RED OAK BAPTIST
Pastor Curtis Mathis
4/24/2022 – Sunday AM
Matthew 28:6
“…JUST AS HE SAID…
Introduction:
Well, another Easter has come and gone, the baskets of goodies have been delivered, families have gathered, meals have been eaten, eggs have been hunted, and the peace lilies have left the building. And as always, I struggle with leaving Easter behind, I’m afraid that I missed something, or failed to get the message across, of left something unsaid…Easter can be very humbling to a preacher.
And you may ask, “so pastor, what is there to hang around for? Did we not just celebrate the fact that both the cross and the tomb are empty so why do we need to go back?” And that’s a good question, and I believe the answer can be found in the book of Matthew. It is a short verse, but it says a lot…
Matthew 28:6 - 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
And it's not even the whole verse I want to look at this morning, just a small part of one of the lines…
Most people hear Matthew 28:6 and they stick on the first two parts of the sentence “He is not here; he has risen…” but it is what the angle says next that caught my attention, “…just as he said.”
1. Returning to the tomb…
Let’s back up for a minute and get the whole picture…
Luke 24:1-12
24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:
7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words. 9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
We know there was a reason why the woman followers of Christ returned to the Easter Tomb that morning, there were still Jewish burial rituals to be attended too, and they were His “family’.
But this morning I want to look at one of the others who visited the tomb… Peter.
2. Peter at the tomb…
You remember Peter…
Matthew 16:21-23 - 21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
and this Peter…
Matthew 26:31-35 - 31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:” ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” 34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” 35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.
and angry Peter...
John 18:10-11 - 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”
And this poor, poor. poor Peter…
Matthew 26:69-75 - Peter Disowns Jesus
69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said. 70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. 71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”
73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.” 74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
…did you see that “Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken:”
Now re-read our verse: Matthew 28:6 - 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
“just as he said”
And then again Luke 24:12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
3. Peter Finds Hope
When Peter heard the news that Jesus no longer laid in the tomb, he what, sat and pondered what this could mean??? NO, unlike the others Peter jumped to his and feet and ran, not strolled down, or jogged over No HE RAN! Why is Peter so anxious to get to the tomb, to witness the fact that Jesus is no longer there… because he remembered
“just as he said…
Matthew 16:21-28 - 21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
“just as he said”
Peter wasn’t looking for a body, or to confirm the women’s story, no… Peter RAN to the tomb looking for hope! For you see as long as Jesus laid in the tomb, Peter was lost, desolate, without hope, his legacy was to be the one whom denied the Savior not once, not twice but thrice!
But “just as he said”
But now! As he remembers, he recalls the prophecies, he remembers Jesus’ teachings, the miracles, the parables, the prayers, and the promises… and he remembers forgiveness…and he has hope…
Conclusion:
And it is that same hope that calls to us today from within that empty tomb. And it is that hope that calls us back time and time again to the tomb, not for verification but to remember…
“just as he said”
John 3:16-21 - 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
Yes, Easter has passed…but I think I will remain here, at the tomb, yet a little longer…
Let us pray…
Returning to the empty tomb,
Pastor Curtis
