Message

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We thank and praise God for his amazing love through his Son Jesus Christ. The Son was betrayed, accused and tried falsely, mocked, crucified with much insult, finally forsaken by God and died. In this way God showed his love, sacrificial and sure. May we dwell in this love of God, live with the assurance of God’s love in any human circumstance and let his love be known. Happy Easter! People live and die. Their birthdays are celebrated and some great people’s deaths are commemorated. But as for Jesus, his birth and his resurrection are celebrated. The celebration of his resurrection is historically unique and will be until he comes again. So, once again, Happy Easter! Today we are going to study the resurrection of Jesus Christ written in Matthew’s gospel. Let’s pay attention to what the Bible says regarding Jesus’ resurrection so that we may clearly understand the written words of God and renew our faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. First, Jesus’ tomb secured in vain (27:62-28:4). Jesus died and was buried. When people defeat their enemies, they congratulate themselves on their victory. We could see how desperate the Jewish religious leaders were to do away with Jesus. In their desperate effort they manipulated the crowd and the Roman governor, causing the crucifixion and tragic death of Jesus. They accomplished what they wanted. They should have been full of a sense of victory. But this was not the case. What did they do after Jesus’ death and burial? Look at 27:62-63. On the Sabbath they went to Pilate, breaking the Sabbath Law. And going to Pilate again was their humiliation. Yet, they did not mind. This time they were very polite to Pilate, calling him “Sir.” It was because there was an unexpected worry in their hearts and they needed his help. They said, “We remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’” Wow! Their memory was excellent like a most updated computer. While Jesus’ disciples all forgot the words of Jesus’ prediction of his resurrection, they remembered his words. Once Jesus had spoken to them, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Mt 12:40). They were very smart and understood what Jesus said, which meant his resurrection after three days. While Jesus was alive, these words did not bother them much. But after his death, these words of Jesus really bothered them, probably even haunted them. They continued to say to Pilate, “So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” Out of ominous fear they were overly sensitive to what would happen to the dead body of Jesus buried in the tomb cut out of the rock. They worried that his disciples would come and steal the body. However, at that time the disciples, in the fear of the Jews, locked themselves in a dark room (Jn 20:19). They felt that their lives were at the end of a rope. So stealing the body of Jesus was unthinkable to the disciples. The chief priest and the Pharisees only expressed their extreme sensitivity and worry. What was Pilate’s response? Look at verse 65. “Take a guard.” Pilate answered. He did not hesitate even a second but immediately agreed with the chief priests and the Pharisees. It was because he probably had the same kind of fear and worry that the religious leaders had. On hearing the words of the religious leaders, his wife’s message must have echoed in his mind, “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” Yet, he did something with that innocent man. He could not deny it, though he had washed his hands as if he had done nothing. Hoping that nothing would happen to the tomb, Pilate said, “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” Pilate gave them the permission to do everything they could in securing the tomb. So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. In this Pilate and the chief priests collaborated very well in making the tomb secure. We are familiar with palace guards, temple guards, president or prime minister house guards, Parliament guards, but not with tomb guards. No one’s tomb needed guards unless there were treasures in the tomb. However, Jesus’ tomb was so unique that guards were posted at his tomb for the security purpose of no stealing of his body. Thus the tomb where Jesus was buried was made secure. Then what happened to the tomb secured with a seal and guards? The tomb was secured one night. The next day something truly amazing took place. Look at 28:1. Now it is after the Sabbath, Sunday. At dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. We don’t know whether they heard about the guards posted at the tomb. Anyway, they went to look at the tomb. They were a courageous pair of Marys. Matthew’s account has a focus on what happened at the tomb. Look at verses 2-4. “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. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.” What a scene! At the time of Jesus’ crucifixion and death darkness came over all the land and there was earthquake. In this way nature responded. Yet, heaven did not respond visibly. There was only silence from heaven, even when Jesus cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Now the situation was totally changed. There was a violent earthquake. This was not an ordinary earthquake. The cause of this earthquake was not earthly. Its cause is from heaven. Verse 2 says, “…for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and…rolled back the stone…” It is an indication that the violent earthquake was God’s direct involvement, an act of God with the appearing of an angel of the Lord. The angel rolled back the stone and sat on it. The angel’s sitting on the stone and the guards on post makes a contrast. Then what happened to the guards? The angel’s appearance was like lightning and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men, nonetheless to say being unable to do their duty of guarding. All human efforts to guard the tomb were of no use. The tomb was secured in vain. Now only the angel was keeping watch over the tomb. In this part we clearly see that God is not silent to the end at the evilness of man. God judged the evil power. When Jesus was crucified and dead, evil power seemed to win the victory. The chief priests and the Pharisees were so wicked that they called Jesus a deceiver, although in fact Jesus is the most honest and truthful person among all. They spoke whatever they wanted. For they themselves were men of falsity and deception. They thought they would win. But they were greatly mistaken. All evil human efforts become in vain and deadened before the power of Almighty God. In the Old Testament, a prophet Habakkuk complained to God, saying, “How long, O LORD…?...why do you tolerate wrong?...Why are you silent?...” (1:2,3,13). A Psalmist also had an agony when he saw the prosperity of the wicked. They looked healthy and strong and rich with no burdens of life (Ps 111:3-5), and God seemed to be silent, not watching and not knowing the happenings at all. When we look at the world, the situation seems to be the same. But we learn clearly that God is living, watching and knowing all. His seeming silence is erupted like a violent earthquake to make all the evilness of men deadened and inactive. Here we are encouraged to struggle all the more to live for the truth and righteousness before him, believing that the truth wins over evil. Second, “He has risen” (5-8). Then what comes next? Look at verses 5 and 6. “The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen just as he said. Come and see the place he lay.” Resurrection message was proclaimed by the angel from heaven. His tomb was empty. He has risen just he said. Now they could only see the place he lay, not the dead body of the person. “He has risen.” They say that more people are living on earth now than all the people that had been born and died since the world was made. So the number of those presently living outnumbers those that have died. Without doubt, all those that have once lived have died; no one could overcome the power of death. But Jesus rose again from the dead. No one could challenge the real enemy of mankind named death. However, Jesus challenged him and fought on a dual and triumphed over him, the worst of evil. The angel’s message was “He has risen.” When the women heard this message of Jesus’ resurrection, they were afraid yet filled with joy. As they hurried away from the tomb, suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus spoke to them. The resurrection of Jesus was not just done in the spiritual realm, defeating the power of death, the invisible Satan. It was also done in the physical realm, in the bodily form. He was the same one that was crucified and knew the women personally. The women even could clasp his feet. His feet and voice were real. There was an affectionate greeting (Good morning; rejoice) and Jesus spoke important words to them, “Go and tell…” Yet, being glorified, he became the true object of worship inside and out. In this world what can be greater than the new of Jesus’ resurrection? “He has risen.” “He has risen from the dead.” As for us we cannot see the risen Jesus face to face. But we can believe his resurrection through the words of the message. When we believe from our hearts, something wonderful happens in us. Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” When we believe, the resurrection of Jesus becomes real to us. We are saved from the power of death (and all the elements of death.) We come to have a living hope of eternal life and the kingdom of God. 1 Peter 1:3,4 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you.” In this world all human hopes end in death. Death brings the greatest sorrow to all people and makes them and fatalistic. Through his resurrection we can truly overcome human sorrow and fatalistic thinking over death, for we believe that we have eternal life in him. Through his resurrection we can believe that there is the kingdom of God in heaven beyond this world. When we believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from our hearts, the risen Jesus is true to us. He speaks to us and we can hear him. As he is alive, his words are alive and living. He comforts us, disciplines us and grows us in faith until we can overcome any and every circumstances and the world. With our faith in Jesus’ resurrection, we will see that all our adverse situations become deaden and new hopes arise. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is also the foundation of the future messianic kingdom. Through the study of Zechariah we learned that the LORD would be king over the whole earth. How can we be sure of this? It is because of the resurrection of Jesus. He died and rose again. The messianic kingdom is not something abstract. As Jesus’ resurrection was a real event in history, so will be the messianic kingdom, the kingdom of Christ. His rule of peace and righteousness will extend from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth (Zech 9:10; Isa 9:7). Matthew 24:14 says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then end will come.” As the Roman guards became like dead men at the power of Jesus’ resurrection, all nations will be gathered and subjected to him (Mt 25:22). It is written in Revelation 11:15, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he will reign for ever and ever.” Third, “Go and tell, and make disciples of all nations” (11-20). As we studied, the way God wants us to believe the resurrection of Jesus Christ is through the words of the resurrection message. The angel said to the women, “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.” Also, Jesus said to the women, “…Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” The message of Jesus’ resurrection must be delivered and told quickly and urgently. Now Matthew recorded something really vile and cunning. Verse 11 is written meaningfully. While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. The women went one way that was to spread the resurrection message; the guards went another way that was to block the resurrection message. These guards were different from the guards who guarded Jesus at his crucifixion. The guards at the cross of Jesus, seeing all things that had happened, were terrified and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God.” The guards at the tomb could have also exclaimed in the awesome fear and faith with the same kind of cry, “He is alive. Surely he is the Son of God.” They went to the chief priests, who fabricated a complete lie. They gave the soldiers a large sum of money and instructed them to spread a lie, “His disciples came during the night and stole him away while were still asleep.” When we carefully observe what they said, it is nonsense. If the guards had been asleep, how could they know who came to steal the dead body? We also see a contradiction of the chief priest. When they had asked for making the tomb secure, they seemed to worry that Jesus’ disciples would come and steal the body of Jesus spread a lie. But now they became the ones who had made the very lie and let it be spread widely by bribing the soldiers with hush money. The chief priest and the Pharisees were full of falsity and contradiction. Their only purpose was to suppress the truth of Jesus’ resurrection. However, what they did only supports the truthfulness of Jesus’ resurrection. But the surprising thing is that the story had been widely circulated among the Jews for more than 30 years. The similar kind of lying has been going on for the last 2000 years. Even now wicked people make every effort to get rid of the message of Jesus’ resurrection. It seems to work, because people tend to believe a comfortable lie than a revolutionary truth. Now the battle is not between the power of resurrection and the power of death, but between the truth and the lie. This was the reason the women were told repeatedly to go and tell. Because of this the risen Jesus gave his disciples a great commission when he met them. Matthew did not write in detail how his disciples responded at the news of Jesus’ resurrection. He only wrote that the disciples met the risen Jesus at the mountain in Galilee (Galilee of the Gentiles) and worshiped him, and they were commissioned. Jesus said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” The way to overcome the world of deception is disciple-making. It should be done in all nations. We believe that his promise of being with his disciples is still valid and effective because he has risen and he is now the Risen Christ. In his resurrection power and all his authority the kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ who died and rose again, as we carry out the great commission given by the risen Christ. We really thank and praise God for the resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord: “He has risen.” May we have absolute faith in his resurrection and live with resurrection faith in our practical life and engage in the spiritual battle for the message of the resurrection with the assurance of the victory of the truth and his kingdom.

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