March 27, 2005 Matthew 27:62-28:10
About a year ago I used to drive past a local bank and see a rather overweight man with an official uniform standing outside of the building. He was known as the security guard. Whereas he stood outside in the freezing cold, I don’t know how much he could have actually done to make this bank “secure”. From my experience most security guards have usually been older and grumpier kind of men. A majority of the time they end up just driving around - trying to keep crimes from happening. Every once in a while, however, they end up getting shot in the line of duty. A recent example is the security guard up in Minnesota. He was the first one to be shot at the school. In the end, even with good intentions, he didn’t end up doing much good for the security of the school. A total of four other students were also shot. It was an unfortunate and very sad event.
On this Resurrection Sunday, we are introduced to another kind of security guard. Matthew 27 reads, “The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.” These were no retirees keeping guard of the tomb. These were trained soldiers of the Roman army - professional killing machines.
It was their job to keep a “crime” from happening - to keep any of Jesus’ disciples from coming and stealing Jesus’ body from the grave. When I hear those words of the chief priests and Pharisees, it makes me realize how hardened they really were. They really thought Jesus was just a deceiver - even after the breaking of the tombs and the tearing of the temple curtain at His death - they still thought Jesus was just a deceiver. They even thought the disciples were so brain washed that they would actually go through the actions of trying to steal Jesus’ body from the tomb! Imagine that for a second. Imagine if you followed somebody who claimed to be the Messiah - the Savior of the world - and He was crucified. Imagine also if he claimed that He was going to rise from the dead. If you really believed in him, the last thing you would want to do is to go and dig up his dead body and pretend that he really did live - if he didn’t! If, in fact, he did not raise from the dead, wouldn’t you be the FIRST one to make sure nobody STOLE his body from the grave? Wouldn’t you in fact be angry at having been duped by this man in the first place? Who on earth would actually want to then take hold of a three day old body and carry it from the grave - and look for a place to hide it? And all this under collaboration with one another? It’s insane. What a bunch of garbage! But that’s what the Jews thought these disciples might do. So they were told to go and make the tomb as SECURE as they knew how. The seal and the soldiers were the most security they could provide to keep this “crime” from happening. It was a waste of time. Yet this morning we’ll see how -
The Security Guard Did Some Good
I. The Appearance to the Guard
It’s rather comical to see how quickly God dispersed with this “security guard.” Matthew 28, verses two to four state, There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. It’s ironic isn’t it - how the living guards - who were sent to keep the dead from coming alive - end up becoming like the dead! This is how God works. He takes the strong and makes them weak, while taking the weak and making them strong. The security guard - as they were supposed to be - were reduced to scared little children in the presence of just one angel. All of their swords and their training could not protect them from their sinful fear of holiness. With this one appearance God showed that all of these preventative measures were nothing but garbage.
I can only imagine how this scene will be all the more repeated when Jesus comes in all His holiness in the skies of heaven. All of those who tried to keep Jesus in the grave - using the sword of their brains - using the power of their legislation - will not only shake like dead men - they will do all they can to crawl under the hills and ask the mountains to hide them from such a fearful sight. All of the safeguards that they put in placed to deny the power of the Gospel, will be crushed when Jesus comes in all His might with His angels. Unfortunately, by then it will be too late. As their knees bend to the majesty of Christ, the angels will designate them as the goats - the condemned - because of their unbelief.
God did not immediately condemn the security guard. The angel let them live. Matthew continues, While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. In this way, we can see how God used this trash of the chief priests for his good. How so? God’s Word said that every matter must be established by two or three witnesses. What better witness is there than one who is seemingly NEUTRAL to the situation? These soldiers were neither of the Jewish nor the Christian religion. They were just there to do a job - to get a paycheck. So these witnesses reported to the chief priests EVERYTHING that had happened. Imagine them running back and saying, “you’re not going to believe this - but an angel came out of nowhere - ripped the stone away - and showed the women that the tomb was empty!” What better witness could God have provided for the leaders of the Jews? What better opportunity could God have had to try and convert them? If these soldiers had not been there to witness this, the story of the stolen body of Jesus would have been easily believed. But now - the Jewish leaders COULD NOT cover up the story. The truth was undeniable. Jesus rose from the dead. Yet they STILL denied it.
II. The Response of the Guard
How do we know this isn’t just a made up story by the blind followers of Christ? Listen to the cover up that the chief priests had to devise. “When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.” (Mt 28:11-15) Who ever heard of a Roman guard falling asleep on the job? They would have been put to death for such a thing! I could imagine maybe one - but ALL of them? And how could they actually roll the stone out of the way without anyone waking up? And who has ever heard of a SLEEPING witness? Imagine going to court - and hearing the prosecuting attorney call his next witness. The defense attorney asks him, “are you sure that the disciples stole the body of Jesus?” “Yes,” says the defense. “Did you see it happen?” “No,” says the witness. “Did you hear it?” “No,” says the witness. “Weren’t you supposed to be guarding the tomb?” “Yes.” “Then what happened? Where were you? What were you doing?” “I was sleeping.” So, the prosecution brings a sleeping witness! That’s quite a damning witness, hmmm? This cover up story proves to us - even more than if they were telling the TRUTH - that Jesus really did rise from the dead. Only hardened unbelief could produce such a lie. Only unbelief could go so far as to BELIEVE such a lie.
There were better witnesses to this resurrection however. The Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were also there at the tomb - expecting to find a dead body and anoint it with spices. Their visit was also tainted with unbelief and doubt. They had failed to grasp Jesus’ promise of a resurrection - and had a little garbage of their own. They didn’t find what they were expecting to find. Matthew 28:5-10 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” With this view of the angel and from Jesus Himself, their faith in Jesus was refreshed and fanned into flame.
So we see once again, how God used this garbage guard for our good. He provided us with WITNESSES - UNBELIEVING and believing witnesses at that - to the truth. If there were no witnesses - or even if there were only BELIEVING witnesses - it might give us reason to doubt. However, with BOTH the lie and the truth - the truth is confirmed. We know that Jesus rose from the dead. Even with the guard there to PREVENT this “crime” from happening - God confirmed that it was NO CRIME and NO LIE or pipe dream. It was a miracle. Jesus really did rise.
This is an important message to us as Christians - it is equally as important as the death of Christ. Why? First of all, because Jesus predicted He would rise from the dead. Even the Pharisees knew this. As Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, “Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. 33 On the third day he will rise again.” (Lk 18:31-33) If Jesus had not raised from the dead - He would have been a liar and a phony - and so would Paul. Then the message of the DEATH of Christ would also be a lie - and we could trust NOTHING of what they said. The message of the resurrection is important for another reason. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:17, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” If Jesus did not raise from the dead, that would mean that God did not accept His payment on the cross. If Jesus rose, but we never heard about it, we would have to come to the conclusion that Jesus’ payment was not enough for the Holy God. Finally, if Jesus rose from the dead, and we didn’t know of it, we would never be sure if we would rise from the dead. It would take the guts out of our faith - and make it based on blind hope - instead of a sure hope.
III. The Result of the Guard
If you take a close look at the grave sight, you’ll see two different groups see the exact same thing - and yet respond in two completely different ways. Both the soldiers and the women were afraid. They should have been, since they were standing in front of a holy and powerful being. Yet they didn’t both leave afraid. Ironically, it was the WOMEN and not the SOLDIERS who didn’t stay afraid. Why? Because the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” The soldiers left with FEAR over the fact that they had FAILED to keep the tomb closed. Therefore, out of fear for their lives, they accepted a hefty bribe - and told a lie. Therefore, they had to live in fear of this risen Jesus for the rest of their lives - knowing that they had lied about a Living God! The women, on the other hand left with hope for the future. They now were confirmed in their belief that Jesus really was the Savior He claimed to be. With a strengthened faith, they went to Galilee and eagerly told the disciples - He has risen! One group left with fear. The other with faith.
What did the ultimate difference come from? How could two different groups see the same thing and respond in two completely different ways? It wasn’t from looking at the empty tomb! It was from looking at the empty tomb through the cross. It had to be from the Gospel. When all the soldiers saw was a risen Lord - they were confronted with God’s POWER, but not His mercy. They hadn’t heard of His love and compassion from His sermons. Therefore, they responded in fear. When, however, the women saw the empty tomb - the God of power - by first of all seeing the CROSS - they knew that this POWERFUL LORD was also their MERCIFUL LORD who died for their sins. When they then saw the empty tomb, they also knew that God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice - that He was the real deal. The empty tomb meant MORE GOSPEL to them. It gave them the confidence and the hope to tell others about Jesus - and not to fear Him - because they also knew that Jesus DIED for them.
Today you have had a much more powerful witness than even being there on Easter morning. You have listened to the actual words of God - the Holy Spirit - tell you what happened on that morning. Every time this Word is preached - the Holy Spirit tugs at the heart and attempts to climb in. You have been confronted with God’s POWER - the power to rise from the dead. There are two ways you can leave the tomb this morning.
1. If all this is to you is a display of God’s power - you will leave afraid. If all you came to do was to make fun of this message and ridicule the hope of Christianity, you will live the rest of your days in fear. You will have to know that you heard this message - that the Holy Spirit showed you the truth of the resurrection - and you denied it. You will have to fear the day that this same Jesus returns as your angry Judge for having denied His death and resurrection.
2. The other option is that you could - by the power of the Holy Spirit - listen to the cry of the Holy Spirit this morning. Hear the words of the angel. “He is not here. He is risen, just as He said.” Believe the message behind the miracle. Don’t just look at it as a show of God’s power. Look at it as a declaration of forgiveness. This empty grave proves to you that Jesus really was who He said He was. It proves that God accepted His sacrifice. It promises you also a resurrection from the dead through faith in Christ. It gives you hope and security for the future. Instead of leaving in fear, leave this service with a joy in your heart - eager to tell other people that Jesus lives - wanting them to feel the same comfort and joy you do.
I always find it interesting to note how God has been able to turn situations around in the Bible. Joseph was turned from a slave into a King. The sure death of Daniel was turned into a wonderful witness to the power of God. Paul was changed from a persecutor into a missionary. The same thing happens today. The security guard were sent to the grave with all the seeming power and initiative to keep a crime from happening. They left with no power and tremendous fear, and ended up committing a crime of their own. Yet God used this guard as a witness to the chief priests and Pharisees. He also used their lies as a further witness to the truth. The women came to the tomb with no power and no hope but to see a dead Savior. They felt like garbage. Yet they left with all the hope and the power and security of knowing that Jesus was raised from the dead. Here again we see how God was able to take trash and turn it into His treasure. If you came this morning feeling like trash, afraid of God, I hope this message of the resurrection takes you out of the dumps, and gives you hope and security for the future - knowing that Jesus lives - and so will you - through faith. Amen.
