Who's Report Will You Believe?

Who’s Report Will You Believe?

1 Kings 18:41-46

41And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” 42So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. 43“Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked. “There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” 44The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’” 45Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

Matthew 28:1-15

1After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. 7Then go quickly and tell His disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ Now I have told you.” 8So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples. 9Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” He said. They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshiped Him. 10Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see Me.” 11While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ 14If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

It’s Resurrection Sunday for somebody!

The word resurrection means:

revival · restoration · regeneration · revitalization · reinvigoration · renewal · resuscitation · awakening · rejuvenation · stimulation · re-establishment · rebirth · comeback

Somebody needs that this morning—a resurrection of hope… a resurrection of truth… a resurrection of faith… a resurrection of joy… a resurrection of love… a resurrection of relationship… a resurrection of commitment!

However…your “resurrection” depends on who’s report you believe—the Truth or the Lie!

In our Gospel passage today—Matthew 28:1-15, there are, in essence, four reports.

· Three of them agree with each other, and one is a bought and paid for lie!

· Three of them gives factual details of Christ’s resurrection, and one gives an inaccurate account of Christ’s resurrection!

· Three of them persist as truth—eternal truth, and one perpetuates as gossip wildfire!

· Three will help complete the salvation narrative, and one leaves you hopeless of salvation!

Let’s look at this reports:

First, there is the report of the angels to the women at the tomb:

1After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. 7Then go quickly and tell His disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ Now I have told you.”

The second report is from Jesus Himself:

8So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples. 9Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” He said. They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshiped Him. 10Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see Me.”

The third report is the original report given by the soldiers (guard):

11While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.

The fourth report is the lie conceived by others but told as truth

12When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ 14If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

Life Application: How you live actually tells which report you believe!

If you believe that Jesus has resurrected…got up from the grave, then you will live your life as a faithful follower and Christian servant!

If you believe that someone stole the body, then you will live your life any old way because it does not matter to you!

Spoiler alert: What may not matter to you now will matter when you die!

So live so that you can live!