An Obituary Written Too Soon Series

OBITUARIES – An Obituary Written Too Soon

Matthew 27:57-28:7 April 20, 2025

The Burial of Jesus

57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb

62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 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.”

65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

Jesus Has Risen

28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2 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. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 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.”

Introduction:

After Jesus raises Lazarus from the grave we’re told that some of the witnesses head immediately to the Pharisees and “tell them what Jesus had done.”

It’s almost like the gossip that can’t wait to get home and get on the phone...it reminds me of the 3 ministers who went on a fishing trip with each other...

[And after a couple of days while they were out in the boat together...one minister said “I feel really close to you guys and the Bible says we’re to confess our sins to one another...and I’ve got to tell you every once in a while I like to take a little drink of whiskey. The second preacher said, “I feel the same and every once in a while I like to put a bet or two on the horses.” And the 3rd minister got really excited and said, “Men you don’t know how much I appreciate your honest, because I like to gossip and I can’t wait to get home.”]

These folks that go from Lazarus’ resurrection to the Pharisees know exactly what will happen when this news is conveyed...for over 3 years the Pharisees have progressively gotten more hostile toward Jesus. His blunt honesty and popularity cause jealousy and hatred to flow from almost every question and conversation He has with them. So, when these Pharisees call a meeting of the Jewish leadership called the Sanhedrin, here’s what their leader proposes...

JOHN 11:48-53

48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

The obituary Caiaphas had in mind for Jesus of Nazareth: ”Carpenter dies suspicious death so that all the nation of Israel can be united.”