Sermon Tone Analysis

Contrast of reactions to the resurrection.

Both saw the same thing, same facts.

I.

The Resurrection Conspiracy (The Guard’s Reaction)

A. The Historical Fact (1-3)

Matthew 28:1-15

This is like an automatic door opener.

What an astounding thing for the angel to move this stone.

Angels are created spirit beings.

They are not human and they do not have bodies of flesh like ours.

[talk about angel origins] I imagine the angel beaming down to earth and the impact of his landing causing the earthquake.

This angel came for the benefit of these saintly women not for the guards.

The guards just happen to be there.

These faithful loving women needed the tomb opened and God did it in the most spectacular way they could imagine.

stone rolled away, not to let Jesus out, but to let the world in.

God has authority over the Roman seal

We often think that they saw Jesus, but Jesus never appeared to these men.

He only appeared to the women and then Jesus’ disciples.

Why?

The King does not reveal Himself to His enemies first, but rather His followers.

These were seasoned Roman soldiers and they shook for fear of the angel.

What made them so terrifying?

It was their appearance.

They appeared like lightning and were brilliant white.

White robes are often an indication of purity and righteousness.

So their righteousness was what was so striking.

You also are a messenger of God.

No, not exactly like an angel from heaven, but you have an announcement from God like the angels do.

What will impact people that come into contact with you?

Your righteousness, not how cool you are, not how beautiful you are, or smart, but how pure you are.

B. Their Heart’s Response (4)

MATTHEW 28:1-

C. Their Accurate Report (11)

D. Their Compromising Offer (12-14)

This explanation raises more questions than it answers.

Why were the soldiers sleeping when they should have been on guard?

How could the disciples have rolled the stone away without waking them?

How could all the soldiers have fallen asleep at the same time?

If they were asleep, how did they know that the disciples stole the body?

If the story was true, why did the soldiers have to be bribed to tell it?

E. Their Selfish Decision (15)

Matthew 28:4

II.

The Resurrection Comfort (The Women’s Reaction)

A. The Historical Fact (1-3)

B. Heavenly Comfort (5-7)

The women are sent to tell it to them, and so are made, as it were, the apostles of the apostles.

This was an honour put upon them, and a recompence for their constant affectionate adherence to him, at the cross, and in the grave,

The angel then deputized the women to go quickly to announce the glorious news to His disciples.

C. Their Emotional Response (8)

Matthew 28:

1. Fear

We need these 4 aspects of their response in our lives.

We need to leave where we are quickly.

Leave our complacency.

We are always going.

Like eating and drinking and breathing.

You do it and then you do it again and again and again.

So we go quickly from telling one person to telling the next and then the next about Jesus.

We need to do it with fear.

This fear is an awe at what we just saw.

We need that reverence and awe for the truth that only comes from a fresh renewal from the Word of God.

They were acting on faith from the word that they heard from the angel.

We all have fears, that is why we need faith.

They were acting on faith from the word that they heard from the angel.

2. Joy

2. Joy

We need to go with joy.

They were so happy to know that Jesus was alive.

Can you imagine that these godly ladies just kind of moped their way back to the rest of the disciples?

Do think that were quiet for the journey?

It is an amazing thing to watch a group of women talking with each other.

They have an amazing ability to carry on 20 different conversations all at the same time.

It looks like utter chaos to man, but ladies not only hear all 20 conversations at the same time but can report back all the details of every one of them.

I think that is what was happening the whole trip back to the disciples.

They were probably talking a mile a minute.

They were excited and filled with joy!

We need that joy.

What can give us this kind of joy?

1 john 1

Jesus is alive and that means if you believe in this testimony you have eternal life, you are loved by the Father and the Son, no matter who you are, no matter what you have done you have been made righteous, you are accepted by Him, He is pleased with you and finds great joy in you.

Jesus is alive and that means if you believe in this testimony you have eternal life, you are loved by the Father and the Son, no matter who you are, no matter what you have done you have been made righteous, you are accepted by Him, He is pleased with you and finds great joy in you.

D. Their Heart Response (9-10)

matthew 28:

matthew 28:9-

matthew 28:11-

matthew 28:

They obviously were overwhelmed and just wanted to touch Him and know that He was real.

I love that they worshipped Him.

They knew what this meant.

This man had come had raised Himself from the dead so He was no ordinary man.

He was God Himself and worthy of worship.

What did their worship consist of?

Praise, “Oh Jesus, You are the Messiah, the King.”

“You are the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” “You truly do have life in Yourself.”

“There is none like You, oh Lord.”

Maybe their worship also consisted of consecration, “Oh Jesus, we will serve you.”

“What would You have us do?”

But their worship most definitely must have included a deep love in their souls for their Shepherd, Teacher, Master, Lord, and King.

He who had died was now alive again and they were happy to see Him.