He is not Here; He has Risen!

Introduction:

For the Christian, this is the single-most important and defining event in history. The resurrection of Christ is what distinguishes Christianity from every religion in the world. It strikes fear in the nonbeliever, while it is the hope for the promise of eternal life in the Christian faith. The resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ is what the Christian’s faith hinges upon. It is the principal foundation of doctrine that sets Christianity apart from any other religion.

Contrast Jesus’ Disciples and the Pharisees

The Pharisees, believing in the resurrection, petitioned Pilate to guard the tomb fearing the disciples had conspired to remove Jesus’ body from the tomb to fake a resurrection (Matthew 27:62-66, NASB95)

Matthew 27:62–66 NASB95

62 Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, 63 and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’ 64 “Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.” 66 And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.

The sheep of the flock are scattered. The disciples were nowhere to be seen after Jesus’ arrest. They had been with Jesus throughout His ministry and yet, they fell into despair, believing this was the end, although Jesus’ foretold of His betrayal, denial, impending trial, death and resurrection (Matthew 26:31)

Matthew 26:31 NASB95

31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.’

There are several predominate character types that emerge from the time just prior to Jesus’ arrest to the time of His crucifixion:

The Pharisees

Threatened by Jesus, they knowingly and willfully conspired to have Jesus arrested and put to death. They even acknowledged the returned payment as blood money. Afterward, they proceeded to cover up their miscarriage of justice by trying to prevent any chance of a resurrection.

Judas Iscariot

The traitor in the camp who voluntarily offered Jesus up to the Pharisees for a reward of 30 pieces of silver. After Jesus’ arrest, Judas was filled with tormenting remorse and returned the reward payment. The Pharisees added insult to injury when they told Judas to deal with his problem on his own. After three years of Jesus’ teachings, Judas failed to learn of God’s forgiveness through grace and mercy.

Simon Peter

During the Last Supper, he was told that he would deny Jesus three times before the rooster crowed after vehemently declaring his loyalty to Jesus. After the third denial and the sounding of the rooster’s crow, Peter’s shame and regret overwhelmed him more than his fear of the crowd of people realizing that he was one of Jesus disciples. Peter’s anger and utter disappointment in himself probably tortured him mercilessly over the next few days.

Pontious Pilate

Rome’s appointed governor in Israel. His duties consisted of maintaining order, preventing insurrection, and administering the death penalty, a sentence unlawful for the Jews to carry out. Finding no fault in Jesus yet, unwilling to diminish the political relationship with the high priest, he tried unsuccessfully to change the mind of the people by giving them a choice between Jesus and Barabas. He tried to wash his hands of any culpability but, only he had the authority to order the death penalty.

Simon of Cyrene

This man was torn from the crowd to help Jesus carry His cross, had no intentions of being more than a spectator of the brutal execution of an innocent man.

Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

These women endured all the horror of the torture that Jesus suffered at the hands of the Romans and the Pharisees. The deeply-felt pain and unimaginable agony these women experienced as they watched the brutality that was exacted upon Jesus from the onset of the trial was not enough to drive them away from Jesus.

All of Israel knew the prophecies of old and some were looking for the fulfilment of those prophecies and yet it seems only a handful of people recognized Jesus as the subject of those prophecies.

On the third day, the two Mary’s return to the burial site and were astonished by what they saw (Matthew 28:2-5), and heard (Matthew 28:6-7)

Matthew 28:2-5 I know who you are looking for....

Matthew 28:2–5 NASB95

2 And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. 3 And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.

Matthew 28:6-7 He is not here, for He has risen, just as he said.

Matthew 28:6–7 NASB95

6 “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. 7 “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

Mary and Mary went to the tomb to “visit Jesus” and He was not even there.

The conspiracy of the Pharisees to maintain self righteousness and power was born of delusions of grandeur.

The flock scattered but, were brought back to the fold and their joy made complete when they were reunited with their Shepherd.

They received their marching orders before Christ ascended into heaven and those were to pass on to others all they had been taught and teach others to do the same.