Matthew 28:1-15

Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?

“Christianity stands or falls on the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” - David Platt

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is of central importance to the NT.

It affirms the divinity of Jesus Christ. He is not just any ordinary man or prophet, but God himself in the flesh! Who has power over life and death! His resurrection is a demonstration that He truly is the Messiah!

It is God’s seal of approval to his words and deeds. The Resurrection is God’s “Amen” to the cry of Jesus, “It is finished.”

The Resurrection is God’s “Yes” to the ministry and teaching of Jesus.

The resurrection of Jesus opens the way to the future resurrection of believers. The Resurrection of Jesus is our blessed hope!

The Resurrection of Jesus is well documented by the 4 Gospel accounts. All of accounts detailed to us that Jesus was resurrected from the dead and there are witnesses that He was once dead and now alive!

So this morning we will look at the FACTS of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Resurrection Facts

“Matthew 28:1-15 reports to us the event in all of history, and our response to it should be based on truth, not feelings. Our eternity hangs on whether the resurrection of Jesus Christ actually happened.”

“At least two aspects of this account are worth noting :

A. The Women witnesses

First, the women were unlikely witnesses to the resurrection because (in general) their testimonies weren't highly valued in that culture

If Matthew and the other Gospel writers were trying to persuade people of a hoax, then choosing two women as the first eyewitnesses to the empty tomb was a strange choice.

If you were going to make up a story about the most significant miracle the world has ever known, would you put forward questionable witnesses as evidence?

B. The Guard’s did not deny the missing body of Jesus

Second, notice in verses 11-15 that the guards didn't deny that Jesus' body was missing from the tomb. Their main concern was coming up with an alternative explanation. Not even the Jewish leaders could produce the body of Jesus, something that would have put an end to the “disciples' supposed charade.

But no one actually denied that the tomb holding the crucified Jesus was now vacant. It would have been foolish to deny the truth because it would be easy to disprove such a denial. A better explanation was and is needed for the fact of an empty tomb.

The Implications

To this day, the ultimate question for the Christian faith and for our individual lives is this: Did Jesus rise from the dead?

If Jesus didn't rise from the grave, then we as Christians are wasting our time. Our faith is a lie, and we are simply fools playing a religious game. In 1 Corinthians 15:19 Paul says that we are to be "pitied more than anyone" if we have hoped in Jesus in this life only. But if Jesus did rise from the grave, then the situation is drastically different.”

Let’s look at three implications concerning the authority of Christ based on the resurrection.

1. Jesus has authority over life and death.

If Jesus didn't rise from the dead, then we don't have to worry about a thing He said, because it was a lie. But if Jesus rose from the dead, then we must accept everything He said, for His authority is absolute.

Jesus closes this chapter and the Gospel as a whole by claiming, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" (v. 18). Jesus' absolute authority based on the resurrection means that He has authority over life and death. Shortly before His own death, Jesus told His disciples the following:

John 10:18

John 10:18 NASB95

18 “No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

That's an astounding statement: Who among men determines when they live? ”

2. Jesus has authority over sin and Satan.

If Jesus rose from the dead, then we must also admit that He has authority over sin and Satan. All men die because they sin, for death is the payment for sin (Gen 2:17; Rom 6:23). However, Jesus is one man in all of history who died without sinning; so why did He die? Jesus died for our sins, in our place 1 Pet 2:24

1 Peter 2:24 NASB95

24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

After His death, Jesus rose from the grave, not only in victory over death, but in victory over sin.

1 Corinthians 15:55–57 NASB95

55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

3. Jesus has authority over you and me

Sometimes it's easy to think of Jesus' authority in an abstract sense without making a personal application. However, the fact that Jesus has authority over life and death, as well as over sin and Satan, leads to one unavoidable conclusion: He has authority over you and me. That is, He is our rightful Lord and Master.

“Paul speaks to this reality in Romans 10:9-13, what we might refer to as the foundational confession of Christianity:”

Romans 10:9–13 NASB95

9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

What does it mean for Jesus to have absolute authority over you and me?

1. Jesus reigns over us supremely

Jesus is the sovereign Ruler over our lives. This is the case whether we believe it or not.

Just as the grass is green, regardless of whether or not you believe it, so also Jesus is Lord over you regardless of your approval. ”

2. Jesus loves us deeply

“Second, not only does Jesus' authority mean that He reigns over us supremely, but also that He loves us deeply.

Remember that the purpose of the resurrection is grounded in Christ's love for us.

God sent His Son to pay the price for our sin, and the resurrection lets us know that our hope of salvation is not some made-up story, ”

3. Jesus will judge us eternally

Christ's authority over us means that He will judge us eternally. Jesus speaks of His role as judge in John 5:21-23

John 5:21–23 NASB95

21 “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. 22 “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

For all who believe in Christ, the truth of Christ's judgment is good news.

“Neither disease nor natural disasters have the last word in this world; because of the resurrection, Jesus does. And He will have the last word in the lives of each of us for all of eternity.

APPLICATION

1. Do you believe in the Historical Resurrection of Jesus?

Based on everything we've seen about Jesus' authority, the ultimate question in the universe—Did Jesus rise from the dead?—becomes a very personal question.

Romans 10:9

The Bible says that you must "believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead" in order to be saved. This is a point where the message of Christianity is radically different from every other religion.

Scripture doesn't give us a list of things to do, boxes to check off, or rituals to follow.

There is only truth to be believed. The resurrection is true and Jesus is alive!

If you don't believe the truth of the gospel, then the burden of proof is on you to disprove the resurrection.”

2. Do you surrender to the universal authority of Jesus?

This is what it means to "confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord'" (Rom 10:9). To confess with your mouth is not about saying some magic words; rather, it's about a heart condition that says, "Yes, I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sin and rose from the grave as my Savior, and my life belongs to Him as Lord."

Eternity depends on our answer to that question.

Listen to this illustration:

“I could ask the Devil, "Do you believe the Bible is the Word of God?"

He'd say, "Yes."

If I were to ask him, "Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God?"

He'd say, "Yes."

If I were to ask him, "Do you believe Jesus died on the cross and rose again?"

He'd say, "Yes."

If I were to ask him, "Do you believe Jesus is the only way to be saved?"

He'd say, "Yes."

If I were to ask him, "Will you commit to come to church and get involved in the ministry"

He could say, "Yes."

The crucial question is this: "Will you repent of your sin and surrender your life to Jesus as Lord?"

The Devil would clearly answer, "Absolutely not."

Listen to this…and remember this truth....

It is important that you and I understands the Lordship of Jesus Christ!

It is important that you and I submits to the Lordship of Jesus Christ!

It is important that in your evangelism, you stress out repentance and surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ…to confess that He is LORD!

To end, remember this...

Jesus has overcome the grave! We too shall overcome the grave because He promised that those who follow him will receive eternal life! Christians must not fear death!