Sermon: 12 April 2020 (Easter Celebration) - Matthew 28:1-10, “Just as He Said”
“He is not here,
for He has risen, as He said
Why do you seek the living
among the dead?
He is not here
He is risen.
Come, see the place where He lay.”
Matthew 28:6
Brothers & Sisters in Christ,
Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!.
What a surprise it must have been for the women when they met the angel who spoke those words at the tomb. Expecting to find Jesus’ body and finish preparing it for a proper burial, it must have been a somber walk to the tomb in the dark that morning. One can only imagine how life had been for them over the past couple of days. Having seen the praise of Jesus at His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem just a week prior this was the last thing they would have expected to be doing this day. After being with Jesus, hearing His preaching and teaching they knew He was the Christ, the Son of the Living God! And the Christ of God, the Messiah, doesn’t die. Not the Messiah they were expecting anyway.
The Messiah the Jews expected, and the one Jesus disciples expected for that matter, was going to sit on the throne of David. He was going to restore Israel’s fortunes. Rome would be expelled from Israel. A free nation once again they would live under the good King, the good Messiah that God would provide. The restoration of an earthly kingdom with earthly blessings was what they expected. And Jesus’ death had ended their hopes. There was no way a dead man could restore them. Their hopes were lost. It was all over.
But they loved Jesus and they knew He had loved them. So off to the tomb they went to do the only thing they could. They would prepare His body with spices for the tomb.
God’s Word Prevailed that First Easter
It’s in the Gospel of Mark we learn that the Women hadn’t thought about the problem they would face. The tomb was sealed and would have to be opened. How would they do it? But here in Matthew we find the answer. As they were on their way, lost in their grief a great sign from God came to them, an earthquake. Our text reminds us that those guards posted by the ruling council were met with an earthquake and an angel of God that rolled open the tomb in their sight. You can only imagine the fear and astonishment the guard felt that morning. Here, in the presence of God’s holy angel, they were filled with fear. The text simply says they became “like dead men.”
The angel then addresses the women as they arrive. He comforts them with His words, words that ought to have reminded the women of their error. He says to them, “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.” (Matthew 28:5)
Fear? Sure, they were afraid. This angel had shown great power. He arrived out of nowhere. He had been in God’s presence and was bright as lightning and wore clothing white as snow. He was holy. The women were not. When one confronts God’s holiness, as in this angel, fear is the normal human reaction. And not only that, the angel arrived with a great earthquake. He had power! Fear was everywhere, in the guards and the women.
But the angel had quite a different message for them. He comforts and consoles them. He doesn’t chastise them for their lack of memory of what Jesus had told them, but he does remind them of it. “He is not here, for he has risen…” is all the angel says.
Good news announced to the grieving fearful women. “He has risen!” is the proclamation of the day. And more than that, this is exactly what Jesus had said would happen. “Do not be afraid,” because there was never a need to be afraid. Jesus had said on many occasions this would happen. He would be handed over to the authorities. They would kill Him and on the third day He would rise again. But, when the day of trouble came and Jesus was taken, fear filled Jesus’ disciples’ hearts and they forgot His promise.
The Angel of God, that first Easter was reminding the disciples that Jesus Word had foretold His victorious resurrection. The Angel of God was reminding them that they could trust Jesus’ Word. His promises were always kept, always true. Jesus had said He would rise, you need not look for a dead body but for a living man. Jesus, the Christ of God, has risen and in so doing has defeated the power of sin, death and the devil. The words of the angel that first Easter were words of comfort and peace to the sad and grieving followers of Jesus. God’s Word had prevailed. It was victorious!
God’s Word Prevails in our World Today and Always
And here we are nearly 2,000 years later. We’re in times that have been unknown for a long, long time. We’re hearing of and being warned of sickness and death all around us. People are having all sorts of reactions, everything from total disbelief to total seclusion. Government officials are warning that if we don’t take action to isolate ourselves from one another there will be a terrible disaster among us from this virus. Fear is often what people are feeling. Fear of passing on the virus or even causing the death of another person if we spread the disease, or fear of contracting and dying from the disease ourselves.
Fear turns us in on ourselves separating us from one another and from God. The message of that angel is appropriate for us this day, too. On Easter, who are you looking for, a dead man in a grave or a living man, a living God who rescues you from the power of sin, death and the devil?
This virus is real. It has caused terrible sickness and death around the world. It has brought economic havoc on much of our world. And, at least for a time, we do have to be separated from one another. And yet, today, we hear the words of the angel, “Do not be afraid, He is not here for He has risen, just as He said.”
These are words of hope for us. They are words that remind us of God’s great power, Jesus power over death. We need not be afraid. His Words have power to change things. That little snippet from the angel, “…just as He said...” is a reminder to us that He has all things fully under control.
Yes, we need to be in His Word, learning it and taking it to heart, remembering it. The Holy Spirit will be there working through that Word to bring and strengthen faith in our lives. That angel reminds us we can absolutely trust all of God’s promises, like in 1 John 1: 8-9, where God speaks through St John, “if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us, If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Promises we can rely on. Promises that are assured through that empty tomb the very first Easter morn.
And we can trust all of God’s promises for us, especially His promise of resurrection to life for all who believe. St. Paul reminds us of that in the great “Resurrection Chapter” of the Bible, 1st Corinthians 15. Here St. Paul assures the saints of Jesus resurrection and because of that, our own resurrection to eternal life through faith in Him. St. Paul writes, “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” (1 Cor. 15:52b) Just as Jesus had told his disciples He would rise and it happened, so also He promises we, who repent and believe, will also rise to eternal life with Him. We need not fear. We need not waiver in our faith. Our souls can rest in His Word of promise, being soothed with the Gospel.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus died for your sins and mine on Good Friday. But that is not the end of the story. Jesus did not stay in the tomb. It could not contain Him. It did not have power over Him.
Jesus is victorious. He has defeated the power of sin, death and the devil. And He gives that victory to us through faith in Him and His merits. Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Amen.