I know that it might feel like I’ve misunderstood the calendar today. We’re actually still a month away from Easter, and yet this morning, we’re looking at Matthew’s account of Jesus’ resurrection. The way this is typically supposed to happen is that I’m supposed to preach and focus on something other than the resurrection, saving our focus on the resurrection for four Sundays from now. However, we know that the death and resurrection of Christ cannot be contained to an annual celebration but must be the focus of what we think about and do as we worship. The reason we worship on Sunday (as opposed to any other day of the week), after all, is because this is the day of the week when the Lord rose from the dead, and has from that time on been known as the “Lord’s Day.” So, there’s never a Sunday in which the resurrection is out of our minds as we gather for worship. Therefore, even though we will focus again on the resurrection on Easter Sunday in a few weeks, we’re not going to wait till then, but we’re going to consider Matthew’s account of the resurrection this morning as we look at Matthew 28:1-15.
And it is a glorious story. In fact, this morning I simply want to walk through the elements of this dramatic story, especially highlighting some of the unique elements in Matthew’s account of the resurrection, and seeking to show what it means for us along the way. And just for good measure I’m going to alliterate these headings, which is something that I never do. But as I discussed the points of the sermon with the interns, Adam Lang transformed my mundane points into alliterated (even if still mundane) points, so I’m going to run with it. So, if you love alliteration, all credit to him. If you hate it, focus your displeasure toward me. What do we see then in Matthew’s account of Jesus’ resurrection?
First, we see the power of the resurrection. We read that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb, and we know from Mark’s gospel that they were coming to the tomb in hopes of anointing Jesus’ body with some spices. And in all the other gospel accounts we simply read that they show up, the stone is rolled away, and Jesus’ body is gone. But Matthew gives us a glimpse of the dramatic way in which this had happened in verses 2-4, which I think is given to us as a bit of a flashback.
In other words, I don’t think Matthew is telling us that the women walk up on the angel descending, the earthquake, etc. I think he’s telling us what happened just prior to their arrival. And what he tells us is dramatic. On that Easter Sunday morning there had been a great earthquake as an angel from heaven descended on the site of the tomb, rolling away the stone as he arrived. The angel’s appearance was so majestic that he shone like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. And, upon seeing him, the guards were (obviously) overwhelmed and trembled in fear to the point that they “became like dead men” (v. 4), which probably means that they fainted.
Now, when the women arrived, they anticipated a sealed tomb, housing Jesus’ dead body. In fact, we know from Mark’s gospel again that they were actually trying to figure out how they were going to anoint Jesus’ body with these spices, saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb” (Mar 16:3). But what they saw when they arrived was nothing like what they expected. The stone was already rolled away and sitting on top of it was this glorious angel, saying, “Do not be afraid, for 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” (vv. 5-6).
And in that moment, everything was changed, the story’s ending had been unveiled. Before this moment, we’d seen Jesus submitting himself to the powers of those who thought they were greater than him. He’d sat silently while men mocked him, spat him, beat him, belittled him, and crucified him. He’d resisted calling down the 72,000 angels he could have called to come to his aid. His great and majestic power and glory had been veiled, hidden from all those who truly believed they were greater than him. But no more.
God was giving us a glimpse of his power in the resurrection. Just one of the legions of angels who exist to serve the Lord had descended in such glory as to cause the guards to be like dead men, had made the earth quake, and had moved the stone so that it might be made clear to all that the tomb was empty. And just for good measure, showing off a bit, Matthew tells us that he decided to sit on the stone as he waited for these ladies to show up (v. 2).
But the power and majesty of the angel and his work is simply to highlight the power and majesty of what took place—Jesus had risen from the dead. And, as I mentioned, this changed everything. Darkness, judgment, and death had been heralded from heaven on that Friday, but Easter Sunday morning was announcing loud and clear, death will not have the last word.
A few weeks ago as Lou shared her testimony on Sunday night, she mentioned that she’d always loved happy endings, and then she powerfully proclaimed before us that her life has a happy ending because Christ is returning, glorifying his people, and bringing us home. She’s right, and the resurrection of Christ was the first act of that glorious coming new creation. His resurrection was the first of many to come. His body, no longer affected by pain, sickness, or death was the first of many bodies that will be raised and glorified. His resurrection sent the message that death will not be the last word for us as well.
Brothers and sisters, here’s what the resurrection means for you: it means that the disease you’re battling will not have the last word, the dissolution of your marriage will not be the last word, the pain you’ve faced with the rebellion of your children will not be the last word, the battle you know day-in and day-out with your own sin will not have the last word, the discouragement and depression that takes hold of you at times will not have the last word, and your death will not have the last word because the last word wasn’t sounded on that Friday as Jesus hung from the cross, crying out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” There was a word spoken by the Father on Easter Sunday morning as he spoke life into Jesus’ dead body so that he took it up from the grave and out of the tomb, and that means that you and I will be raised on that day as the Lord descends and tells us to get out of our graves and spend a glorious eternity with him. Matthew wants us to see the power of the resurrection.
But we also see,
We shouldn’t be surprised to see that Matthew makes Jesus the centerpiece of this story as well. The angel tells the women that the tomb is empty and Jesus isn’t here, but Jesus does show up. The women are given instructions by the angel, as he says, “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” (v. 7). And then, as they’re going, needing no more words of instruction (after all they’ve not only been told what to do, but they’re also doing it), Jesus shows up.
Now, we need to notice a few things before noticing the most important thing. First, Jesus shows up very nonchalantly, saying, “Greetings.” I mean, I don’t know what would be more appropriate to say if you’ve died and been raised from the dead and then run into someone you know, but I guess I anticipate something spectacular. But we don’t get that from Jesus. Then again, he did tell them beforehand that this would happen.
Second, we are reminded again that Jesus isn’t less than a man, but he is more than that. In Matthew 4, when Satan was tempting him, Jesus made clear to Satan that God alone was worthy of being worshiped. But here, as the ladies see him, we’re told, “And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him” (v. 9), and he didn’t rebuke them. That is, he is not just a man, but he is the God-man, God the Son incarnate, and he knows he is (and he knows he’s worthy of worship!).
But third, we see the amazing grace of our Lord Jesus. Think of the last thing that happened with his disciples. They abandoned him, and Peter denied even knowing him three different times. Talk about being in a moment full of regret. Peter and the others I don’t imagine could feel lower. Talk about beating yourself up. Imagine what must have been going through Peter’s mind when he kept remembering what he’d done, that Jesus had before told him he would do it, and that Peter had told him he’d be willing to die before denying him. And there he’d been, swearing that he didn’t know Jesus. If anyone knows they’re worthy of being cast off as a people not worthy of being Jesus’ followers, this group qualifies.
Yet the angel’s words to the women had been, “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” (v. 7). The first instructions after the resurrection were words of comfort and acceptance to a group that had proven themselves unworthy of such acceptance.
But that’s not enough for Jesus. He wants to assure. So, yes, the women are obeying, as they depart quickly and are running to tell his disciples, filled with “fear and great joy,” but Jesus wants more for them than that. He wants them to realize that they don’t have to be filled with fear, so he appears to them on their way, saying to them, “Do not be afraid” (v. 10). And he wants his disciples to know that he doesn’t just think of them as his followers but as his very own brothers, saying, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me” (v. 10).
Brothers and sisters, that’s our Lord. That’s how loving and gracious and merciful he is. That’s how much he loves us. He doesn’t just forgive and accept us, he wants us to know that and then hear, “And you’re mine. You’re my brother (or sister).” He has more kindness and gentleness and graciousness and love and mercy toward us than we can comprehend. And here he is, giving himself to (not removing himself from) his disciples, in all his kindness and love and grace.
Here’s the main point. If you could have asked those women early on that Sunday morning as they were walking to the tomb what they most wanted, what do you think they would have said? If you could have asked his disciples, what they could be given in that moment that they most wanted, I wonder what they would have said. Perhaps they would have said that they would just like an opportunity to go back and do some things differently. Maybe Peter would’ve said, “I’d just like a chance to go back and not say what I said, not do what I did, but instead to boldly testify that I knew him.” Perhaps the others would say, “I’d like a chance to go back and instead of fleeing, stay close at his side.” Maybe they’d say, “I just wish I could go back and stay awake as he was praying in the garden.” Maybe they would say that what they wanted most was for the pain, sorrow, and depression that feels like it’s wrenching the life from them every time they think of the darkness and disappointment that filled these last couple of days to just go away. But what they got that Easter Sunday morning was even better. They got Jesus, risen from the dead. Jesus appears to let and lets them take hold of his feet and worship him. He tells them they’re his brothers. The disciples get to go forward knowing that Jesus is alive and he is giving himself to them as their delight and object of devotion and service.
And I want to say to you, as you may be sitting there thinking that what you want most is to be able to go back and take back one moment or one decision in your life, or wish you had a chance to do something differently or undo something, or wish that the Lord would have just given you different circumstances in your life, that the Lord has given you something more. He’s given you himself. This risen Jesus Christ, who is filled with so much love, grace, gentleness, kindness, and goodness that he stops the women to make sure they’re not afraid and wants his disciples to know they’re his brothers, has given himself to you. When you’re lonely, he’s there with you. When you’re afraid, he gives himself to comfort you. When you’re hurt, he is with you to care for you.
Don’t miss Jesus in this text, who he is, and that he’s our Lord, calling us his brothers and sisters. So many times, we judge our lot in life by our circumstances, but our lot in life is to belong to Christ, be loved by him, and to get to know, fellowship with, devote ourselves to, and love him. The resurrection reminds us that we have the risen Christ.
And, finally, we see,
Matthew shows us that the resurrection causes a problem. We see this in verses 11-15. The problem is with the chief priests, who’d already declared that Jesus was a charlatan, had deceived people with his claims, and was worthy of the death sentence that they’d handed him over to Rome to carry out. But now, all of the sudden, some of the guards are standing in front of them, telling them that a powerful angel had descended from heaven, caused an earthquake by his very arrival, rolled back the stone, and that Jesus had been raised from the dead.
Now imagine what an opportunity it is for these men to fall to their knees in repentance, saying, “He really was the Son of God, the promised King, and the Messiah.” After all, they’d mocked Jesus just a few hours earlier, as he was hanging on the cross, saying, “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” (27:42). But, as they’re going to show, that was an empty claim, for when they were presented with something greater than Jesus coming down from the cross—actually rising from the dead—their response isn’t repentance and faith but a refusal to believe and a great attempt to make sure the truth didn’t get out.
They gave the guards a great sum of money, telling them to lie if asked what happen, saying that the disciples came and stole away Jesus’ body as they were sleeping. They told them not to worry about the governor’s displeasure because if necessary they’d pay him off too.
But do you see what’s going on here? The resurrection has caused these men a problem because they don’t want to believe in and follow Jesus. They’d already solidified themselves in their stance against Jesus, and they weren’t going to move. Even the news that he’d been raised only served to deepen them in their resistance to him and rebellion against him.
This serves as a helpful reminder to us that the reason people don’t trust in the crucified and risen Lord isn’t because they just haven’t been given enough evidence or need more questions answered. The reason people don’t believe in Jesus is because they’ve hardened their hearts before him, in the words of Paul in Romans 1, suppressing what they know to be true in their unrighteousness.
Unbelief doesn’t stem from an inability to mentally comprehend the nature of the resurrection. It stems from a heart that doesn’t want to believe it to be true. For if Christ is raised, then he must be believed and obeyed.
But here’s the good news. Though men are hardened in their moral rebellion against the Lord and don’t want to the believe to the point that Scripture describes unbelievers as being dead in their sins, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is so powerful that merely declaring it to people is powerful enough to bring them to life. That is, when Paul says that the gospel is the power of God to salvation, he means that the mere declaration of the obedient life, sin-bearing death, and justifying resurrection of Jesus Christ is powerful enough to cause people who are dead in their sins to all of the sudden come alive, see the glory of Christ, believe that he is Lord, and follow him. So, if you’re hear this morning, and life and believe is now stirring where there was only death and unbelief, rejoice, for the Lord is working powerfully through the message of his gospel, and you need to profess your faith in Christ in baptism.
And to those of us who already know Christ, what a reminder that we have been privileged to proclaim this message that carries resurrecting power with it. May we be faithful to do so and to live each day delighting in the gift that is our crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.