In the Light

“The Resurrection of Jesus”

(Matthew 27:57-28:15, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, April 24, 2011)

Jesus Is Buried

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. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 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. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb

62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, 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.

The Resurrection

28:1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went 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 and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel 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 has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell 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 tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

The Report of the Guard

11 While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

Jesus Is Buried

The tabernacle that God commanded Moses to make had two major sections separated by a very important curtain, or veil. The larger section, the first of the two, was called the Holy Place. In that section was the lampstand, among other things. Behind the veil was a room about half the size of the Holy Place called the Most Holy Place. In that smaller room was the Ark of the Covenant, containing the tablets of the Law, and the covering over that ark, which was called the mercy seat. There was no source of artificial light in that dangerous room protected by the veil and covered on the remaining three sides by multiple layers of covering draped over a special frame. What that means is that beyond that veil, the Most Holy Place was very dark, unless the Lord chose to brighten it up with the glory of His presence.

When Jesus died, the veil was torn from top to bottom. That would have brought light into the Most Holy Place. Hours after that moment of bringing light into a dark place, the body of the Lord Jesus Christ was taken down from the cross, and was placed in the darkest place on earth, the grave. One of the men in the Jewish ruling council, Joseph of Arimathea, went to Pilate to claim the body of Jesus so that he could give Him a respectful burial. Through the hands of others the body of our Lord was carried along and was placed in the darkest place man has ever known. What could ever bring light to a grave? If God will not send His glory there, there will be no light.

The Guard at the Tomb

Not only was a stone rolled into place over the mouth of that tomb. Pilate agreed to the request of the chief priests and the Pharisees that he permit a military escort, guards, soldiers, to remain there for three days in order to secure the location. They sealed the stone, insuring that no one could tamper with the grave without that being noticed. They set a guard at the entry.

In their interchange with Pilate, the enemies of Jesus, the chief priests and the Pharisees, gave testimony before Pilate that Jesus had made an amazing claim that had become known beyond His disciples. They said that Jesus had promised before His suffering, “After three days I will rise.” They agreed together to do everything they could to keep that tomb dark and silent.

The Resurrection

The 28^th chapter of Matthew's gospel records for future generations how vain these efforts were. The stone, the seal, and the guard could do nothing to keep the glory of God from shining forth in light from inside the tomb. As the women went to that garden area to see the place where the silent body of the Lord would be covered with the darkness of death, they found no such thing.

What glory caused the earth to quake? An angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled back the stone. That let light into the tomb, but the angel's announcement revealed another light. He said, “I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” This event of Christ's resurrection was the beginning of a new era. Ezekiel had received a pronouncement several centuries before about a day when God would bring His glory to a graveyard. In that case, glory came to a valley of very dry bones. A question was asked of the prophet: “Son of man, can these bones live?” God said, “I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people.”

The resurrection of Jesus was the first fruit. His resurrection was the guarantee. This was the resurrection that opened the new era of resurrection. This was the one that brought the glory of heaven into the darkest place on earth, the grave. This was the resurrection that shined into the Book of Acts. This was the singular resurrection of a perfectly successful Messiah.

The angel said, “Do not be afraid.” It would take some time for the fear to subside, and for the good news to be received. It would help if we all had a job to do for the new era. “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead.” Jesus was going before them and us, not just to Galilee, but to heaven, and then back to earth again with complete resurrection victory. Jesus Himself gave them this Word in person. “Go and tell my brothers.” Tell them what? “They will see Me.” This is the news for you to receive and to pass on to others.

The Report of the Guard

Some run away from the light of resurrection, rather than running toward it. Remember the guard of soldiers who were supposed to keep that tomb dark? They went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. What had taken place? There was a great earthquake. A heavenly being descended from above. He looked like lightening with clothing as white as snow. He rolled back the stone, revealing an empty tomb! Jesus was gone! The soldiers trembled and became like dead men. The angel spoke to the women. That angel knew who they were looking for, Jesus. He knew that Jesus had been crucified. He pointed out to them that Jesus was not in that tomb, and he claimed that Jesus had risen from the dead, and that He would meet them in Galilee as He had promised. These shaken women had run off to tell the disciples, and the shocked soldiers went back to the authorities to find out what to do next.

They did not want the light of the risen Jesus. So they passed on a lie that had the logical problem of being an eyewitness account of a grave robbery from men who claimed that they had been sleeping at the time. There was money in telling that lie, and you got to keep your job and your life. Still wouldn't you rather admit the truth and find the Resurrection Man? Jesus is risen!

1. Do not grieve without hope. 2. Your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 3. Walk in the light.

OT Passage: Ezekiel 37:1-14