Mt. 28:1-10, Preach Jesus’ resurrection

Mt. 28:1-10, Preach Jesus’ resurrection

 1.After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2.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. 3.His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4.The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5.The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6.He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
7.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.”
8.So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9.Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10.Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

<Sermon summary>
    There is a lot of news in the world. There is sad news and there is good news. The greatest good news (gospel) for mankind is the news of the resurrection of Jesus that took place 2,000 years ago. It is the news that the Lord Jesus overcame the power of death and sin and was resurrected. Because the resurrection of Jesus is the resurrection of our believers in Jesus. Today, let's go to the scene of the first resurrection, meet the resurrected Jesus anew, and live a blessed life of preaching the resurrected Lord.

1. Two women who saw the evidence of resurrection (Empty tomb) (1-6)
  V.1, After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
  Jesus resurrected on the first day after the Sabbath, on today's Sunday. So believers in Jesus gather on Sundays and worship together. The reason why the early church set Sunday as a day of worship is the resurrection of Jesus. Sunday is a day to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus, and living a life centered on the Lord's Day is a life that preaches the resurrection of Jesus.
  Early in the morning on the first day after the Sabbath, two women, Mary Magdalene and another Mary, who still had pity and love for Jesus, visited the tomb to anoint Jesus' body with fragrant oil (1). The women who reach the tomb witness the greatest event in history. An angel from heaven showed Jesus' empty tomb and delivered the news that he had risen again (6). Then, he commands them to inform the disciples of this news (7). The two women eagerly run to the disciples with mixed hearts of fear (because the angel of the Lord has come down from heaven) and great joy (because they heard and knew that Jesus was resurrected) (8). Like the two women, we must run diligently on the path of preaching the resurrection of Jesus entrusted to us.
 V.2, 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.
  ‘There was a violent earthquake’: signifies God’s presence. The earthquake when Jesus died means victory over sin, and the great earthquake when Jesus resurrected means victory over death. “An angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled away the stone and sat on it.” An angel rolls a large stone weighing 2 tons (2,000 kg=4410 Lbs) and sits on it. This is the victory of a supernatural God. When the women came to the tomb, they were worried about 'who would move the big stone', but the problem had already been solved.

  v.3. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
The angel of the Lord descended from heaven in the form of lightning and dressed in white as snow. v.4. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. *Mighty Roman soldiers were immobilized by an angel who had descended from heaven and were paralyzed like a dead man. How ironic! Those who guarded the dead Jesus became like the dead because of the resurrected Jesus, and the dead Jesus who was being watched became a living person!
  v5. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  Here, the angel of the Lord comforted only the women, not the soldiers, saying, “Do not be afraid.” Angel helps and stabilizes women. Angel also comforts them by saying, "I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.“

  The resurrection of Jesus is not an unexpected event. Jesus had already prophesied to his disciples four times that after he suffered and was killed, he would be resurrected on the third day. This prophecy has been fulfilled. “..Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Mt.16:21; 17:23, 20: 19, 26:32). But the disciples did not believe the word. The two women did not even think of the resurrection of the Lord. Those who preach the resurrection of Jesus must first firmly believe in the resurrection of Jesus. The basis of the believer's faith is the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. v.6. He is not here...he is risen! Come and see where he lay. He is risen! Jesus is not here! Jesus is definitely risen!

2. Preach the resurrection of Jesus (7-8) - obedient women
    The angel tells the women to go quickly and inform the disciples of the resurrection of the Lord and prepare to meet them in Galilee. Women who believe in the resurrection of Jesus run quickly to convey the news of Jesus resurrection to the disciples. vs.7-8, 7.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.” 8.So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
  Those who preach the resurrection must obey promptly. Everyone has a set deadline and a timetable. I don't know how much time is left. The mindset of “Can I tell you someday?” is a complacent thought. There is no room in the timetable of the apocalypse. You must preach the word in season or out of season (2 Tim.4:2, “Preach the word in season or out of season, always be diligent; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine”)

3. Jesus meets the woman – directly proves his resurrection (9-10)
    Vs.9-10, 9.Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10.Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
  The resurrection of Jesus, which the women learned about, was difficult for only the two of them to know. As the angel requested, they were running to inform his disciples quickly. Then the resurrected Jesus appears in front of them and greets them. “Are you all right?” (9a) When the women, who were already in a state of overflowing heart, saw the resurrected Jesus, they went to Jesus without even taking time to greet him, fell on their knees in front of him, held on to his feet and worshiped (9b). As a sign of respect for 'holding his feet', it shows that the resurrected Jesus had his real body. The women acknowledged and worshiped the resurrected Jesus as the King of Heaven. Just as the wise men from the East worshiped baby Jesus (2:2,11), they worshiped the King of Heaven.

    Jesus tells them. “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee and they will see me there.” The women were told by an angel, “Do not be afraid.” Jesus now tells them not to be afraid. 'Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and they will see me there.‘
  Jesus is the first to reveal His Resurrection to these little women. Why? They did not expect Jesus as a political Messiah, nor did they want to gain something through Jesus. They genuinely loved and followed Jesus himself, and still does. Knowing their pure hearts, Jesus first informs the two women of the great resurrection event, who were socially underprivileged at the time and no one paid attention to them. We too must worship and follow the Lord, not because we want to gain something, but because we love the Lord Himself.
    Why did Jesus specifically ask to meet in Galilee? The angel also asked to meet Jesus in Galilee (7), and Jesus also asked to meet himself in Galilee (10). This means that Jesus lived for 30 years and spent almost 3 years of his public life in Galilee. It is most natural for his disciples to meet the resurrected Jesus in Galilee. Also, since the first place he called them was Galilee, he calls them again to a new mission.
  The two women are truly blessed people. 1) They met an angel of the Lord who came down from heaven. 2) They heard from an angel that Jesus was resurrected. 3) A greater blessing is the blessing of meeting the resurrected Jesus in person. Today, we too are truly blessed people. Looking at the text, we see the angel, hear the news of the resurrection of Jesus, and believe in it. We meet the risen Jesus. It can't be a really blessed time. Hallelujah.
    There is no mission more important than preaching the word of the Lord for the women who met the resurrected Jesus and us today. Perhaps the women ran to the disciples in one step without looking back. Jesus gives the same command to all of us who believe in His resurrection.
    What do we need to prepare to live as witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus? Acts 1:8, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. John 20:21,22, the risen Jesus speaks to his disciples. 21. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." Receive the Holy Spirit, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and live as witnesses of the gospel to your family, neighbors, distant mission fields, and to the ends of the earth (Prayer).

  We must change our values and way of life into a sanctified and holy way that is distinct from the world. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit and preach the gospel to the world. When preached by the Holy Spirit, the world will open its ears to our message of resurrection. Therefore, we must first thoroughly obey the words of Jesus, our King and Master.
    Jesus overcame physical death. No matter what kind of persecution or Satan's strategy, Jesus is proven to be the King of kings who can never be controlled. Meditate on the scene of the resurrected Jesus coming out of the tomb. Thanks to Jesus, a thrilling reversal and complete victory became ours.
    We are all witnesses of the resurrected Jesus. Not only do we fully submit to the reign of Jesus, the King, but we also have a mission to help our neighbors meet the living Jesus. When we fully handle this mission, our children will also submit under the rule of the living Jesus. May we all greet the Lord with great joy on the last day. Amen.

    It is an obvious fact that Jesus, who died on the cross, was resurrected. Evidence and records remain. There are hundreds of eyewitnesses. 1 Cor.15:3-8; 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,† and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. Jesus' disciples risked their lives to preach the resurrection of Jesus. Because the resurrection was real. After the resurrection of Jesus, the disciples preached the resurrection of Jesus by giving their lives without a single traitor.

15:57,58, 57.But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58.Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
    We must also preach the resurrection of Jesus without delay. We too are witnesses of the resurrection. Jesus Resurrection, My Resurrection, Our Resurrection! May you live a life full of life and joy in Jesus who has won over death. Amen.