Sermon Tone Analysis

Matthew 28:1–15 (CSB)

After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb.

He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it.

3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow.

4 The guards were so shaken by fear of him that they became like dead men. 5 The angel told the women, “Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.

6 He is not here.

For he has risen, just as he said.

Come and see the place where he lay.

7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see him there.’

Listen, I have told you.” 8 So, departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell his disciples the news.

9 Just then Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!”

They came up, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.

10 Then Jesus told them, “Do not be afraid.

Go and tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”

11 As they were on their way, some of the guards came into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.

12 After the priests had assembled with the elders and agreed on a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money 13 and told them, “Say this, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him while we were sleeping.’

14 If this reaches the governor’s ears, we will deal with him and keep you out of trouble.”

15 They took the money and did as they were instructed, and this story has been spread among Jewish people to this day.

This is amazing!

The events that Matthew records here are history and life changing.

God sends an earthquake and an angel to roll the stone back from the tomb, the tomb is empty!!

The guards are afraid, the women are scared, and Jesus is walking around bringing comfort and hope to them in their distress.

The angels tell the women that He is alive and that He will see them in Galilee.

But, Jesus reveals Himself to them after that moment and sends them joyfully on their way to tell the disciples this great news and where He will see them.

The guards testify to the events and the empty tomb, and the enemies of Christ continue to work with hard hearts and reject who He is.

The plot to undermine the resurrection with the false accounts that the disciples had stolen the body of Jesus.

To help make this happen they paid off the soldiers and promised to keep the soldiers from harm when the governor heard the rumor.

Matthew points out that the story of the false account has been told for years.

But, today, the story of what Mary and the rest of the women didn’t find is also being told.

And, in light of the significance of the resurrection I’d like to take some time this morning and teach/preach on the resurrection of Jesus.

In particular I’d like to speak to the historicity of the resurrection, the accomplishment of the resurrection, and the application of the resurrection.

My hope is that you go home today believing in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and take with the understanding that without the resurrection all hope in God is lost.

The Historicity of the Resurrection

Let’s start with the Four Gospels.

These are written by eyewitnesses and/or based on eye witness testimony.

The fact that they are in the Bible doesn’t discredit their historical value.

Actually it does the opposite.

The Bible

Each of the Four Gospels records the resurrection of Jesus as a fact.

In addition to the gospels, the rest of the New Testament letters claim the crucifixion of Jesus and His resurrection as a fact.

Now, you may not have considered that our primary source material for the historicity of Jesus’ life and ministry is found in the four gospels.

The same gospels that we base our belief in the historical Jesus are the same gospels that claim He was literally resurrected as a part of history.

In addition to the testimony of the gospels and the New Testament, there is evidence to the truthfulness of the claim of Jesus’ resurrection.

The writings of Jewish and Pagan historians

I am not stating today that we need evidence outside of the claims of Scripture and the salvation that we know through Jesus.

I am offering an additional “proof” or argument for the validity of the claim that Jesus was indeed resurrected.

This argument is known as the “Inference to the best explanation.”

Inference to the best explanation:

This approach begins with the available “evidence and then infers what would, if true, provide the best explanation of the evidence.”

William Lane Craig

As one writer penned, “When we look at the evidence, the truth of the resurrection emerges very clearly as the best explanation.

There is no other theory that even come close to accounting for the evidence.

Therefore, there is solid historical grounds for the truth that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.”

Within the claims and truths of the resurrection, Matt Perman points out three truths that are accepted by serious historians of all stripes.

These three truth are:

1.

The tomb in which Jesus was buried was discovered empty by a group of women on the Sunday following the crucifixion.

2. Jesus’ disciples had real experiences with one whom they believed was the risen Christ.

3. As a result of the preaching of these disciples, which had the resurrection at its center, the Christian church was established and grew.

When you consider all of the facts, especially these three truths, then it becomes increasingly clear that the resurrection of Christ is the only thing that adequately explains them.

No one argues that tomb was empty and that it was first discovered by a group of women the Sunday after the crucifixion.

No one denies the disciples firmly believed they saw the risen Jesus.

There are many argue as to whether or not they did see Jesus, but at the end of the day there is no adequate explanation to deny the voracity and consequences of the disciples belief that they saw the resurrected Jesus.

The tomb was empty, they saw and touched the risen Christ, and their deaths and the church that followed strengthen the evidence of the truth.

The church itself is a living testimony to the truth of the living Savior.

From the every beginning of the church the resurrection has been central to Christianity.

Even Jewish and Pagan history records that Christians believed in Jesus’ resurrection as a core tenet of faith.

The resurrection has never been an optional belief, it is a necessary belief because it is essential for salvation and a foundation of the Christian life.

The resurrection is necessary and essential because without the resurrection all hope is lost.

All hope is lost because without the resurrection the salvation God promised is not accomplished.

The Accomplishment of the Resurrection

The Heidelberg Catechism was written in 1563 as a teaching tool and eventually became a help and guide to preaching in the aftermath of the Protestant Reformation.

Catechisms have been used to teach children the truths of the faith for centuries.

It’s a shame that they have lost popularity in modern Southern Baptist circles.

The form of learning a question and its answer provides a foundation that you can build on as you grow and mature.

Regarding the Heidelberg Catechism, in 1619 the Synod of Dort approved of it and it became one of the most widely used instruments for teaching the gospel at that time.

It is still a wonderful display of simplicity and depth as it relates to the truth of the gospel.

Heidelberg Catechism # 17

Question: How does Christ’s resurrection benefit us?

Answer: First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, so that he might make us share in the righteousness he won for us by his death.

Second, by his power we too are already now resurrected to a new life.

Third, Christ’s resurrection is a guarantee of our glorious resurrection.

Let’s unpack these because they are glorious!

1. Jesus overcame death so that we can share in the righteousness He won for us by His death.

Kevin DeYoung writes, you might ask.

“If Jesus died on the cross for our sins, bearing the curse that we deserved, shouldn’t we be free from our sins whether he rose again or not?”

In other words, why is the resurrection, and not simply the cross alone, necessary for the forgiveness of sin?”

2. Without the resurrection nothing has been conquered other than Jesus.

If Jesus only died, then Jesus was defeated.

If Jesus isn’t resurrected then sin, death, and the devil have never been defeated.

And if they haven’t been defeated then salvation has not been accomplished.

1 Corinthians 15:17 (CSB) says, “17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.”

The sacrifice of Jesus was enough to save because the resurrection of Christ testifies to who He is.

Jesus won over sin, death, and the devil.

The sacrifice that Jesus made was enough because it was acceptable to God.

The resurrection of Jesus confirms that the wrath of God has been satisfied by the blood of Jesus and because of that those who trust in Him are forgiven from their sin and receive the righteousness of Christ.

They are justified before God and they are no longer living under condemnation from God.

Romans 4:25 (CSB) says, “25 He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”

This means that Christ died for our sins, but He was resurrected to guarantee and demonstrate victory.

The cross and the empty tomb are connected.

There is no reason for the cross if not for the tomb, and the empty tomb demonstrates the significance of the cross.