Dead or Alive – Matthew 28: 1 - 10
Intro: The largest Presbyterian Church in the world is in Pittsburgh, PA. It is the East Liberty Presbyterian Church which takes up a whole city block. Open to the sanctuary is a memorial chapel in which are buried Mr. and Mrs. Mellon the two people responsible for the finances necessary to build the church. The church was affectionately known in Pittsburgh for years as “Mellon’s Fire Escape.” Across the world there are many such grand tombs. Egypt’s pyramids, the Taj Mahal, Westminster Abbey, Lenin’s Tomb to name just a few. I’m sure you can name many more. These grand tombs all have one unmistakable fact: these tombs exist for people who are dead. --- The most important tomb, the one with by far the greatest historical impact on the world is a simple unmarked cave somewhere in or near Jerusalem. That tomb, wherever it is, remains distinctly different. It is empty and is the foundation upon which our faith is built.
I No other religion celebrates Easter. If you are a Muslim, your leader, Mohammed, died on June 8, 632 AD at the age of 61. His body was placed in a tomb where it remains to this day. Mohammad didn’t rise from the dead. Confucius didn’t, Buddha didn’t, Joseph Smith is dead. Jim Jones is dead. David Koresh is dead. Only Jesus is alive! He’s alive! He Got Up!
A The resurrection of Christ Jesus is the basis of our faith. If Christ Jesus didn’t rise from the dead then, we are just wasting our time here today and every Sunday.
B Mt. 28: 1 – 10 is only 208 words. That passage spends most of those words on things beyond nature: earthquake, angel, ultra-white radiant clothes, Jesus alive.
C People tend to see what they think is POSSIBLE and resist seeing what they assume is not possible. The plain and simple fact is this: In the resurrection, we are confronted by GOD’S possibilities and not our own.
II In Mt 28: 1 – 20 there are 3 responses to the resurrection of Jesus. They are the same 3 responses people have today.
A The priests. VVS. 12 - 14 They knew exactly what they were doing. They, like many others today, made a conscious decision to use all the power at their command to not only deny the resurrection; but, to make sure nobody else believed it either.
B The guards. VS. 15 They were the first witnesses to the resurrection. Yet, they were willing to accept a bribe to turn their heads aside, to not have to deal with the unexplainable. All they wanted was to cover themselves, keep their jobs, their security, and go on with their lives as though nothing had happened.
C The 2 women. VVS. 8 – 10 They also witnessed the resurrection and were instructed by an angel about what to do about it. When, they saw Jesus, the fell down and worshiped and then followed His instructions.
III There is no merely naturalistic way of speaking of the resurrection. Either you SEE or YOU DON’T SEE. Either you get it or you don’t. We are faced with the same three choices.
A The concept of “SEEING” in one form or another is mentioned in VVS. 6 – 7, 10, and 17. There are actually 2 Greek words that are used in this text.
B One GK. word used in VS. 6 is eidoleion / e?d??e??? to perceive with outward senses / to perceived with the mind / or to experience casually.
C The GK. word used in VVS. 7 & 10 is optanomai / ?pt???µa? which means to see with wide open eyes as something remarkable.
Concl: VS. 5 “The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.”
The GK. word used here for fear is phobeo / f?ß?? which literally means to run away in fear.
Don’t run away in fear. God has the power to strengthen us and uphold us; that whatever we must face, we do not face it alone. Nothing we encounter is stronger than God’s love; ultimately God gets the last word. In the end God’s love is triumphant.
We must choose to follow a God who is alive, with us, present in all the good and bad of our lives. God wins! And, so do we!
