The Cost Of The Tomb

The Cost of the Tomb

SLIDE: #1 Matthew 27: 45-46; 50

Today…Is Easter and we are here to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior.

By tradition...when people think of Jesus…They see a man…who lived a sinless life.

A man who was nailed to a cross…then left to die a cruel death

Three days later were told that He arose and returned to His Father…and because of that…we have the opportunity to accept Him as our personal Savior.

It’s because of the cross… that we are able to understand the difference between the cost of it…and the loss because of it.

From the time each one of us has been born…we are taught that to receive something in life…you must pay for it.

And even understanding that a person’s salvation is received by freedom of choice…the cost that was paid for it holds- great value.

Read Matthew 27: 45-46; 50.

This morning we are going to address 3 different prices that were paid in Jesus’ death and resurrection.

The first price that was paid was…

Slide #2 30 Pieces of Silver

What is one of the only things in life that has the power to make a man betray another? (MONEY).

Still today it’s because of money… that separation is always found between God and Man.

Read Matthew 26:14-16…

Money…why does it have such a tight grip on us…what’s so special about it that it controls our thoughts…our desires…and our actions?

Any time you allow money to make the decisions you make in life…be ready for trouble.

I mentioned last week that we live in a very materialistic driven society.

A society that feels inadequate unless they hold in their possession the latest and greatest gadgets and toys.

It is true…these gadgets are amazing.

It’s hard to believe that we live in a time…with the help from the world-wide web…we can not only check the weather report clear on the other side of the world.

But we also have the ability to pull up an electronic bible right here on your cell phones. (anyone here)

Living in a society that has such and easy access to money is both a blessing and a curse.

There not one place that you go where spending money is not necessary.

I believe every one of us here today spent money to get here…Car…Gas is 3.89 per gallon.

How many of us are planning on taking a vacation this year?

It takes money to do almost anything today.

But what I have a hard time understanding about money is this…

What was so important about it… that made Judas accepted the bribe offered by the religious leaders to sell out his Savior?

Seriously…how many things would he be able to buy with 30 pieces of silver?

In his day there was no internet…no automobiles…no drive thru restaurants…no cell phones and no Wal-Mart’s.

Jesus had personally taught Judas the last three years the value of life…not the value of $...

And still Judas chose to throw away three years of one on one training by the master…for a few quickly spent coins.

As we read in Matthew 26:14-16…he got his paycheck…but he had to live with regret the remainder of his life.

Read Matthew 26:47-50 (Betrayal and Arrest)

The prophecy was being fulfilled…the road to the cross was being paved…Just as God had planned.

Matthew 27:3-5…Read…….

All for 30 pieces of greed…I mean silver.

The next price of the Tomb is seen in His burial

Slide #3 The Burial

Read John 19:38-42…here we read about Joseph and Nicodemus…

Both these men were known for their positions they held on the Jewish high counsel.

Both these men secretly believed in Jesus. ..But both also were afraid to make this known because of the positions they held in the Jewish community.

Both these men had much to lose if the truth were to get out about their secret belief in Jesus.

Persecution in those days often ended up in public embarrassment or worse yet death.

If found the religious leaders would have found out about their devotion to Jesus…they would be asked to step down from their positions.

It is true that both these men made a sacrifice to Jesus…

But when you love something of great value…you cannot put a price or value on it.

Joseph of Arimathea

Up to this point…Joseph had been afraid to publically speak against the religious leaders who opposed Jesus.

But here He showed his true character by courageously asking Pilate if he could take the body of Jesus down from the cross and give Him a proper burial.

Joseph showed tremendous sacrifice by allowing Jesus to be buried in his own personal tomb.

This tomb was located in a garden close to Golgotha where Jesus had been crucified.

Nicodemus… “the one known for secretly seeking out Jesus at night”.