Jesus' Tomb: The Place Where New Life & The New Creation is Born

Intro: Graveyards, Easter Sunday sunrise with cars flying by wondering why gather now? Stranger and darker still when you realize, the resurrection of Jesus Christ - that goal and victory to which we are headingin our journey, it didn’t happen in what we called the morning. It happened in the darkness . We sing this: then bursting forth in glorious day up from the grave … Artists paint - resurrected body out of the tomb. But it is out from the darkness of Christ’s very real death and burial. It is out from the grave, the ultimate punishment for sin that Christ came not only to pay, but to reverse - and that is where we must visit this morning .. Christ’s tomb! Come with me and see what was worked there by Christ and in us who would follow Him.

Intro: Graveyards, Easter Sunday sunrise with cars flying by wondering why gather now? Stranger and darker still when you realize, the resurrection of Jesus Christ - that goal and victory to which we are headingin our journey, it didn’t happen in what we called the morning. It happened in the darkness

Key Truth: Jesus’s burial into dark Death is the lever that launches us from the condemnation of sin on the Cross to the new life of the Resurrection at the Empty Tomb. We who love him must go His burial tomb and witness the gospel from there!

A. Consider What Jesus is Doing in His Lowest Humiliation for Us

Death is utterly alone - “they stood at a distance” v.49

None can go with him, not just dying outside the camp, not just suffering that cansave us, he must die outside God’s camp, utterly forsaken, the furtherst extremity,

Bears ultiate punishment - disolution of body and soul, disolution of life in the presence of god in body-soul - He is suffering that humiliation - the curse on sin unleashed on Adam and all of us - For dust you are to to dust you return!

But wait you say; Today with you in paradise. Wait you say, Jesus said “it was finished” Wait you say, Wasn’t his atoning work and active suffering over. Hasn’t the Father accepted teh sacrfice? Yes, but, passive suffering that he must endure is not yet over - and the reversal is yet to come and that happens were we are now - it is worked in the Tomb.

Consider even day on which Jesus is entombed. Iraenaeus saw it clearly in the early church - Day of Adam’s creation the 6th day. Now the Second Adam dies on that same day, and in that resting in death that Adam and we have earned in our sin, he has taken htat upon himself, now the curse and its consequences are being exhausted, and as the seed of Jesus is put on thte erath - the New Creation, with the New Adam and the New Kingdom is about to break forth - but it is only by going to the tomb, like Mary Magadlene in all its darkness that you will see it!

But let’s not rush to resurrection yet. The story of the tomb starts in a coming darkness too. The Friday sun is setting, and they must hurry before Sabbath begins.

B. Consider What Those Who Love Him are Able to Do, Even if They Can’t Understand

Aquaintances and Women - stand far off - but watch them take him off the Cross, though they think this is the end - demonstrate that they like disciples in are those who stayed with him in trial and will have a kingdom conferred upon them. They will goo t te toimb and taken in the spectacale of death even to the Son of God incarnate, the end of hope, has God’s best effort, failed, has humanity failed, they will have a witness - and god wants them there.

Nicodemus & especially Joseph of A. Consider his forethought, the texxt shows pretty much as soon as Chrsit died, before the priests can plead to have a guard stationed, he has a plan.

Consider what it cost him to serve the Lord like this - become unclean touching the body… all of them, - consdier the care… sorrow.

Consider the propehsy - in arich man’s tomb - but more , stuill unseen to them, - won’t see corruption. Jewish tombs had two sections, one for the bodies to decompose - the other for the bones tobe depostied for genereations. But this was a tomb that never had a dead body at all init. For Jesus’ unique work -

Conisder these witnesses - and think of your own… We Sing “what the Lord has done in me.” They don’t nearly get what Jesus is dfoing, but so touched by the beginning of jesus work in them, they stick by him and his people, associate with other wtinesses at great risk.

But now we must consider what weas going on with Jesus, not just as our Passover Lamb as we looked at on the Cross, but as our Mediator, our Surety. What happened to him when in paradise, but not yet resurrected or glorified, ascended.

C. Jesus Christ Without a Body in heaven, Longing to Come Back on Earth in Resurrection Glory!

First see why he must descend down further than the Cross, in truly dying -

Hebrews 2:14–15 ESV

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Understand that he is going to plant a flag of victory in the soil of every form of our death. The tomb is going to become the soil in which a seed grows that ought to give you full confidence - in the new creation you and I can become in Christ…

Look at

Galatians 6:14–15 ESV

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

It is thr5ough this journey in to death, and us united to Him that the new creation comes. His death brings into effect the dawn of a new creation.

So interesting what he says to Mary - don’t hold me, still have to go to my Father. He did with the theif in paradise but work bodily resurrection notyet compelted, he did quite possibly during 40 days before the reusrrection, he said to his disicples must go to the Father, then send the Spirit. He did in most dramatic and symbolic way in Ascension.

So itnteresting

But consdier that you and I are the body of Christ now - and though we have the beginnings of the new creation - not yet full effect, and jesus longs even from heaven - tto bring things to completion, for his earthly body - passing through weakness and suffering and even physical death still, to be finally Redeemed. Christ body has been glorified, he longs for HIs earthly boidy you and I to be too. Every funeral remember, every suffering we personally go through for His sake, rememberr united to him in his suffering, his deathm most certainly in our living now, but ultimately when he returns…