Good News From The Graveyard

Matthew 28:5-8 (KJV)

5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

THE WORD OF GOD FOR THE CHILDREN OF GOD

TOPIC – GOOD NEWS FROM THE GRAVEYARD

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS

GRAVEYARDS ARE NOT USALLY ASSOCIATED WITH JOY AND HOPE

BECAUSE IF YOU ARE DEPRESSED AND FEELING BAD

ONE OF THE LEAST LIKELY PLACES IN WHICH YOU WOULD CONSIDER FINDING RELIEF AND A PEACE OF MIND IS THE GRAVEYARD

EVEN WHEN WE LOOK AT

THE GREAT SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES THAT HAVE DONE SO MUCH TO REVOLUTIONIZE OUR DAILY LIVING

HAS BEEN MADE IN ALL KINDS OF PLACES AND UNDER ALL KINDS OF CIRCUMSTANCES

BUT THERES IS NOTHING OF SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE HAS EVER BEEN FOUND IN A GRAVEYARD

EVEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE GREAT BATTLES OF HISTORY THAT HAVE BEEN FOUGHT IN ALL KIND OF PLACES

ON LAND –ON THE SEA –IN THE AIR , ON THE PLAINS –ON MOUNTIANS AND IN VALLEYS EVEN IN GREAT CITIES

HOWEVER NO GREAT BATTLES HAVE EVER BEEN FOUGHT IN A GRAVEYARD

SO IF YOU WANT TO SEE SOMETHING OF SIGNIFICANCE OR HEAR SOMETHING GOOD

THE LAST PLACE THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER LOOKING IS THE GRAVEYARD

AFTER ALL GRAVEYARDS ARE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE PASS AWAY

AND WE KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE PASS AWAY DON`T MOVE OR SPEAK

AND IF THEY DID

I DON`T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT WOULD`NT STAY AROUND LONG ENOUGH

TO SEE WHAT THEY MIGHT DO OR HEAR WHAT THEY MIGHT SAY

BUT EASTER IS GOOD NEWS THAT COMES FROM A GRAVEYARD

IN THE TEXT NOTICE WHAT THE ANGEL TOLD THEM SISTERS

WHO CAME TO THE SEPULCHRE

HE GIVES THEM A WORD OF COMFORT

YOU SEE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS

The angels informed these that they knew there purpose in coming to the grave.

But Notice that the angel identifies Jesus Christ as the One who "was crucified,", and as "Jesus of Nazareth"

IN OTHER WORDS

. In identifying Christ as being crucified,

the angel gives a clear testimony that Jesus Christ did indeed die on the cross.

And by testifying that Jesus was from Nazareth, the angel gives clear testimony as to the lowly home of Christ.

Christ came to earth the first time in humility.

He will come the second time in honor—great glory indeed!

It was the cross before the crown, however.

And this order is the same order for us, too.

It is humility before honor,

testing before triumph,

faithfulness in the lowly before promotion to a higher position,

devotion before revelation, and obedience before reward.

**********************************

WELL NOT ONLY DOES THE ANGELS GIVES THESE SISTERS A WORD OF COMFORT

BUT THE TEXT ALSO REVEALS THAT HE GIVES THEM

A Word of Clarification

"He is not here; for he is risen

The angel invited the women to look into the inner burial chamber and see the place where he LAID.

AND THE WORD LAID SPEAKS OF PAST TENCE

IN OTHER WORDS THAT’S WHERE JOSEPH AND NICODEMUS LAY HIM

BUT HE IS NOT HERE HE IS RISEN

AND This news about the risen Christ is the great announcement of Easter

That comes from a graveyard

THE ANGEL REVEAL TO THESE SISTERS

Christ is alive,

He has risen from the grave.

Death could not hold Him.

SIN COULD`NT KEEP HIM

AND THE GRAVE COULD`NT HOLD HIM

EVEN THOUGH HE WAS LIED ON

HATED –PERSECUTED-SLANDRED

AND IN THE END HE GAVE UP THE GHOST

AND ALL THE POWERS OF HELL AND THE FORCES OF DARKNESS

COULD`NT HOLD HIM DOWN

AND BECAUSE HE IS RISEN

TRUTH LIVES

HOPE ENDURES

LOVE TRIUMPHS AND VIRTURE IS JUSTIFIED

INTEGRITY IS LEGITIMATED

HONESTY HAS OVERCOME

RIGHTEOUSNESS IS PROVEN

SANCTIFICATION IS EMPOWERED

HOLINESS IS REAL

SALVATION HAS COME

GRACE IS ALL SUFFICIENT

AND MERCY INVINCIBLE

AND BECAUSE HE LIVE WE ALSO LIVE

***********************************WELL NOT ONLY DOES THE ANGEL GIVE THESE SISTERS

A WORD OF COMFORT AND A WORD OF CLARIFICATION

BUT THE TEXT ALSO REVEALS THAT THE ALSO GIVES THEM

A WORD OF COMISSION

FOR THE ANGEL TELLS THE SISTERS

"Go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead;

and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him"

Now that these sisters know the truth, they need to tell it.

Because Revelation begats responsibility.

YOU SEE

"A moment is granted for feeling to overflow, and certainly to be attained,