Text – Matthew 28:6 (read vv. 1-8; Acts 1: 1-11)
INTRODUCTION –
The Holy Bible is the inerrant, unerring, word of GOD. It is the only book whose contents can be considered as absolute. In other words . . . what it says goes! Having said that, today I’m just going to present you with some scriptures found in the Holy Bible, and when I am finished with them I hope you will have the answer to today’s subject:
WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS?
“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; 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 is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” Matthew 28:1-7
“In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” Acts 1: 1-3 (NIV)
POINTS –
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- Mary saw the stone taken away and as she was running away she ran into Peter and John. She told them that they have taken the Lord and they don’t know where. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Joanna, and some other women (Luke 24:9-10) went to the tomb and discovered that Jesus was gone; the angel asked them why were they looking for the living among the dead, for Jesus had already risen.
- Matthew 28:1-10 gives us a little more detail. We see there that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary was there when the Angels rolled the stone away, and the guards dropped as dead men (expound).
- Verses 3-4 – Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre – Peter and John ran to the tomb.
- Verse 5 – John got there a little ahead of Peter, looked in the tomb, saw the linen clothes on the floor, but he did not go in (expound).
- Verses 6-7 – Then cometh Simon Peter following him. Peter got to the tomb and proceeded to go inside (expound).
- Verses 8-9 – “Then went in also that other disciple . . .”
- The Guards witnessed the angel of the Lord rolling the stone away and then sitting on it.
- Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Joanna, and some other women (Luke 24:9-10) went to the tomb and discovered that Jesus was gone; the angel asked them why were they looking for the living among the dead, for Jesus had already risen.
- Mary went running to Peter and John and told them that: “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” (John 20:1)
- Peter and John took off running for the tomb. John got there first and looked inside and saw the strips of linen lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (John 20:6-8)
- As the women were going to tell the disciples what had happened, Jesus met them, saw Mary crying, and asked her why was she crying and who was she looking for (She did recognize that it was Jesus). Mary thought that He was the gardener and asked Him that if he took Jesus away would he please tell her where he was. When Jesus called Mary by name, she knew who He was. After telling them not to be afraid, Jesus told them to go and tell His brothers to go to Galilee and they will see Him there.
- Later on that evening, the disciples were in the house with the door locked for fear of what the Jewish leaders might do (John 20:19), they looked up and there stood this man who said “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” Then He showed them His hands and side, and they were overjoyed when they saw that it was Jesus.
- Thomas was not with them when Jesus appeared, and when the disciples told him what happened he said that he would not believe until he could put his fingers where the nails were, and his hand in His side. 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.
CONCLUSION –
I can continue to read account after account of Jesus’ resurrection. Beloved, listen, there are many people who are still choosing to go along with stories made up by men who refuse to believe in the resurrection of Jesus. We still have a government that has not declared Easter as a legal Holiday, people who still call Easter a pagan Holiday because it does occur the same time all the time. There are those who do not consider Easter a holiday because there is no mention of it in the Bible. We even have those who still believe the lie that the guards told about Jesus’ disappearance. The devil hopes that by not making Easter a holiday that might make its’ importance go away.
But for those of us who believe that the Holy Bible is indeed the written word of GOD and that it’s word are true; You can call this day Easter, Resurrection Day, a Pagan Holiday, or you can choose to ignore it all together. But according to the word of GOD, there is one thing for certain: When they entered the tomb where Jesus was laid, they had this to say . . . HE IS NOT HERE; HE HAS RISEN!
JESUS ROSE! I don’t care what day it was, I don’t care what day of the week it was, Jesus was not there . . . Jesus rose! I don’t care what day you want to call it:
JESUS WAS NOT THERE . . . JESUS ROSE!