Untitled Sermon (5)

I. Christ’s body was buried with great care.

​ ESV57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

When the evening was come,” and we need to stop at this point and point out to you that this evening is the early evening of the Jewish day which is 3 P.M. to 6 P.M., the closing out of the day, the Sabbath day will begin around 6 P.M. and run from evening to evening. And so it is three in the afternoon on Friday evening.

a. It was typical to show contempt for the bodies of executed criminals.

Now once this happened the body had to be taken off the cross. And when taken off the cross it would be thrown into a common criminal’s grave. And it’s very likely that that would be a pit somewhere where they threw the criminals or it might be Gehenna, the valley of Hinnom, where the city dump in Jerusalem was and they might have just throw the bodies there to be consumed by the always smoldering fire or to be ripped and shredded and eaten by wild animals. The Romans customarily did nothing more than throw the bodies of criminals into pits to be burned or eaten by scavengers.But Isaiah had prophesied about Messiah that although he was destined to be treated as a criminal in his death that he would be buried in a rich mans tomb. Listen to “They intended to bury him with criminals, but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb, because he had committed no violent deeds, nor had he spoken deceitfully.” (, NET)

b. Joseph showed compassion for the body of Christ at great personal risk.

tells us that Joseph did not consent to the actions of the Sanhedrin against Jesus. He not only likely stirred the ire of the other members of the Sanhedrin, but he now is walking into the den of the Roman executioners. To be associated with one condemned for treason is a dangerous matter. Joseph is willing to go public with his commitment to Christ no matter the cost or personal risk. Let me stop here and ask a question; Are you willing to go public with your commitment to Jesus?

II. Christ’s tomb was guarded with great caution.

​ ESV62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

a. The religious leaders display preoccupation .

Preparation Day is the day before the Sabbath. This was needed because you couldn’t do any work on the Sabbath. You couldn’t even prepare food. If you remember when Israel was in the wilderness and God fed them with Manna. They had to get a double portion on Friday to prepare for the Sabbath. They are so preoccupied with Jesus that they are doing what would have been unthinkable regarding the Sabbath - Meeting with Roman government officials.

b. The Romans provided protection .

Sealing the stone Refers to pressing wax or clay between the stone and the tomb entrance and then stamping it with an imperial insignia. - Tampering with such a seal was a capital offence. This is a point were everything begins to come into focus!

“We live and die; Christ died and lived!” John Stott

III. The followers of Jesus receive the resurrection with great joy.

​ ESV1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 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.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

a. The earth proclaims the resurrection.

Ryken states,

Earthquakes in Scripture are often seen as manifestations of the direct action of God’s power.

b. The angle proclaims the resurrection.

​ ESVBut the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.

“As he said” - this was a whopper of a promise!

Babe Ruth - Calls His shot 1932 at Wrigley Field when the Yankees played the Cubs. It was game three of the World Series. Two Balls Two strikes - He Calls his shot!He called his shot!

If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead.

C. The tomb proclaims the resurrection.

When they got to the tomb and found nothing - they found everything!

d. Christ proclaims the resurrection.

​ ESVSo they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

Joy! Jesus speaks to them.

e. We must proclaim the resurrection.