THE RISEN KING – MATTHEW 28:1-15 April 19 & 20, 2014

MAIN IDEA: Jesus’ resurrection proves that He fully paid for our salvation.

TEXT: Matthew 28:1-15 MEMORY VERSE: Matthew 28:6

THE KING ON A CROSS. :33-49. Kings are found in palaces and living in opulence. The last place you would expect to find a king is on a cross. Yet here is the King of kings, the ruler of the universe hanging on a cross of rough wood, beaten, bleeding, mocked, and left to die.

THE DEATH OF KING JESUS. Matthew 27:50-54. Matthew records several miracles that took place at the time Jesus was on the cross and when He died.

Ø Matthew 27:45. The sky was dark for three hours. There was no volcanic eruption like Pompeii in 79AD, neither was this an eclipse because Passover is during the full moon. Yet darkness descended on the area from noon until 3pm. Ø Matthew 27:51. The veil was torn which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in the temple.

The significance of this would include: o The old system of sacrifice was done away with. As far as God was concerned, the old age had ended and a new age had begun. o Jesus’ offering of Himself was the perfect and final sacrifice. Nothing more needs to be done or can be done to reconcile sinful men and women to God. o Those who believe in Christ can approach God directly. Hebrews 10:17-23

Ø Matthew 27:51. The shaking of the earth. Earthquakes are not miraculous but the timing of this one was. Just as the earth shook when God gave the Law at Sinai, the earth shook at Calvary. John 1:17 Ø Matthew 27:54. Here is probably the greatest miracle of all when a Roman soldier makes a profession of faith.

THE BURIAL OF KING JESUS. Matthew 27:55-61. The clearly states Jesus’ burial: 1) The burial proves that Jesus was really dead. 2) His burial fulfilled Scripture, which probably refers to Joseph of Arimathea who was a rich man. Isaiah 53:9

Matthew 27:62-66. Pilate may have been mocking the Jewish leaders in his talk about a guard to watch a dead man.

What were they to do? They did what they could. They sealed the stone that had been rolled across the mouth of the tomb. No one would dare to break their seal and they posted guards from the same company that had arrested Jesus in the garden. These were their men and they could be trusted!

Everything seemed to be in order as the hours and a couple of days rolled by. All seemed well until – THE RESURRECTION OF KING JESUS. Jesus and foretold of His resurrection but none of His followers understood or believed this. Matthew 28:1-10. Verses 1-2 – This was the 2nd earthquake in three days (27:51). God is moving and the earth is quaking! The epicenter of this earthquake is at the tomb. What caused this quake? Matthew 28:2. When this hit the garden, the earth shook. The angel rolled the stone away to reveal the Lord was no longer there, NOT to let Jesus out of the tomb as some have assumed. Just like in :26.

Can you imagine the Jewish leaders? From their perspective, they are preventing any supposed resurrection, but little do they realize that their efforts only validate His resurrection. Now there are eye-witnesses – their own soldiers. What a sight – the angel descends while the earth is shaking, he rolls back the stone on an and sits on the stone.

Matthew 28:2-3. This “lightning” and “white as snow” refer to the glory of God upon this angel (like Moses). This beautiful, glorious, glowing, pure, holy being is sitting on the stone as witness to the risen Christ – God’s assigned witness.

Matthew 28:4. The guards quaked just like the earth quaked – same root word. The earth stopped quaking, but the guards kept quaking. They were so frightened that they appeared unconscious due to sheer terror. What a contrast between those who loved Jesus and those who hated Him. Those who loved Him were frightened at first but were quickly comforted – Matthew 28:5-7. But the soldiers were another story – they had reason to fear.

CONCLUSION. The resurrection means many things:

1. The resurrection affirms the truth of Scripture. Jesus said He would rise and He did just as He said.

2. The resurrection means that Jesus is the Son of God as He claimed to be, and that He has power over death.

3. The resurrection proves that salvation is complete. On the cross He conquered sin and death and hell and rose victorious.

4. The resurrection proves that the church is established. :18. Death could not stop Him from building His church.

5. The resurrection proves that judgment is coming. The King and Judge is alive. He has power to raise the dead at the judgment where some will enter into eternal life and other will be sent to eternal judgment.

6. The resurrection proves that heaven is waiting. John 14:1-6

7. Our Lord’s resurrection is the foundation of our hope. John 11:25-26

Charles Spurgeon, “Upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die, I risk my whole eternity and the resurrection is the why.”

NEXT WEEK: The opposition.