Christ Arose and is still Risen
Jesus’ Death
Jesus Buried
Jesus Arose and is Risen
DBF 3/31/02
Boy we really had fun last Friday celebrating our “Agape Feast” and going over our roots to the celebration of Passover.
We talked about all the lambs that we slain that pointed to the one true and perfect sacrifice.
Today many people only look at this time as a time where we plant eggs in the snow or in our house out here in Dillingham and in most places in Alaska. Even though a lot of the symbolism for the current Easter practices of hunting for eggs and getting prizes comes from practices of the Passover meals, very few of us realize this or go over this history.
So why do people come to churches on this date and on Christmas more than any other date?
For most it is because we have been told that we have to go to church before we can eat our Easter lunches. For others we are here because it is an annual pilgrimage that has been set out since we were infants.
What and why should we partake of services on this date?
As we have been studying from the book of Genesis the promise that was made to Adam, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the promise that went through King David and King Solomon, came to completion in the person and mission of Jesus Christ. Let’s look at these things this morning.
You see it is easy for me to look at things when I am looking at these things as being done by others. I found it easy to say “Those priests, Pharisees and Sadduccees who killed Christ, I wish I were there to stop them”. Well fortunately God was there and had a better idea for Christ. This idea was formed by God and did not conform with anything that you or I would find reasonable.
God decided that three crucial things where needed to bring Jesus’ earthy ministry to a close. Unlike any ending that we would look for in the plots of our movies today—the ending started with the death of the main character. Well that doesn’t happen very much today in our sensible movies does it. The second thing that happens is a burial, not very remarkable some would say, but when a commoner with no home to call his own is put into a rich man’s grave with guards posted at the doors, it becomes anything but common. Thirdly, we will walk with the disciples as they go to prepare the body that first Sunday morning. Please walk with us today.
Jesus’ Death
Matthew 27:45-54
Mt 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli(hailee), Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
From the sixth hour, there was darkness over all the earth unto the ninth hour – God showed himself so mighty, that all the heathen seeing it knew that it could not be a natural eclipse, because it was at the time of the full moon, and continued three hours together, cried out, ‘Either the God of nature suffers, or the frame of the world is dissolved.’ By this darkness God testified his abhorrence of the wickedness which was then committing. It likewise intimated Christ’s sore conflicts with the Divine justice, and with all the powers of darkness.
About the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice – Our Lord’s great agony probably continued these three whole hours, at the conclusion of which he thus cried out, while he suffered from God himself what was unutterable. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? – Our Lord hereby at once expresses his trust in God, and a most distressing sense of his letting loose the powers of darkness upon him, withdrawing the comfortable discoveries of his presence, and filling his soul with a terrible sense of the wrath due to the sins of the past, present and future which he took upon Himself to bear. Psalm 22:1, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
One taking a sponge, filled it with vinegar – Vinegar and water was the usual drink of the Roman soldiers. It does not appear, that this was given him in derision, but rather with a friendly design, that he might not die before Elijah came.
Psalm 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
John 19:28-30
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. [29] Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. [30] When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
After he had cried with a loud voice – To show that his life was still whole in him. He dismissed his spirit –this can be literally translated as John 10:18: No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of myself. He died by a voluntary act of his own, and in a way peculiar to himself. He alone of all men that ever were, could have continued alive even in the greatest tortures, as long as he pleased, or have retired from the body whenever he had thought fit.
How much did he love you and I and all that have ever or will ever live?
Jesus loved us enough to die for us all. Jesus went through the pain and agony of the cross that you and I so richly deserve, yet in his suffering and obedience he maintained a steady resolution, as long as it was proper. He then retired from it, with a majesty and dignity never known or to be known in any other death: dying, if one may so express it, as the Prince of life.
Immediately upon his death, while the sun was still darkened, the veil of the temple, which separated the holy of holies from the court of the priests, though made of the richest and strongest tapestry, was rent in two from the top to the bottom: so that while the priest was ministering at the golden altar the sacred oracle, by an invisible power was laid open to full view: God thereby signifying the speedy removal of the veil of the Jewish ceremonies by the casting down the partition wall, so that the Jews and Gentiles were now admitted to equal privileges, and opening a way through the veil of his Holy flesh for all believers into the most holy place.
And the earth was shaken – There was a general earthquake through the whole globe, though chiefly near Jerusalem: God testifying thereby his wrath against the Jewish nation, for the horrid impiety they were committing.
Some of the tombs were shattered and laid open by the earthquake, and while many continued to remain closed many bodies of holy men were raised. And coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, went into the holy city and appeared to many – Who had probably known them before: God hereby signifying, that Christ had conquered death, and would raise all his saints in due season. This is the blessing we truly celebrate today.
Even The centurion – The officer who commanded the guard; and they that were with him feared, saying, Truly this was the Son of God – Referring to the words of the chief priests and scribes, Matthew 27:43: He said, I am the Son of God.
You know even today when you ask people the greatest portion will say they believe there is a God. They just do not believe that He is an integral daily part of their lives. Here Jesus Christ fulfilled several key prophecies from the Old Testament that the Messiah must fulfill.
Dr. Ted Magnuson says the following:
Each Easter week in the 1940-1950’s,
Sherman Miller, my uncle and pastor in Denver, preached a message
entitled: "Twenty-four prophecies Our Lord fulfilled the last 24 hours on
earth." Since that time, I have been researching the Bible and have
accumulated more prophecies that actually took place during that final
day. You may find more to be added to this list.
OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES THE LORD JESUS FULFILLED IN ONE DAY
The main events preceding the actual crucifixion began the evening
before in a special room where the Lord and His eleven disciples had the
first Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:11). Beforehand, after the Passover Feast,
Judas left to make plans for the betrayal. Following, the others went
with the Lord Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane where He prayed (Matthew
26:36). Very late that night, maybe midnight or after, Judas came and
betrayed the Lord. Immediately, Christ Jesus was arrested (John 18:12).
Very early the morning of the crucifixion, the Lord went through His
trials and received His sentence of death (Luke 22:54; Mark 15:1; Luke
23:6-10,11,23-24). At nine o’clock (the third hour) that morning He was
placed on the cross (Luke 23:33): "And it was the third hour, and they
crucified Him" (Mark 15:25). The Lord Jesus Christ was on the cross for
six hours, until three in the afternoon. However, after three hours on
the cross, at noon (the sixth hour), there was total darkness for three
hours: "And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the
whole land until the ninth hour (three o’clock, P.M.)" (Mark 15:33).
1. Christ Jesus is betrayal by a close friend, Judas: Psalm 41:9 —
Mark 14:10; Luke 22:47,48.
2. The Lord is forsaken by disciples: Zechariah 13:7 — Mark 14:50.
3. Christ is rejected by His own people, the Jews: Isaiah 53:3 — Luke
23:18; John 1:11.
4. Price to be paid to Judas, thirty piece of silver: Zechariah 11:12
— Matthew 26:14,15.
5. What will be done with the money: Zechariah 11:13 — Matthew 27:3-7.
6. The Lord is shamed, reproached, and dishonored: Psalm 69:9,19-20 —
Matthew 27:28; Romans 5:3.
7. Accused by false witnesses at His trial: Psalm 35:11 — Mark
14:56-58.
8. The Lord does not speak in His own defense at the trial: Isaiah
53:7 — Matthew 27:13-14; Mark 15:4,5.
9. He falls beneath the physical weight of the cross: Psalm 22:17 —
Matthew 27:32; John 19:17.
10. Our Savior’s crucifixion: Psalm 22; Isaiah 50:5-7; 53:5,6,10 —
Luke 23:33; John 19:16.
11. Christ Jesus is a smitten Shepherd: Zechariah 13:7 — Matthew 26:31.
12. He is spit upon, scourged (beaten), and struck with the hand:
Isaiah 50:6 — Matthew 26:67; 27:26,30.
13. Mocked and sneered by the people: Psalm 22:7,8; 109:25 — Matthew
27:39-40; Luke 23:35.
14. He is hated without a reason: Psalm 35:19 — John 15:24,25.
15. The railing, hatred, and taunting by the mob: Psalm 22:8 — Matthew
27:43.
16. They stare at the Lord on the Cross: Psalm 22:17 — Matthew 27:36.
17. He is crucified and numbered with malefactors: Isaiah 53:12 — Mark
15:27,28; Luke 23:33.
18. The soldiers gamble for His robe and divide His garments: Psalm
22:17,18 — Matthew 27:35-36; John 19:24.
19. He thirsts for water: Psalm 69:3 — John 19:28.
20. What they give Christ to drink: Psalm 69:21 — Matthew 27:34; John
19:29.
21. Our Lord’s mother and friends at the cross: Psalm 38:11 — Luke
23:49.
22. Christ’s hands and feet are pierced: Psalm 22:16; Zechariah 12:10;
13:6 — Matthew 27:35; John 20:23.
23. Christ’s pierced side: Zechariah 12:10 — Luke 23:35; John 19:34;
20:27.
24. His broken heart: Psalm 22:14 — John 19:34 (extravasation of the
heart).
25. His intercession and prayer for the transgressors: Psalm 109:4;
Isaiah 53:12 — Luke 23:34.
26. Great Calvary Miracle, the sun darkened at noonday: Amos 8:9 —
Matthew 27:45.
27. His intensive, lonely cry during His suffering: Psalm 22:1 —
Matthew 27:46.
28. Christ is forsaken by God the Father for our sins: Psalm 22:1 —
Matthew 27:46.
29. His marred visage: Isaiah 52:14 — John 19:5,14.
30. He is the slaughtered Lamb: Isaiah 53:7 — John 1:29.
31. Christ Jesus is the Vicarious Sacrifice: Isaiah 53:5 — Romans 5:6,8.
32. His cry of victory and triumph: Psalm 22:31 — It is Finished! John
19:30.
33. Christ Jesus commends His Spirit to His Father: Psalm 31:5 — Luke
23:46.
34. As the Passover Lamb, not a bone is broken: Exodus 12:46; Psalm
34:20 — John 10:33,36; 19:32,33,36.
35. The Messiah is cut off, but not for Himself: Daniel 9:26 — John
11:50-52.
36. Oldest prophecy recorded: Genesis 3:15 — Galatians 4:4; John
12:31-33; 19:18; Romans 16:20.
The heel of the Lord Jesus (Seed of the woman) was temporarily bruised
on the cross with nails in His feet.
Satan will be permanently bruised in the head in the future.
37. The place of the burial of our Lord’s Body after death. He is
buried with the rich:
Isaiah 53:9 — Matthew 27:57-60; Luke 23:50-53.
Jesus Buried
Matthew 27:57-66 (ESV)
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. [58] He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. [59] And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud
[60] and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. [61] Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
[62] Next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate
[63] and said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ’After three days I will rise.’ [64] Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ’He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first." [65] Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can." [66] So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.
The burial of Christ had no pomp, ceremony or solemnity. As Christ did not have a house of his own, in which to lay his head, while he lived, neither did he have a grave of his own, to lay his body, when he was dead. Our Lord Jesus, who had no sin of his own, had no grave of his own. The Jews designed that he should have made his grave with the wicked, should have been buried with the thieves with whom he was crucified, but God overruled it, so that he should make it with the rich in his death, Isaiah 53:9,
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
And although to the eye of man the beholding a funeral may cause terror, yet if we remember how Christ by his burial has changed the nature of the grave to believers, it should make us rejoice. And we are ever to imitate Christ’s burial in being continually occupied in the spiritual burial of our sins through obedience to His words.
We next see the chief priests and Pharisees, on the Jewish sabbath when they should have been at their devotions, dealing with Pilate about securing the sepulchre. The same ones who sought to kill Jesus for healing on the Sabbath.
This was permitted that there might be certain proof of our Lord’s resurrection. Pilate told them that they might secure the sepulchre as carefully as they could. They sealed the stone, and set a guard, and were satisfied that all needful care was taken. But to guard the sepulchre against the poor weak disciples was folly, because needless; while to think to guard it against the power of God, was folly, fruitless, and purposeless; yet they thought they dealt wisely. But the Lord took the wise in their own craftiness. Thus shall all the rage and the plans of Christ’s enemies be made to promote his glory.
Jesus Arose and is Risen
Matthew 28:1-10
Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. [2] And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. [3] His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. [4] And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. [5] But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. [6] He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. [7] Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you." [8] So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. [9] And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. [10] Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."
On the first day of the first week God commanded the light to shine out of darkness. On this day also did He who is the Light of the world, shine out of the darkness of the grave; and this day is from henceforward often mentioned in the New Testament, as the day that Christians religiously observed in solemn assemblies, to the honor of Christ. Jesus could have rolled back the stone by his own power, but he chose to have it done by an angel.
The resurrection of Christ, as it is the joy of his friends, so it is the terror and confusion of his enemies. The angel encouraged the women against their fears. Let the sinners in Zion be afraid. Do not fear, for his resurrection will be your consolation. He is your consolation if you have accepted HIM as your Lord and Savior.
Our communion with him must be spiritual, by faith in his word. When we are ready to make this current world our home, and to say, It is good to be here--let us remember our Lord Jesus is not here, he is risen; therefore let our hearts rise, and seek the things that are above. HE is Risen, as HE said.
Never think it strange which the word of Christ has told us to expect; whether the sufferings of this present time, or of the glory to be revealed.
While it may have a good effect upon us, by faith to view the place where the Lord lay. Leave quickly. It was good to be there, but the servants of God have other work appointed.
Ministerial usefulness must be chosen before the pleasure of secret communion with God. Tell disciples, that they may be comforted under their present sorrows. Christ knows where his disciples dwell, and will visit them. Even to those at a distance, he will graciously manifest himself. The fear and the joy together quickened their pace. We should readily tell of our experiences of communion with the Lord; and should tell others what God has done for our souls.
God’s gracious visits usually meet us in the way of duty; those who use what they have for others’ benefit, more shall be given. This meeting with Christ was unexpected; but Christ was with them, and is with us today in His word. Do you claim this benefit?
Jesus says “Rejoice.” Oh what a beautiful sound to the hopeless hearts that hear these words of encouragement. Each of us, prior to accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior have come to a point of weariness in the hopelessness and madness of the current age. Then one day we accepted our sinfulness and Jesus came into our lives and spoke the word “Rejoice, I am Risen.” O what a glorious, glorious day, day I will never forget…If you are truly at the point that you would like to lay all at the blessed blood stained feet of Jesus Christ, We ask you to come forward. This is the only way that you can start to walk in newness of life in Christ.
Christ’s greeting speaks the good-will of Christ to man, even since he entered upon his state of exaltation. It is the will of Christ that his people should be a cheerful, joyful people, and his resurrection furnishes abundant reason for joy.
Don’t be afraid. Christ rose from the dead, to silence our fears, and there is enough in HIS resurrection to call us to silence. The disciples had just before shamefully deserted him in his sufferings; but to show that he could forgive, and to teach us to do likewise, he calls them brethren. Notwithstanding his majesty and purity, and our meanness and unworthiness, he still condescends to call believers his brethren.
If you have any prayer concerns we would like to pray with you today. Remember take heart, our perfect sacrifice—the Lamb of God—has been slain for our transgressions and has Risen from the dead and HE is Lord.
Closing Prayer.
PROPHECIES OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION: Psalm 16:10; 49:15 — Mark 16:6,7; I
Corinthians 15:4, AND ASCENSION: Psalm 68:18 — Mark 16:19; Ephesians 4:8.
