Come & See! Go & Tell!

“COME & SEE! GO & TELL!” Matthew 28:1-7

FBCF – 4/20/25

Jon Daniels

INTRO – 2 things we’ve been praying about for today:

That those who are here today who have never truly trusted in Christ alone for their salvation will be blown away by the love, GRACE, & mercy of God & be saved today.

- Those who are relying on their good works

- Those who are counting on their family’s spiritual heritage

- Those who are relying on their baptism or

- Those who are counting on their religious activities

Man, woman, boy, or girl – it’s my prayer that you would trust the risen Savior, Jesus Christ, to save you today! You can call out to Him right now & He will save you!

That those who know Christ will also be blown away by the love of God in a fresh, new way & renew their passion for living for Him.

- Those whose fire for Jesus has been dying down

- Those whose commitment to Jesus has been slipping

- Those whose obedience to Jesus has been faltering

- Those who are walking faithfully w/ Jesus right now

Man, woman, boy, or girl – it’s my prayer that you will fall in love w/ Jesus again today, that you won’t be satisfied w/ just a status quo commitment to Him, that you’ll spend the rest of your life worshiping, serving, & glorifying Him in every way.

EXPLANATION – Matthew 28:1-7

APPLICATION – It’s all about Jesus! So, come & see:

“COME & SEE”

THE CROSS – A Cruel Cross

The terror of the cross – Jesus in Garden of Gethsemane – Prayed 3 times, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.” The cup was the cup of suffering & the wrath of God that was about to be poured on Jesus for the sins of all mankind.” In this blood-producing prayer, we see the humanity of Jesus on full display. He knew what awaited Him – the terror of a Roman crucifixion - & His flesh was recoiling from it.

The Persians created crucifixion, but the Romans perfected it as a slow, painful, gruesome, humiliating means of execution. In fact, our English word “excruciating” comes from the word “crucifixion.” Although it was an approved, frequent means of execution by the Romans, even some of their own leaders knew how horrible it was. Roman statesman Cicero described it as “a most cruel & disgusting punishment.”

The torture of the cross – Jesus knew of the terror of the cross. And He knew of the torture of the cross. The Romans knew just how to make the torture as intense as possible.

- They knew how to scourge the person

- They made Him carry cross – 100 lb crossbeam

- They perfected the nails/spikes (7 in long – 3/8 in diameter)…where to drive them in wrists & feet/ankles for maximum pain…how to ensure that wrists would dislocate, then elbows, then shoulders (Ps. 22:14 – “…all my bones are out of joint.”)

The truth of the cross – Jesus died – PERIOD! Bible teacher J. Vernon McGee letter from listener: “Our preacher said that on Easter Jesus just swooned on the cross & the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think?” Reply: “Dear sister, beat your preacher w/ a leather whip. Nail him to a cross. Hang him in the sun for 6 hours. Run a spear through his heart. Embalm him. Put him in an airless tomb for 3 days. Then see what happens.” (https://gracequotes.org/?s=easter)

Jesus didn’t swoon or faint or black out. He died. His heart stopped pumping…lungs stopped breathing…brain stopped functioning. He died – He was killed, slain, executed, deceased.

Common sense supports that truth. The raw brutality of the moment speaks to that truth. But I’d rather rely on the truth of Scripture:

- Mark 15:37 – “And Jesus uttered a loud cry & breathed His last.”

- Luke 23:46 – “Then Jesus, calling out w/ a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hand I commit my spirit!’ And having said this, He breathed His last.”

- Acts 2:23 – Peter: “…this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan & foreknowledge of God, you crucified & killed by the hands of lawless men.”

- Acts 7:52 – Stephen: “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered…”

- Acts 13:28-29 – Paul – “And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.”