20220417 Matthew 27/28: He Is Not Here, He Has Risen

OPENING SLIDE

May I extend the warmest of welcomes to you on this most special day of the year.

Today is Resurrection Sunday and we gathered this morning to overtly and loudly celebrate the Living Christ and His defeat of humanity’s greatest foes - sin and death.

On Resurrection Sunday, we celebrate the Risen Christ, who proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that He was who He claimed to be and that what He said was true - today is truly the most special day of the year and we are supremely glad you have decided to share it with us.

INTRODUCTION

The story of what Christ did and why we celebrate is called the Gospel which means “Good News.” PAUSE

Now, when many people say “Good News” - they mean, “Oh I got a raise,” or, “I hit nothing but green lights on the way home from work...” But that’s not what we mean...

The Gospel or “Good News” is not like that at all - when the term is used, think - TONE “The war is over,” or, “We just found out that the cancer diagnosis was wrong - it was a mistake!”

The Gospel is the beating heart of Christianity and the most summarized form of the Gospel is found in 1st Corinthians 15. Please turn there if you would… If you don’t have a Bible we have copies in the pew seat in front of you.... INTRODUCTION

1st Corinthians 15 is quite likely the most abbreviated form of the Gospel in all the Bible. It is short, it is to the point it tells us that Christ was crucified and died for our sins but was raised from the dead and all who believe in Him have eternal life, now… if you are a Christian these are some of the sweetest words you will ever read. I will pick it up in verse 1.

1st Corinthians 15:1-5 Now I make known to you, brothers, the gospel which I proclaimed as good news to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I proclaimed to you as good news, unless you believed for nothing.

VERSE SLIDE

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

The Gospel is the Good News of how people avoid eternal judgement and death and it revolves around the death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus.

If you are perishing, if you are convicted, condemned of sin - and we all are, the Gospel is very Good News! Because the Gospel tells us how we can be saved from sin, how we can avoid eternal death in hell, how we can be united with the One that literally loved us to death!

Those that receive the good news, those that hold fast to it, those that believe it have eternal life through Christ, right now.

MAIN POINT

That is the main point of the message today and one which we are not meant to miss. Do not walk away from this sermon without knowing, without understanding this point.

Because of Christ's life, death, burial and resurrection the believer can know, the believer can have supreme confidence that their sin is atoned for, death is conquered and that they are united with Christ forever

That is what today’s message is all about - if you get nothing else, get this because it truly is Good News. BLANK SLIDE

Let’s pray

PRAYER

Oh Father God, what thanks can we render to You for sending Your beloved Son, Jesus, into the world. To live perfectly without sin, to die in our place and to be raised by You from the dead. How can we thank You adequately? How can we ever give You enough praise?

We cannot, it's impossible and that is why we look forward to eternity with You where we will gather with all Your holy ones, praising You for our salvation from eternal death.

Father, Your generosity knows no boundaries and so we ask that Your Holy Spirit would be at work today. May we worship You, Triune God with full hearts to bursting because of what Your Spirit does in us today.

We ask these things not because we are so good, but because Jesus is. It is in His name and in the power of His shed blood we pray, amen. PAUSE

SERMON

We opened the message with the summarized version of the Gospel out of 1st Corinthians - now we are going to read the detailed account from the Gospel of Matthew. We will be reading through the narrative in chapter 27 and 28. But first, here is the context,

CONTEXT

Christ has been betrayed by one of His disciples, Judas. And Jesus has been abandoned by His disciples - every one of them has left Him. He has stood alone before the Annas and then Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin who brought in false witnesses to testify against Him. Caiaphas asked Jesus point blank if He was the Christ and Jesus said, “You yourself said it.” To which the High Priest declared, “Blasphemy!” and condemned Him to death.

Since they had no power to carry out the death penalty they brought Jesus in before the Roman Governor - Pilate and he couldn’t find any guilt in Him. He was sent to King Herod, who asked Jesus many questions and Jesus was silent before Herod so Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate in a brightly colored robe. Pilate declared Jesus to be innocent but the Chief Priest and Elders whipped the crowds in Jerusalem into a frenzy and demanded that Jesus be crucified… and Pilate agreed SLIDE

So Pilate handed Jesus over to be scourged and crucified. The King of Israel - slain for our sin

We join the text in Matthew 27:33

I. The King of Israel - Slain For Sin (27:33-56)

A. The Crucified Christ (Psalm 22)

33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, 34 they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall; and after tasting it, He did not want to drink. (GALL IS EITHER A NARCOTIC TO DULL PAIN OR A POISON THAT KILLS - CHRIST REJECTED IT VERSE 35) 35 And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there. 37 And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” PAUSE

To be crucified is to have spikes driven through the wrists and feet into a wooden cross. The one crucified was stripped naked and awkwardly positioned so that if they wanted to breath they would have to pull themselves up. It was one of the most painful and humiliating means of execution ever devised. PAUSE

David, 1000 years earlier had described the event it was experienced by Christ saying… VERSE SLIDE

I am poured out like water, my bones are out of joint, my heart is like melted wax, I can count all my bones and I am so thirsty my tongue cleaves to my jaws. PAUSE

Think about this, Christ knew that He would experience all of this suffering and yet He went through with it pay for, to atone for, our sin. SLIDE

The Cost of Sin… Verse 38

B. The Cost of Sin (Isaiah 53)

38 At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those passing by were blaspheming Him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the sanctuary and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, 42 “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. 43 He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He delights in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 And the robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words. PAUSE

How God did not simply destroy all of humanity at this moment is beyond me… The blasphemy of these people is astonishing… “He trusts in God, let God rescue Him now, if He delights in Him.”

Truly, God does love His Son… He said so audibly multiple times… There is no divine child abuse here - what we are witnessing here in Matthew 27, this is a coordinated and concerted effort between God the Father and God the Son to pay the cost for our sin. PAUSE

Our sin is not small, it is not a little thing. Our sin - this is the cost. PAUSE

The Crucified Christ is who we need to confront every time we are convicted of sin - because this is the cost. There are no little sins. VERSE SLIDE

Isaiah 53 tells us that Yahweh was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief because through His sacrifice Christ would justify the many - He would bear their iniquities and this would satisfy the righteous requirement God has for humanity. PAUSE

Is this not astonishing? That the Triune God ruptured their eternal communion for my sin and yours!?!

How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure, that He should give His only Son to make a wretch, like you, like me, His treasure… SLIDE

That precious shed blood bought us atonement for sin - verse 45

C. The Atonement Christ's Blood Bought (1st Timothy 2)

45 Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 47 And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 48 And immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. 49 But the rest of them were saying, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.”

50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. 52 And the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was God’s Son!” 55 And many women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while ministering to Him. 56 Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. PAUSE

When Christ was put to death, when the Creator of Life itself gave up His life - He atoned, He paid for our sin. He substituted Himself for us, taking our punishment - that we punishment that our sins earned us, that we deserved and He unified us with God. His atonement for sin made us “At One” with God. VERSE SLIDE

1 Timothy 2:5–6 tells us “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the witness for this proper time.”

That is what is so meaningful about the veil of the sanctuary being torn apart… The inner most room of the temple, called the Holy of Holies where the Presence of God was to reside and which only one human could access once a year. That innermost room was exposed, the Holy of Holies was separated by a veil and when Christ died that veil was torn demonstrating that access to God was now wide open. His shed blood bought our unity with God.

Here is our first key takeaway.

KEY TAKEAWAY

Sin is fully atoned for - Christ’s shed blood paid for sin, reconciling believers and making them at one with GOd

Hebrews 9:22 tells us, “And according to the Law, almost all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

The blood that poured out of Christ was the means by which God’s wrath against sin was satisfied. Christ was given as a sacrifice to unify us with God. The price for sin has been paid, there is no longer any sacrifice that needs to be made. The infinite wrath that God poured out on His perfect Son satisfied His Holiness and established grace for those that believe. It had to be this way because, “without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

There no longer remains any sacrifice for sin it is finished. SLIDE

Let’s continue with the narrative - with the burial of Christ which took place according to prophecy - verse 57

II. Jesus Buried & Death Defeated (27:57-61)

A. Buried According to Prophecy (Isaiah 53:9)

57 Now when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave.

This portion of the narrative describes how one of the members of the Sanhedrin, Joseph of Arimathea, who had not consented to what the Council had done gathered the slain body of Christ - this was all done in fulfillment of a prophecy given 500 years earlier by Isaiah.VERSE SLIDE Isaiah 53:9 says

So His grave was assigned with wicked men, HE WAS CRUCIFIED WITH ROBBERS Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

It is astonishing to me that all of this was laid out in Scripture centuries before it happened. Fulfilled prophecy is one of the greatest arguments for the validity of Scripture and gives great confidence to believers. PAUSE

KEY TAKEAWAY

Let’s get take another principle away from this passage

Death is a beaten enemy and there is eternal life now for those who believe (1 Corinthians 15:55-57/Hebrews 7:16)

1st Corinthians 15:55-57 Tells us that VERSE SLIDE death is defeated, powerless because all of its venom was tied to sin and Christ satisfied our debt with God - through Christ we now are the victors. AUSE

If death is nullified and it is, if it is defeated then there is life, eternal life for those that believe! Friends, the love of God is so very very great towards us.

Does this mean that people don’t physically die, no, even Christ died. Hebrews 9:27 tells us it is appointed for men once to die and then comes judgement. Everyone dies physically but only those who reject Christ ever die spiritually. SLIDE

Let’s continue in verse 62 as the Chief Priests and Pharisees try to stop the impossible

B. The Futile Attempt to Stop the Impossible (Acts 2:22-24)

62 Now on the next day, the day after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, 63 and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’ 64 Therefore, order for the grave to be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.” 66 And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.

They did their best to hold back the resurrection of Christ… imagine that, trying to prevent the Son of God from coming back to life. You know, I think that when word got around that the veil was torn, that many of the saints had come to life, when they felt the earthquake and heard the Centurion testify that this surely is the Son of God… they got scared. And this was their best plan.... pitiful.

50 days after this took place, the Apostle Peter at Pentecost said these words in Acts when he confronted the Jews

Acts 2:22-24 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God did through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know⁠— VERSE SLIDE 23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of lawless men and put Him to death. 24 But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.

Friends, death is conquered - it is impossible for death to keep a hold of Christ and for those united with Christ it is impossible for death to keep a hold of us too. SLIDE Our greatest fear has been brought to an end - there is Good News - Chapter 28

III. The Risen Christ: Be Not Afraid! (28:1-10)

A. The Good News Announced! (Mark 9)

28:1 Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. 3 And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards quaked from fear of him and became like dead men. 5 And the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. 6 He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said… VERSE SIDE

Jesus had predicted, He had prophesied, He had foretold His followers in Mark 9 that He would be betrayed, killed but would rise again. The Christ had told all of this in advance but they were afraid to ask...

Maybe they didn’t want to appear dumb for asking the obvious question - “What do you mean, Jesus?” Here’s a principle I would just like to lay out for us all… Better to look dumb and be secure in the knowledge that you are truly a Christian than to pretend and find out at the final judgement that all the pretense, all the show that you put on was all for nothing. SLIDE

Faking like we know Christ will not save us… we must actually know Him to be united with Him throughout eternity - verse 8

B. The Great I AM Alive Forevermore (Revelation 1)

8 And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and report to My brothers to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

Jesus appeared to the two Marys first. They are the first to see the Risen Christ. But they will not be the last, you and I and every other human will see Him. Revelation 1 VERSE SIDE Tells us that every eye will see Christ, “every” as in even the ones that nailed Him to the cross. The Marys saw Jesus first and they bowed before Him first but they will not be the last VERSE SIDE

Philippians 2 tells us that every knee will bow and every tongue will tell Him, that truly He is the Messiah.

Friends, one way or another everyone will be confronted by the risen Lord. They will either bow willingly, or bow unwillingly.

I prefer willingly because if willingly, If Christ is truly my master, my boss, my owner, if Christ’s blood has paid for all my sin then I have eternal life and I am united with Him. If Christ is my Savior I get His perfection on my behalf. That is good news friends!

KEY TAKEAWAY

Here is our final takeaway…

Those who believe in Christ are united with Christ and in faith they receive His perfection VERSE SIDE

Colossians 1:22 tells us that God reconciled us in Christ, we are united with Him and now we are just as holy, just as blameless and beyond any measure of reproach. Those who believe are free from the penalty of sin. We are righteous in God’s eyes - because when He sees the believer, He doesn’t see us in our sin, in our filth, He sees us united with Christ and perfect. VERSE SIDE

John 5:24

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

Friends, before I conclude I would like to say one final word. Not everyone gets eternal life, it is offered to all but not all accept the free gift of faith. There are many self proclaimed Christians in hell right now, many who have been baptized, many who have received communion, many who have attended Church, they did lots of religious stuff... but never had a relationship with Christ. VERSE SIDE Matthew 7 says tells us that many will confront the Living God at the final judgement and proclaim their own merit but the Christ will tell them to depart, to go to the lake of fire, because He does not know them.... Their life was defined by lawlessness… Lord willing we are going to talk about that next week. PAUSE

Do you know Christ? Does He know you? If you are not 100% confident please come and talk to me afterwards - don’t be afraid, it is better to know now than to realize later you were wrong - there are no second chances. PAUSE

CONCLUSION

As I said in the introduction the beating heart of Christianity is the Gospel. What we just went through, Christ’s life, death, burial and resurrection is the Good News. Those that believe in Him have eternal life now. Because of the Gospel, the believer can know that their sin is atoned for, that death is conquered and that they are united with Christ forever.

If you are here without Christ or unsure you need to talk to me or another Christian right away. Do not leave here without knowing for a fact if you are safely in Christ’s arms.

CONCLUSION

Let me close with this final word, a familiar verse that many have memorized...

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 (Romans 10:9-11)

That’s a promise and Christ’s promises are good.

Please stand with me and I will pray.