Matt 12:38-40 "The Resurrection"

Good Morning Calvary Chapel Lake City! He is Risen! He is Risen! If you are visiting today, welcome! If you don’t have a Bible, just raise your hand and we will bring one to you. If you don’t own a Bible consider this a gift from the Lord to you today.

This past week was what many Christians call ‘Holy Week’ or ‘Passion Week’…

Last Sunday was Palm Sunday remembering Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem during Passover week in Israel.

This past Thursday was Maundy Thursday where Jesus and His disciples ate the Last Supper and Jesus instituted Communion. Maundy comes from the Latin word for “command.” Jesus said, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Lk 22:19 And, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you...” Jn 13:34 So, 2 commands.

On Good Friday we remembered Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins. Why is Good Friday called “good” when Jesus was betrayed, accused, stood on trial 6x, was beaten beyond recognition, scourged, received a crown of thorns, mocked, spit upon, and crucified? How is any of that Good? It’s not…that’s very very bad, but the end results was good.

1 Pet 3:18 declares, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just [Jesus] for the unjust [mankind], that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit...”

Jesus’ death on the cross brings all who believe to God…and give them spiritual life which is very good!

So, we come to Resurrection Sunday…traditionally called “Easter” which doesn’t do justice for the gravity of the day because the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foremost miracle throughout all ages, and is a key foundation on which Christianity stands.

It’s vital for us to understand the significance of this event…both looking back on Jesus’ resurrection, but also looking forward to our future resurrection. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ…death is not the end. As we step out of time, we will embrace eternity and we will rise again.

The word ‘resurrection’ by def. means “a standing up again; a rising from the dead.” A bodily resurrection is in view here.

Several scholars title the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ as “the cornerstone of our Christian faith” or “the most important event in history.”

One scholar stated, “The resurrection was not only the supreme validation of [Jesus’] deity; it also validated the Scriptures, which foretold His coming and resurrection. Moreover, it authenticated Christ’s claims that He would be raised on the third day. In fact, apart from Christ’s bodily resurrection, we have no Savior, no salvation, and no hope of eternal life. As the apostle Paul said, our faith would be “useless” and the life-giving power of the gospel would be altogether eliminated.”

The Resurrection is an essential part of our faith…it’s a proof…an evidence that distinguishes Christianity from false religions. So, today, we are going to be camping out here…and my hope is that you will walk away with a deeper understanding of the Resurrection…and that you are encouraged by the good plan God has in store for you!

If you are visiting today, and you’re thinking, “Man…the Resurrection? I bought tickets to hear the Easter story!” Don’t worry, we’ll get there. I promise I’ll read through the events of Easter morning…fret not! If you’re not happy with the Sermon, we promise a full refund.

Recently, I was talking with one of the guys at our church, about either doing a special message for Easter, or just continuing reading the bible straight through chapter-by-chapter, and verse-by-verse…our normal style of teaching. Well as it stands, the Holy Spirit has us in Matthew 12 and the next topic is the Resurrection…how perfect is that for an Easter message?

Please turn to Matthew 12. Over the last several weeks, we have been looking at various people who stood in opposition to Jesus during His second year of ministry. Last week we ended at verse 37, and we will pick up today in V38.

Next week, we will come back to these verses and cover them in a more traditional exposition. But, there are times when we come to a topic that is so significant in our Christian walk that the topic demands we pause for understanding. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is one such topic…and it’s the theme of our message today.

Let’s Pray!

Matt 12:38-40 “Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” 39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

From Jesus’ day to today, people haven’t changed much. In the general public there is much hard-heartedness and skepticism towards Jesus...

For many people, The story of Jesus is just that…a story. They see Jesus as an ancient religious figure, but they don’t know Him personally. He is an after-thought to more important life issues. They are hard-hearted and skeptical towards Jesus.

These scribes and Pharisees shared a similar heart attitude. They were comfortable in their religious system. They did not want to lose their jobs or have Rome to remove them from power. So, in their hard-heartedness they only found fault with Jesus.

So, as we read their statement in V38 “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You...” understand this as an insincere request.

If you look back on the preceding chapters, you will see that Jesus displayed numerous miracles…He cleansed lepers, gave sight to the blind, cast out demons, raised the dead, restored the paralytics, and healed all kinds of various infirmities.

As if all that was not enough to demonstrate His authority as Messiah…now the Pharisees demand a sign…not another miracle, but a sign.

They could no longer deny the miracles of Jesus, instead they convinced themselves, in Matt 12:24, that Jesus’ power originated from Beelzebub…Satan.

Jesus rebuked them and addressed the fallacy of their logic... as well as warned them “...by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Thus, in V38, we observe 2 words… “Then” and “answered” … “Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered...” In response to Jesus’ warning of impending condemnation, the Religious leaders retort

They don’t acknowledge Jesus’ logic or warnings…they don’t acknowledge the miracles as sufficient proof that He is Messiah…instead…they want a sign…perhaps something less ambiguous than a miracle…such as a fulfillment of prophecy.

But there were signs…Even just in Jesus’ birth: Born of a virgin (Isa 7:14); Born from the line of David…the “Son of David” (2 Sam 7:13); Born in Bethlehem (Mic 5:2)…

Or, as His ministry began... John the Baptist…the forerunner to Christ (Isa 40:3) Jesus’ baptism where the Spirit of God descended and rested upon Him (Isa 11:2); The Father declared “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Isa 42:1)... the list goes on...

This request to see a sign from the Religious leaders is NOT a sincere request.

And, with this context in mind, Jesus’ response is understandable…in V38 Jesus labels the Religious leaders as “An evil and adulterous generation...”

Evil and adulterous. Truly a heart breaking condemnation, where God is the victim of Israel’s wickedness and unfaithfulness.

Jer 3:20 explains this expression well, “Surely, as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, So have you dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel,” says the LORD.”

Jesus denies their request for a sign “…no sign will be given... except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” So, what is Jesus saying here?

Jonah being swallowed and spending three days and three nights in the belly of a great fish was a ‘shadow of things to come’ or a ‘type’…a typology of Jesus dying and being in the heart of the earth for three days.

Three days later Jonah returned… in the actual account in Jonah 2:10 we read “the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.”

“You can’t keep a good man down.” It’s actually a pretty accurate phrase to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As Jonah was thought dead but returned…so too did the Son of Man return. Both…resurrected. Luke 11:30 records, “For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.”

Jonah himself was the sign…not his bleached white skin from being in the whale’s belly…not even his message to the Ninevites…the Assyrians, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

The sign was that he was tossed into the sea, presumed dead, and three days later he returned…a type for the resurrection.

The Resurrection is the sign that was given to the generation of Jesus’ day. The wicked and adulterous generation that doubted Jesus as Messiah and Lord...hypocrites who asked for a sign after so many proofs had already been given. They should have embraced Him as King, but instead rejected Him.

And, there are many people today that God has revealed Himself too, but they suppress the truth in unrighteousness. My prayer is that is you are one of those people, that you will hear something today that will change your heart.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is an imperative topic to understand…for the unbeliever it should change that person to a believer…for the believer...

In 1 Pet 3:15, Peter said, “...always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear...” and right after Peter spoke about Jesus’ resurrection.

“Give a defense” Gk. apŏlŏgia- where we get our word ‘apologetics’ from.

If the resurrection is not part of your apologetics for Christianity, you are missing a huge point…a key reason for the hope that is in you…or should be in you.

There are many world religions, cults, and philosophies on how to live life. In Matt 7:13 Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.”

There are many people living life by false teachings that are leading them to spiritual death…leading them to destruction… what is called the Lake of Fire in the Bible…also known as hell where the Bible says “they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” It’s a literal place that is real.

So, Jesus encouraged enter by the narrow gate…it leads to life. Jesus also said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jn 14:6

It’s accurate to say that Christianity is “narrow minded.” I’m ok with this. One way…one truth.

And, a key reason…a proof that we know that faith in Jesus Christ is that one way…that one truth…is because of the Resurrection.

One scholar said, “Jesus’ resurrection from the dead was the crowning achievement that forever separates Him from any other religious leader who has ever been or will ever live. No other religious figure in history has ever prophesied His own death and resurrection—and then accomplished it.”

Confucius, Buddha, and Mohammed…all dead. Joseph Smith is dead. Elvis is dead. And, Grant is in his tomb. But, in Jerusalem…there is an empty tomb.

Jesus is alive…seated at the right hand of the Power...the throne in Majesty in the heavens… making intercession for the saints…and we will see Him…we will be with Him coming on the clouds of heaven as He returns with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all...

Yes...He is Risen! He is Risen!

So, why is the resurrection so significant?

The Resurrection is packed with theological implications…I know of at least 5 points of the significance of the Resurrection…we are going to discuss 3 today...

First, It fulfills prophecy from the OT and from Jesus. The resurrection proves Jesus’ words and promises are true. And, that He is God.

Second, The Resurrection tells us that the Father accepted Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross…that the price of sin has been paid…that our sins are forgiven.

Third, the Resurrection is the basis for the hope we have as Christians…that upon death, we will also rise again.

The other two, I’ll briefly mention here and encourage you to study on your own time...

Fourth, the resurrection provides believers with spiritual power today. (c.f. Romans 6:3-4; Ephesians 1:19-21)

FIfth, the resurrection is evidence that God will one day judge the world in righteousness. (c.f. Acts 17:31; John 5:25-27)

Well, let’s look at those first three points...

First, the Resurrection is a fulfillment of prophecy. Prophecy is an amazing testament to truth, and distinguishes Christianity from false religions. In the OT, hundreds of years prior to Jesus’ birth, David and Isaiah both prophesied of Messiah’s resurrection…

In Ps 16, David prophesied...Ps 16:10 “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol [Gk. equivalent Hades…a holding place for the dead, but distinguished from Hell], Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” [corruption- how the body decays after death].

Peter, in Acts 2, after being filled with the Holy Spirit, preached a powerful sermon and 3000 people were saved. In this sermon Peter referenced Ps 16 and explained that David “spoke concerning the resurrection.”

Acts 2:29-32 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body [speaking about Davidic Covenant 2 Sam 7], according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke [Ps 16] concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.”

Isaiah also prophesied Messiah would die and yet, He would continue His work after death... Isa 53:12 declares, “He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”

“Made intercession” is in the imperfect tense, which expresses a work that has begun and continues…it has not concluded.

This speaks about Jesus’ intercessory prayer after death…how is that possible?…because He died, resurrected, ascended, and is alive in heaven making intercession…He is not dead…He is risen…

Heb 7:25 declares “…He always lives [present tense] to make intercession for them.” [“them” being believers].

If Jesus died and did not rise again…He couldn’t make intercession, yet alone save. But, Jesus is alive…we have a living Savior! What other religion can boast that claim?

Besides OT Prophets prophesying of Messiah’s Resurrection, let’s not forget Jesus’ own prophetic words on His resurrection…

In John 2:18-22 the Jews say to Jesus... “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?” 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.”

Even more explicit, Mark 8:31 states “And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.”

Jesus also prophesied he would rise again in three days in Mark 9:31, 10:34 and in the parallel accounts in Matthew and Luke.

Jesus said He would die and rise again and it happened just as He said. As such, we can believe all the other claims, promises, and statements of Jesus....salvation is in Him alone, He is Messiah and God, the Holy Spirit’s in-dwelling, and one of my favorites...

John 14:2-3 “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

The fact that Jesus fulfilled numerous prophecies testifies we can trust all that He said and promised. Fulfilled prophecy also testifies that Jesus is Messiah, and He is God.

In Rom 1, Paul said it well...

Rom 1:1-4 “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David [Messiah] according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God [which is the same as God…the “heir of all things’] with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

The claims of David, Isaiah, Jesus, and Paul (just some examples) are substantiated by the Resurrection.

Well, we just looked at how the Resurrection fulfills prophecy, next…second of the three reasons the the Resurrection is significant…The Resurrection demonstrates the Father accepted Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, therefore our sins are forgiven.

There are two theological concepts in light here…

“Propitiation”- God’s satisfied wrath on sin.

“Justification”- Having your sins forgiven.

God hates sin...scripture declares the “wages of sin is death” Rom 6:23. Propitiation is the “turning away of anger by offering a gift.” In scripture...that gift was always a blood sacrifice.

Heb 9:12 tells us Jesus’ death paid that price once and for all…something animal sacrifice could not do…Heb 9:12 “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place [Jesus ascended to heaven] once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”

This is great news!…on the cross, Jesus’ sacrifice paid the price of sin once and for all…redeeming mankind. God’s wrath on sin was satisfied by Jesus’ perfect and sinless blood sacrifice.

1 John 4:10 declare, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

We’ve established...God hates sin... Jesus’ blood paid the price of sin which satisfied God’s wrath on sin…and the resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrates that the Father accepted Jesus’ sacrifice...

Scripture declares, Eph 1:20 “He [the Father] raised Him [Jesus] from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places...”

1 Pet 1:20-21 declares “For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you 21 who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”

Scholar William MacDonald stated, “The Father indicated His complete satisfaction with Christ’s redeeming work by raising Him out from among the dead ones and honoring Him with the place of highest glory in heaven. The result of all this is that our faith and hope are in God.”

In God’s love for us, He sent Jesus in these last times to pay the price for our sins and redeem the relationship between mankind and God…God did all that for us. So what is our responsibility? What is our role…what are we to do?

One day in Jesus ministry, Jews asked Jesus, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” Jn 6:29

And, that’s our role. We are to believe in the Son whom the Father sent…believe that Jesus died for your sins…believe that Jesus rose from the dead…and to submit to Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Rom 10:9 declares “...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

We submit to Him as Lord…confessing this publically…and we believe in His finished work on the cross as attested by the resurrection…do this…believe this and you will be saved.

And, that is the theological concept of “justification.” Think of justification as “just as if” your sins never occured. This is what happens when you accept Jesus as your Savior. He saves you from sin, and from God’s wrath on sin…which is eternal death... torment and separation from God…which the Bible calls Hell.

Without the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, we would not and could not be confident that our sins are forgiven. The entire concept of justification hinges upon the resurrection.

And, don’t take my word for it…Rom 4:24-25 declares... “It shall be imputed [to pass to one’s account] to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead [resurrection], 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised [resurrected] because of our justification.” Wow...very powerful verses.

So, we first looked at how Resurrection fulfills prophecy, and second how the Resurrection proves the Father accepted Jesus’ sacrifice and in faith our sins are forgiven, third and finally, let’s look at how the Resurrection is the basis for the hope we have as Christians…that upon death, we will also rise again…that we will live eternally.

The hope of the Christian is that as we exit time, we enter eternity. As we are absent from the body, we are present with the Lord (2 Cor 5:8).

The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees this hope.

Several verses attest to this:

2 Cor 4:14 “He who raise up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus.”

John 14:19 “Because I live, you will live also.”

John 11:25 Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.”

But, of the most significant verses... 1 Cor 15:12-22 and I’m just going to read it... “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits [an example and a guarantee of what’s to come] of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man [Adam] came death, by Man [Jesus] also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”

Paul declares that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is THE event that is the cornerstone of our faith…it is the foundation for our hope in life after death…eternal life…bodily eternal life in a glorified body…all of these hopes that we hold onto as Christians are substantiated in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Rom 8:11 clearly expresses this reality...“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

These are more than hopes for the Christian. The word of God promises life eternally for the believer of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Because of Jesus’ finished work on the Cross and the evidence through the Resurrection, the Christian can confidently declare “O Death, where is your sting? O death, where is your victory?” All because Jesus is Risen!

Well, I promised you that I would read the traditional Easter story…the account of the morning of Jesus’ resurrection, and we are going to read that now. But, as we read these verses, I want you to think about all we have talked about today…the significance of the resurrection, and view this account through with that greater depth of understanding.

Mark 16:1-8 “Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.”

This was an angel. In the parallel account in Matt 28:2-3 tells us “...an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.”

Luke 24 tells us there were two angels who ask, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!”

Continuing in Mark 16…V6 “But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” 8 So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”

John 20:2-8 “Then she [Mary Magdalene] ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved [John], and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” 3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.”

There are several other accounts of Jesus’ encounters and appearances to His disciples in the forty days between His resurrection and ascension, but let me leave you with these words of the two disciples whom Jesus appeared to travelling to Emmaus.

Luke 24:30-32 “Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

If you are here today, and you do not know Jesus…I pray that as we opened the Scriptures today…that your heart burned within…that you felt your soul drawn to welcome Jesus Christ into your life…to know Him…to have your eyes opened spiritually.

Worship Team Come.

We read earlier in Rom 10:9 “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

There is so much hope that the believer has…by faith…absolutely, but also by many tangible proofs, and specifically demonstrated by Jesus’ Resurrection.

If you have never publically confessed Jesus, and want to start your relationship with Him today…come forward afterwards...we would love to pray with you to begin that faith journey.

Let’s Pray!

“The LORD bless you and keep you;

The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;

The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’