Matthew 28:1-15
We live in a day in which religion is thought of as a matter of preference or opinion. A moral code, what is true for you doesn’t mean it needs to be true for me. This is how are society has taken eternal matters, the lifeblood, and replaced it with humanistic Kool-Aid. If the resurrection of Jesus Christ is true, we cannot afford for our whole eternity to hinge on an opinion or preference. If Jesus rose from the grave, that changes everything! Almost 3 million people live in Mississippi. If you ask them if they believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ¾ of them would say yes. Critical questions come from the resurrection that everyone has to answer. It’s not enough to just acknowledge the event, this event must change everything!
Three Critical Questions Concerning the Resurrection Every Person Must Answer
- Does Jesus have all authority? (Matthew 28:6)
There are several theories concerning the resurrection. You will either believe the biblical recording or another view.
a. The disciples stole the body of Jesus. (vv.11-15) Notice the guards never denied the tomb was empty. If the disciples did do this Matthew would had never recorded the conversation between the chief priests and the guards about their plans. It would have shined light on a hoax. Matthew had nothing to hide. You cannot find a body of Jesus Christ anywhere.
b. It was never really Jesus. Mohammed taught this and is recorded in the Quran. Mohammed came 6 centuries, 600 years after the resurrection. Who would you believe, eyewitnesses or someone six centuries later?
c. Jesus never died, he was only hurt. (John 19:34) “But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.” Dr. C. Truman Davis notes, “that water surrounding the heart gives postmortem evidence that His death was from heart failure due to the constriction of the heart by fluid in the pericardium.” This makes Psalm 22 come to fruition.
d. Jesus died, was buried, and rose again according to Scripture. This is the most plausible of all the arguments. Why? It really happened. Even secular historians have recorded this event. There were eyewitnesses. Paul says in 1 Cor. 15:6 “Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.” Doubters became bold proclaimers as a result of the resurrection (Peter). Skeptics became transformed (James, and Paul). The apostles were killed for their faith, all but John the beloved. John the Baptist was beheaded for Christ. Blaise Pascal said “he could believe those who are willing to get their throat cut for a case.”
Does Jesus have all authority? (Matthew 28:18) Jesus has authority over sin and Satan, over Heaven and Earth, over life and death, over you and me! He has authority.
- Is being with Jesus your main ambition? (Matthew 28:7-8)
How do we see Jesus? Mark 1:15 “and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Romans 10:9-10 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” I want you to feel the gravity of this passage. If you were to confess Jesus publically in Roman, you would be calling for your certain death! You value Jesus more than your life! You know that your ambition is to one day be with Christ!
Jesus loves us so deeply! When I was pursuing my wife, I wanted her to know that I loved her in person. I didn’t send a friend to tell her that or a letter, I told her in person. I wanted that to be real, authentic, hope-giving love! God loves us so deeply that He came in person to show us that! My ambition because of the cross and resurrection is to be with Him! Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
- Does Jesus have your total allegiance? (Matthew 28:9-10) If we asked Satan if Jesus has all authority, he would say yes. James 2:19 “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe and shudder!” If we asked Satan, will you submitted allegiance to Jesus, he would say no.
Because Jesus rose from the grave, it changes everything! We can’t afford to play around and not answer these questions.
If we could hear the cries from Hell at this moment “saying you better live for Jesus in light of the resurrection!” If we could hear their cries we’d be a church with one authority, one ambition, and one allegiance, Jesus Christ! May we hear their cries and make everything in us live in light of the resurrection
Jesus has all authority, he is our ambition, and he has allegiance! Can you say that this morning?