Shaking Things Up

Preached at Joylight - 4/16/17 - Sunrise Service

Shaking Things Up

Matthew 28:1-10

INTRODUCTION:

There is one event in history that is unparalleled in its effect upon this world, and that is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without the resurrection, there would be no church and no salvation. Nothing like this had ever happened before, and nothing has happened since to equal its magnitude. It was the resurrection of Jesus which transformed His disciples into fervent evangelists of the Gospel and brought dramatic and eternal changes into the lives of multitudes of people throughout the world. The Apostle Paul summed it up perfectly when he said in 1 Cor. 15:14;17, "(14) And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. (17) And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins."

Many observances of our day are in reference to the resurrection. Most churches hold services on Sunday; this is a testimony of the resurrection of Christ which changed the day of worship from the Saturday Sabbath to the first day of the week, which was the day that Jesus rose from the grave. Another example would be today, Easter. Easter is one of the greatest religious celebrations of the year, and we celebrate it all because of the resurrection.

The resurrection has shaken not only religions, cultures, and governments, but individuals, as one by one, believers are transformed through Christ's resurrection power. Jesus was not just a man, but God in human flesh...When he overcome death, the world was shaken in many ways, and this morning, for just a little bit, I would like to dig into just a few ways the earth was shook up!

We see here that CHRIST'S RESURRECTION SHOOK THE WORLD PHYSICALLY.

Verse 2 says, "Behold, there was a great earthquake" Bishop Hacket said this, "The earthquake was a royal trumpet to proclaim this victory, the greatest that ever was obtained against an enemy. The deep murmur and hollow sound which came from beneath the earth gave notice, at one blast, to heaven and hell and to all Judea that the Son of God about that instant...did break the gates of brass, and smite the bars of death in sunder." The earth here which had trembled in sorrow when Jesus died, leaped for joy at His resurrection...The earthquake emphasizes the power of the resurrection, and signaled the conquest of Christ over death and sin. The angel descended from heaven and rolled away the stone, not to let Jesus out; no, He was already gone, but the angel rolled away the stone to let the women in. The angel sat on the rock, which indicated the triumph over the completed work.

We then see that THE RELIGIOUS WORLD OF JESUS' DAY WAS SHAKEN.

Like the earthquake at the crucifixion, this earthquake accompanied a new dispensation. In studying the Bible, you will find that earthquakes went along with the beginning of new dispensations. For example, an earthquake happened when the giving of the law on the mount to Moses in Exodus 19:18, and so, also here, the dispensation of grace was accompanied by an earthquake at the crucifixion and resurrection. Notice at the crucifixion, an earthquake occurred that caused the veil in the temple to be rent from top to bottom. No more, was the need for the veil or the animal sacrifices because Jesus Christ was the perfect Lamb of God who died for the sins of the world. John said, (John 1:29, The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.) Jesus' resurrection proved that His sacrifice was accepted by the Father, and the door was now open for anyone who believed in His Son to come to God. Let's take a moment and look over at Exodus chapter 12, I'm going to have to park right here just a few minutes...

And then, we see that CHRIST'S RESURRECTION SHAKES OUR LIVES TODAY.

The impact of the resurrection reaches beyond the physical realm, and beyond religious tradition, to touch the hearts of individual people.

Can we celebrate Easter and not be moved? Many people want to come to church on Easter, sing some hymns, eat breakfast or lunch with family and friends, hunt for easter eggs with our children, and then move along with the same old tradition, and have our world unshaken by the resurrection...I believe this might be why Matthew reminds us that the whole earth shook on that first Easter morning. Easter is an earthquake that shook the whole world. It got everyone's attention.

When that stone was rolled away, we got our first glimpse of a new world...A world where death doesn't have the last say, where injustice is made right, and innocent suffering is vindicated by the all-powerful God.

The soldiers shook, and it wasn't because the ground was shaking, they were shaking in their boots...The angel plopped himself down on that big rock, and the Bible says in verse 4 that these men became as dead men; meaning, they passed out. I suppose that I would too if I saw an angel descend from heaven with the countenance like lightning!

The angel told the women, Fear not ye: He is not here: for he is risen...

The point here is that nobody went back the same way they came. Easter has that kind of effect on people...

Does the resurrection shake you? If not, you might need to check your spiritual pulse...Maybe it's time to let God shake your world! Maybe it's time to allow God to roll the stone away from your cold and hardened heart to feel the love and power of Jesus Christ.

Easter touches something deep down inside of us. We encounter God's wonder - that feeling of surprise by something unexpected...It's what Mary Magdalene and the other Mary felt when they learned that Jesus had risen. Verse 8 says they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy... They were amazed! They went to the tomb to see the body of Christ, instead, they found an empty tomb...Jesus was alive! And that fact, while unexpected, was wonderful and exciting!

You cannot experience Easter without wonder...The trouble is that we don't feel wonder anymore; it's a rare thing, especially as we get older. A famous catch phrase of the culture we live in is "Been there, done that!" We are saturated with explanations, and experiences, but void of wonder. When God touches you, you know it...You can't explain it...You experience it...You feel it...It goes right through you. (Illustration of Davy Shelton at Calvary Baptist Church)

Have we forgotten the implications of a man rising from the dead? Have we forgotten what the resurrection done for us?

Let us remember just a few things:

• Because Jesus lives, You and I can be saved by the grace of God.

• Because He lives, we can have our sins washed away forever.

• Because He lives, we can go to Heaven when we leave this world.

• Because He lives, the grave has no power over those who believe.

• Because He lives, eternal live is our present possession.

• Because He lives, one day we too will live with Him in that heavenly city.

• Because He lives, I'll never have to take a step in this world alone.

• Because He lives, there is hope, there is help and there is a home awaiting us in eternity.

• Because He lives, I am alive.

• Because He lives, my sins have been removed as far as the east is from the west.

• Because He lives, my name is written in the Lamb's book of life.

• Because He lives, God is my Father.

• Because He lives, sin has no more dominion over me.

• Because He lives I am saved forever.

Oh, the list could go on forever. Until we had exhausted all the vocabulary and language of men.

What we need to understand today is that HE LIVES!!

I love the words of an old hymn penned down by Frederick Lehman...

The love of God is greater far

Than tongue or pen can ever tell;

It goes beyond the highest star,

And reaches to the lowest hell;

The guilty pair, bowed down with care,

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled,

And pardoned from his sin.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade;

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry;

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

CONCLUSION

Have you come to the realization that Jesus is alive and that He is Who you need?

• Do you understand what will happen if you die without Him?

• Do you realize that there is no other way into Heaven than through the Lord Jesus Christ?

• Did you know that His death was for you?

• Did you know that His death will not mean anything to you until you bow before Him in repentance and humility and confess you sins unto Him?

• Did you know that you could do that very thing today and be forever saved today?

• Did you know that you can bow before a risen Savior today and worship Him?

• Did you know you could thank Him for His grace, His love and the fact that He is alive?

• Today would be a wonderful day to come before the Lord and renew your commitment to Him.

• It would be a wonderful day to to thank Him and praise Him for His blessings in your life.

• It would be a wonderful day to call on the risen Savior and trust Him for salvation, help, or any of the many other things we humans desperately need.