The Grave Robber

The Grave Robber

Matthew 28 1-15 NKJ

1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came 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 [a]from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

5 But the angel answered and 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 is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

The Women Worship the Risen Lord

9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!”

(talk about being in the right place at the right time! Can you even imagine being there and witnessing Jesus in his resurrected, form and body! And even being allowed, not only to see and witness Him, but to also allowed to worship Him, right there on the spot!)

So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

The Soldiers Are Bribed

11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

The devil thought that he had won! The devil thought how much better could it be! Like taking candy from a bunch of babies, without him so much as a whimper of being robbed!

The devil had been robbing God‘s people, since the serpent tempted mankind in the garden and easily took away the original relationship, God had established with Adam and Eve! When first Eve had willingly sinned, and then Adam eagerly followed suit.

While there are many, who like to blame Eve, Adam could’ve easily chose not to do what she did! And said Lord, obviously, you have made a mistake, there is a flaw in your creation? Would you please make me another? But he didn’t!

I mean how many times, has mankind purchased something, and it did not work right! And the first thing we do, is take it back and ask for another one. Or the manufacturer to give us a replacement?

Thus I believe, the term and the originality of the term, monkey see monkey do, was coined!

Have you ever gotten into trouble before? And after you, we’re called in on the red carpet and read the riot act, by your parents, or the ones who had been betrayed by your trust or actions, asked for forgiveness?

You know what I’m talking about? Asking for something that you could do to make it up, to the person, and/or persons! Some list of things, or set of new rules that you could do, and if you did do them, it would undo what you had done!

Maybe you’re saying to yourself right now, well, I’ve never done anything like that! Let me ask you a question. Have you ever been grounded?

Gods people, from the moment Adam and Eve fell, had clamored for a set of rules to get and keep getting ungrounded, that were impossible to keep! And would always be impossible to keep as long it was dependent on their own self effort!

Ever since that moment, the devil had been robbing God‘s children on a daily basis!

*The devil robbed them, while they were in captivity in Egypt!

*The devil robbed them even after God set them free, and Moses, let them out of Egypt!

*The devil robbed them when they were in the desert, even after God had split the red sea and performed one of the greatest miracles of all times!

*The devil rob them as they spent some 40 years walking in circles in the desert, onto the way of the promised land that God had already prepared for them to walk into an inhabit!