An Announcement From The Women.

An announcement from the women.

Matthew 28:7 08/06/03

Jesus has now been crucified and the 11 disciples are together. Wonder what they are thinking? We really cannot know for sure but from a previous study of the life of Peter we can have a pretty good guess about what he is thinking. No doubt many things were running through his mind but one thing must have been, why did I deny him? At a time when he needed a friend so badly, I let him down. Peter loved Jesus better than he loved life but wasn’t there when Jesus needed him. He must have been so ashamed of himself and very disappointed in himself.

So, the one the 11 had put so much dependence in to deliver them from the strong arm of Rome was dead. Was this going to be the end? Would Peter ever be happy again? Even if God forgave him, would he ever be able to forgive himself?

But then the first Easter Sunday came. That day which the whole gospel message is dependent on. It was also the day that lifted the dark veil from the soul of Peter’s heart. Before he lay his head down on his pillow that night, the burden of his soul would be lifted.

Can you remember the day when you lay down for the night rest, the burden of your soul had been lifted through faith in Jesus? Man I can. Twenty-six years ago I went to Peter’s Creek Baptist Church loaded down with all the burdens that sin can lay on the soul. About 12 noon I said I believe Jesus died for my sin, I accept him as my savior , and immediately I was adopted into the family of God. I have never gotten over that.

So, Easter Sunday morning brought healing and made the heart of Peter joyful and New hope . Life again now seems different for Peter.

Let’s look into our text tonight I have titled the announcement from the women.

Women were the first to come to the tomb on the first Easter morning. What they found at the tomb must have been totally unexpected. Jesus wasn’t in the tomb. An angel in formed them that Jesus had risen from the dead. The angel also gave them a message to give to the disciples.

When we compare the gospel accounts, the women were told to give Peter and the disciples a message with four parts. They were to give them use first of all THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS. The most important thing the women told Peter and the other disciples that Easter Sunday was Jesus is risen from the dead. That is found in Matthew 28: 7. Without this part of the message the other parts of the message would be worthless and meaningless. You remove the resurrection from a message and everything falls apart. Because of the importance of the resurrection Satan will attack that part of the message. While the women were telling the story of the resurrection, Satan was also giving his message to raise doubt. Look at Matthew 28: 11 -- 13, 15.

We see not only the resurrection of Jesus but also THE REVIEWING ABOUT JESUS.

What the women told the 11 included a reviewing about what Jesus had said to the disciples about the crucifixion and resurrection. This account is found in Luke 24: 6 -- 9. “Remember how he spoken to you when he was yet in Galilee , saying, the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

Now this put a new perspective on the crucifixion and the resurrection. The disciples had looked at the crucifixion as defeat and hopeless. Now they see it was always in the plan of God and a must for the salvation of man. Jesus would have them to support their faith on his word.

We see not only the resurrection of Jesus and the reviewing about Jesus but also THE RENDEZVOUS WITH JESUS.

Another part of the announcement the women gave the disciples is about the disciples having a meeting with Jesus in Galilee. In Mark 16: 7, Jesus said, “tell the disciples that he goes before you into Galilee; their shall you see him, as he said unto you.” This meeting in Galilee was going to be important because it was there they received a great commission to go into the world making disciples. But this meeting was going to be sometime after the resurrection. From your study, you already know that the disciples saw Jesus on the day of the resurrection.

Finally, we see THE REASSURANCE FROM JESUS. This was a great thrill for Peter. In mark 16: 7 we are told that the women were to go tell the disciples and Peter. The reassurance that Peter was still one of the disciples. The meaning is to tell the disciples and especially Peter.