Matthew 28:1-5
v. 1
In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
Sepulchre – represents tomb.
TOMB:
1 : an excavation in which a corpse is buried
2 : a house, chamber, or vault for the dead
We see here that Mary went to the tomb as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week. Christ arose on the first day of the week; on the first day of the first week God commanded the light to shine out of darkness; on this day therefore did he who was to be the Light of the world, shine out of the darkness of the grave. Whenever there is darkness, you must realize that light is never far away. It doesn’t matter how sad your morning may be; your evening will be bright. It doesn’t matter how bad your Sabbath is, your new day is coming. Because God is not far from you and resurrection is coming to your life.
v. 2
And behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
Many times there are satanic attacks against your life to roll stones over the doors of opportunities that will bring you to your prosperity. As we read here, the angel of the Lord is rolling the stone away and he sat upon it which means that he will never let anything come back to shut up your miracle again!
How many want your life to be open and never close again?
v. 3
His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
v. 4
And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
For two days, 254 soldiers watch the grave of Christ. But when it was time for Christ to rise, HE GOT UP and the soldiers became as dead men. When it is time for you to move, the ones who are trying to block you will be as dead men.
The gates of hell shall not prevail against the church; and since you are the Body of Christ, the church, the gates of hell cannot prevail against you.
v. 5
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
Whenever you are in the grave, you can’t find Jesus there. A living Christ cannot be in a dead situation or grave. It doesn’t matter how long you stay, you will not see him. Those who saw him will tell you, he is not here.
Mark 16:2-4
v. 2
And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre, at the rising of the sun.
How many of you are tired of winter and need sunshine? The Bible said the rising of the sun! When we are in darkness, light will come. Say: I AM EXPECTING MY RISING SUN! Because Jesus said that he took us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
No matter how long you have been in the dark, your RISING SUN is coming. Your prosperity is here. Defeat ends today. Say: I STAKE MY CLAIM, MY DEFEAT ENDS TODAY.
Now is the time that every dream you have will come true. God is ready to take your darkness and give you the rising sun!
You need to believe it this morning! God is ready to give you the RISING SUN!
Conclusion of the matter:
1. Your sun is about to start to rise
2. Your rising sun is about to rise
3. The stone in the door of your life is rolled away
4. The angel who is helping you to roll it is going to sit on it, so that the stone will not roll back on your life (the angels will help you in Psalm 91 – lest you step on a stone).
v. 3
And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
Who shall roll us away the stone?
When you have no power, find who can do it for you. The biggest problem in this country is that people are ashamed to ask for help. They know they are sick, and they don’t look for healing. The question is: Who shall roll us away the stone? If the stone is too heavy, find someone to roll it away for you. The sooner the stone is rolled, the better your life is? ASK FOR HELP!
You men and women of God, God wants to use Pastor and myself to build such a vision to impact the world, but we need help! We are asking for help…for committed workers. When you get to the airport and the packages are heavy, don’t you ask for help?
It doesn’t hurt to ask for help. The people will carry it for you and then you bless them. (leave the Washington’s home…carry more Franklin’s)
The question is: WHO shall roll us away the stone?
v.4
And when they looked, they saw the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
Are you ready for God to carry your heavy load for you! Say: YES!
When they looked, When they looked, When they looked, When they looked, they saw! When they looked, they saw! When they looked, they saw.
The reason many of us never advance is that the stone we are afraid of has been rolled away. And you will never know until you looked. Even during your fasting and prayer you are looking for the husband or wife in the prayer closet. But you have to get out and look, because the stone is rolled away!
Guess what: the stone you are afraid of is gone before you get there!
Conclusion of the matter:
5. That load you left at home will not be there when you get there.
6. The grief, sorrow or fear will not be there, but Jesus has taken it away!
It’s gone! It’s gone! It’s gone!
The stone is rolled away already!
There is a stage in our life where no man can help, but God has to give us a helping hand.
Stop looking at the stone!
When they were tired of crying, before they got there God moved the stone by the angel.
The angel told the stone to get back and not to come again!
Conclusion of the matter:
7. Your next door, no man will shut.
They looked…so you must be bold and look. When you never inquire, you never acquire.
Many are crying in tears in the name of religion and never see what God has done.
When you look, you will see that the stone is rolled away.
When Jesus was whipped, they whipped us. He was bruised for our iniquities and by his stripes we are healed.
When they did all that to Christ, we died with Him and rose with Him.
When Jesus said at the cross it is finished, that is the end of your accepting punishment. Believe that it is finished.
Conclusion of the matter:
8. All your tears, sickness, defeats, fears, losses, debt are finished! IT IS FINISHED.
John 20:1-17
v. 1
The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
v. 2
Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
v. 3
Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
v. 4
So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.
v. 5
And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
v. 6
Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
v. 7
And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
v. 8
Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, And he saw, and believed.
Conclusion of the matter:
9. When Jesus was to be buried, they wrapped his body in linen clothes.
10.They wrapped his head with napkins.
11.But when Jesus was about to rise, he put on a new white gown or garment. (Where did he get a garment from in the tomb).
If God can give Jesus new clothes in the grave, He can give you new clothes when you are alive.
Say: Yes, Lord! He was buried with linen and wrapped, but when he rose, the linen was on the floor…yet he was not naked when he arose. Your heavenly Father can give you new robe just as he did Jesus in a tomb. You are qualified to wear new robe, when you are living.
v. 6
Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
v. 7
And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
Conclusion of the matter:
12. If Jesus could spend time to wrap the napkin in the grave, He can wrap your life for you. He can put your life together again. It doesn’t matter how close to death you are – a resurrection is coming! It doesn’t matter what the world takes from you, God will give you a better garment. Say: AMEN!
Come and see where they have laid him…He has risen, he is not here…all the Gospels say … he is not here – it doesn’t matter how times I go to the grave, my God says that an angel will roll the stone away. When you come back tomorrow, you will not meet me at the same spot. Say: YES!
Step out of your grave! Three days is enough…don’t stay longer than three days. Say: YES, LORD!
Jesus died in weakness, but rose in power!
When the disciples came, they saw the linen, they saw his napkin, they didn’t see Jesus, Why?
After three days, the living Christ can’t be in the tomb.
Tomb – represents death; not life.
If you are looking for power, for new life, the tomb is not the place to find it!
Many of you think that your miracle will come from the floor, so when you holler and scream and laugh on the floor it will come…only resurrection gives new life. Say: Yes, Lord.
v. 11
But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre.
Faith does not come by tears, but by looking and hearing. You can spend 50 years crying…Jesus did not say, “Be of good tears…but cheers…”
The fact that you have learned to cry does not mean you have a walk with God. Everytime Jesus saw someone crying, he said stop crying. If you want your storm to cease, use faith.
Say, they looked!
v. 12
And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
v. 13
And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She said unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
v. 14
And she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
v. 15
Jesus saith, unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid, him, and I will take him away.
v. 16
Jesus said unto her, Mary, She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
Conclusion of the matter:
13. There must come a time in your life when you are at the grave, God identifies you to tell you “If you are looking for me, don’t go to the tomb”. If you want to see me in my power, you must rise and shine.
It’s about time to get out of the tomb and stop looking for Jesus there.
Don’t go to meeting where no miracles are happening, but go where deliverances are taking place; salvations, healings, etc.
God is looking for men and women who will be like David and kill the lion and bear.
God is looking for people like Paul who says the snake will never bite again but through it in the power.
God is not looking for people who play with snakes!
God is not training you to run from lions, but to destroy them.
Any lion that comes to your house, but never come back. KILL IT! Any snake that bites you, should never be able to bite another person.
The reason the snake is biting Christians, is that they are not throwing it in the fire.
Say: Every snake that comes to my house will never leave.
Don’t let the snake that bites you, bite someone else…KILL IT.
When other lions saw that the ones who went to David to kill his sheep didn’t come back, they knew it was a danger zone and that you would never come back.
Say: I am dangerous, satan, you can’t joke with me…
We don’t want to train you to joke or laugh, but to know God and His power.
v.17
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
This is the day Jesus took the limits out of our life: Jesus’ God is our God. We are serving the risen Christ and the living God.
Luke 24:3-6
v. 3
And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
v. 4
And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments;
v. 5
And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
If you are looking for the risen Christ, don’t go to the grave.
v. 6
He is not here, but is risen; remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
If you are looking for a living Christ, don’t go to the tomb. Why? He is not here…he is risen. He is not here…Why seek ye the living among the dead?
I can be so close to death, because of this walk, but have chosen to be the living in the midst of the dead. I refuse to look for Christ in the grave. For now, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, shall quicken our mortal body.
If you are looking for a living Christ, don’t go to the tomb.
Conclusion:
But if you are looking for a living Jesus, come forward, I will pray from you! We will pray for you to be dangerous for the Kingdom of God.
Pentecost is coming. Jesus is risen and He is ready to impart gifts to men. Some of you have allowed the gifts to be dormant.
But, you need to realize that in Acts 2:1-4
v. 1
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
v. 2
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. (like a violent blast of wind)
v. 3
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
v. 4
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (gave them power to proclaim His message).
Closing Prayer:
Do you have a dream for your this generation. Pray this prayer so that you can see it come to pass:
My dear Father, from today, whatsoever these hands find to do shall be successful. When I lay it on the sick, they shall recover. The labours of my hands, shall be blessed. From now, I will cast out devils, heal the sick and bless the poor. From today, I receive this gift of love, power, might and anointing in the Name of Jesus. From now, I am the head and not the tail, I am blessed, I am not cursed. I am lifted, I am not falling. I lift my hand before you. Touch it with your hands of miracles. In the Name of Jesus, I receive the miracles from You from today and I will use it for my generation.
Last Words:
Oh our wonderful Jesus! He comes and indwells us. He comes to abide. Dare you take your inheritance from God? Dare you believe God? Dare you stand on the record of His Word? What is the record? If thou shalt believe thou shalt see the glory of God.
