up separately from the linen. Come and see it for yourself! And even today, we rejoice because an empty tomb reminds us of a risen Savior!

B. The Angelic Commission

1. The Angel’s Charge (The first point that I see in the text is…)

After reassuring the women at the tomb, the Angel then directs them to the work that is at hand! He initially tells them to “Go quickly,” indicating that they could not remain at the empty tomb! They had work to do! The angel charged them with the opportunity and responsibility to be the messengers to the disciples, informing them: (1.) that “Jesus is risen from the dead!” and (2.) He is going ahead of you to Galilee, meet Him there! They were the first ones to carry the message.

Note that by using the women as messengers of the Good News of the resurrection, the Angel was insuring the credibility of the Word rather than robbing it of its’ credibility...

Pay attention to the final words of the angel in this chapter. He completed his message to the women by charging them with these words found at the end of verse 7: “Look I have told you.” In other words, “I’ve done all I could to help you. Now the rest is up to you! The ball is in your court!”

2. Our Advantaged Connection

a. The privilege of our connection to Jesus is seen by the content of the angel’s announcement to the women. He sent them to tell His disciples that He was alive and planning to meet them in Galilee! Note that the announcement did not go out to the entire world or the Roman Empire in particular, but to the eleven disciples although they were scattered and running for fear of their very lives. God has seen fit to make us privy to the special events of the Kingdom and it is our privileged status as His disciples and family that grants us access to the sensitive concerns of the Kingdom.

b. Our privileged status can be clearly seen when we hear the words of our Savior in the book of John. Consider the following scriptures:

John 14:29 NKJV

“And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.

John

John 16:22 NKJV

Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

John 16:

John 16:32 NKJV

Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

John 16:32

John 16:32–33 NKJV

Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

John 17:9–10 NKJV

“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.

John 17:9

John 17:13 NKJV

But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.

John 17:13

Acts 10:40–41 NKJV

Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

Acts 10:39–41 NKJV

And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

Acts 10:39-41

Acts 1040

However, note that all of this privilege is based on our connection with Him. If you are not connected, you are living without the privilege that relationship with Him brings!

C. The Affirming Contact

The Acknowledged Concern of our Christ

The women ran with all their might away from the tomb, to see the disciples. When we recognize that Jesus is truly alive, the only thing left to do is to run obediently as we have been directed away from the place of death. We run to take life to those who will listen!

“Oh! the world is hungry for the Living Bread,

Lift the Savior up for them to see;

Trust Him, and do not doubt the words that He said,

“I’ll draw all men unto Me.”

These women had the blessing of contact with the angel, as well as being given a marvelous message to share with the disciples! However, what they did not expect ands could not anticipate was a post resurrection encounter with Jesus! As they ran, Matthew tells us that Jesus met them as they were en-route to the disciples. After greeting them, they were so drawn to Him that they were given the privilege to hold him by the feet. This act alone clearly helps us to understand what kind of body Jesus had at this particular time! This also makes reference to the resurrection that his body had been raised to by His heavenly Father! His body was real and tangible enough that the women were able to hold him by the legs and feet as they worshiped him!

These women had the blessing of contact with the angel, as well as being given a marvelous message to share with the disciples! However, what they did not expect ands could not anticipate was a post resurrection encounter with Jesus! As they ran, Matthew tells us that Jesus met them as they were en-route to the disciples. After greeting them, they were so elated to see Him that they fell on their knees and reached out to hold him by the feet. For those that have doubts about the resurrection, this act alone clearly helps us to grasp what kind of body Jesus had at this particular time! Jesus was raised by the Father into a fleshly body, but one that had the incredible ability to not be hindered by matter of any sort. Jesus’ body was real and tangible enough that the women were able to hold him by the legs and feet as they worshiped him!

Note that Jesus’ words to the women are the very same as those from the voice of the angel. “Do not be afraid! Tell my brothers to meet me in Galilee, as you now see me alive!”

I close with this important observation. Jesus called the disciples “His brothers!”

Note

Matthew 12:50 NKJV

For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

But these are the same men that have denied Him and betrayed Him. However, notice that even though Jesus knows they have scattered and abandoned Him, He still treats them as equals, calling them His brothers!

In other words they remain fellow laborers with Him in the work of the Father and in the field of the Gospel. He portrays the church as a fellowship, calling all people into the work of the Kingdom.

The Only thing left is for me to ask will you accept the invitation of Connection? There are privileges that are associated with being connected to the King!