Matthew 27:33-28:20 From insignificance to exaltation - The resurrected Christ

Easter video

Can you capture in your own heart the feeling of hopelessness that infused Jesus’ disciples after His death

Yet in a matter of days the went from hopelessness to a people with hope

They had missed it. For the kingdom to ultimately be accomplished – Christ death had to occur. Through His death and resurrection their hopelessness became certain hope.

I. From insignificance to exaltation: Ridiculed by men

All observed the seeming domination by men over Christ and the kingdom

A. By the nonreligious

1. Those unconcerned about religion, only concerned about this life, became the instrument of His death – The secular, the government

(ESV) Matthew 27 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), … 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

2. The expedient are merciless – to preserve order – the cross kind of death was instituted – and then given to the Savior – With cruelty and scorn – they take pride in their domination – previously mocking, beating, torturing by scouraging – now waiting for Jesus’ death

B. By the religious *

1. The proud – the hypocrite - the self righteous

(ESV) Matthew 27 39 And thosewho passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

(ESV) Matthew 27 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

2. Interested only in a self-developed religion – It’s about me – Make God in my image – No room for the demands of a true God – Absolute rejection when my religious system disturbed – a refusal to accept the true God

C. By ‘sinners’

1. The despised – the deserving of punishment – the hateful

(NKJV) Matthew 27 38 Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left. … 44 Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

2. – no mercy – even the worst rejected (at least initially)

3.

II. From hopelessness to hope: Punished by God

But the rejection was greater than men – God the Father Himself chose to punish the Son as He became sin

A. Forsaken by the Father

(ESV) Matthew 27 45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

1. The Father looks away – The Father cannot but deal with sin

B. Punished for our sin *

(ESV) Matthew 27 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, 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.

1. What was happening? He was being punished as He became sin

(ESV) Isaiah 53 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, … 6 … the Lord has laid on him the iniquityof us all. … 8 … stricken for the transgression of my people

2. The wrath of God unloaded in its fury – deserved – crushing – eternal – just

C. Satisfied the wrath of God over sin

(ESV) John 19 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

(NKJV) Isaiah 53 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, … 11 He shall see the labor (anguish) of His soul, and be satisfied. … My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. … 12 … He poured out His soul unto death, … He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

1. Sin debt paid in full

2. God’s wrath exhausted

3. Now an opportunity to provide grace and pardon to others

4.

III. From hopelessness to hope: But honored in death

But as He died, there was recognition that something unique had occurred. This was not just a simple death

A. Honored by creation itself

(ESV) Matthew 27 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also 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 went into the holy city and appeared to many.

1. The fallen world reacts – access to God restored

B. Honored by some of His guards

(ESV) Matthew 27 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

1. The unbiased see the truth -

C. Honored by some of His followers *

1. The women

(ESV) Matthew 27 55 There were also many womenthere, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. … 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

2. The faithful – endured the conflict - stayed with Him

(ESV) Matthew 27 57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. …. 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.

3. The secret followers come to the front (Nicodemus as well)

D. Honored by His enemies *

(ESV) Matthew 27 62 … the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.”

65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

1. Friends didn’t get it but enemies got it – promised to rise again three days later – Seek to stop it from occurring

2. Guard, stone, seal it --- but Pilate’s comment is prophetic – do the best you can, but perhaps you can’t stop it

IV. From hopelessness to hope: Exalted in resurrection

And on the third day, true exaltation was announced – Hope arises out of hopelessness

A. By angels

(NKJV) Matthew 28 1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for 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.

B. By the enemy

(NKJV) Matthew 28 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

C. By followers

(NKJV) Matthew 28 5 But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, …8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

1. Heaven knew immediately – guards pushed away as nothing – women encouraged and told ---- He is risen

2. Women’s hopelessness turned around - now go and tell

D. By God the Father

(NKJV) Philippians 2 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, …

E. By all living things

(NKJV) Philippians 2 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

1. All will be humbled - all will worship – all will acknowledge – Jesus as Lord – give glory to the Father