The Women knew who they were looking for but they came to the wrong place.  God knew they would go to the tomb because rising from the dead, just as Jesus said he would, was not at the forefront of their minds—only grief. 

Their burden of seeing their Friend and Master Teacher suffer and die so violently the day before didn’t deter their compassion to tend to the body of their Lord.  The body of Jesus was hastily buried because of the beginning of Passover.  Passover, the celebration of the God sparing the Jews from death with lamb’s blood over their doorposts, now takes on a new meaning…for those who believe.  Jesus was the Lamb of God, the final and complete sacrifice for our sin.

The Women will be the first to the empty tomb to hear the message and told to “Go tell the disciples!”  Jesus is not among the dead, but alive and walking around with the living!  Jesus died and rose again…just like He said he would.

Jesus rose from death in His final work to save our souls and reconcile us to God!  Jesus has become Savior and Lord to all who believe and follow Him!  Now the women remember and understand what the angel is telling them.  They drop their burial spices that is no longer “their work”.  Telling the Good News of Jesus, their Savior is now their new work.  “Come and see, go and tell!”  The women run, not walk, to go and tell!

HOLY PAUSE

Who are you looking for to save your soul and make you whole again?  Where are you looking?  Are you looking where death resides or where Life is abundant and free?  Are you looking for Jesus as Savior and Lord?

Do we really believe what we believe is really real?  Are we running to others to tell how Jesus died for our sins and rose again to defeat death forever? 

Matthew 28

Jesus Has Risen

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.”

The Guards’ Report

¹¹ 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. ¹² When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, ¹³ telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ 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.

THEY THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD

If anything proves the kingship of Jesus Christ, it is His resurrection from the dead. The final chapter in Matthew’s gospel is a record of victory. It is a thrilling fact that believers today share in that victory!

What is the significance of the resurrection? It proves that Jesus is God’s Son. Jesus stated that He had authority to lay down His life and to take it up again (John 10:17–18).

It verifies the truth of Scripture. Both in the Old Testament and in the teaching of Jesus, His resurrection is clearly taught (see Ps. 16:10; 110:1). If Jesus had not come out of the tomb, then these Scriptures would not be true.

It assures our own future resurrection. Because Jesus died and rose again, we shall one day be raised to be like Him (1 Thess. 4:13–18). In fact, the entire structure of the Christian faith rests on the foundation of the resurrection. If we do away with His resurrection, we have no hope.

It is the proof of a future judgment. “Because he has appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man who he has ordained; whereof he has given assurance unto all men, in that he has raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

It is the basis for Christ’s heavenly priesthood.  Because He lives by the power of an endless life, He is able to save us “to the uttermost” (Heb. 7:23–28). He lives to intercede for us.

It gives power for Christian living. We cannot live for God by our own strength. It is only as His resurrection power works in and through us that we can do His will and glorify His name (see Rom. 6:4).

It assures our future inheritance. Because we have a living hope, we can experience hopeful living. A dead hope grows weaker and weaker before it eventually dies. But because Jesus Christ is alive, we have a glorious future (see 1 Peter 1:3–5). Whenever God’s people gather on the Lord’s Day they bear witness that Jesus is alive and that the church has received spiritual blessings. When the followers of the Lord gathered that first Lord’s Day, they were discouraged and defeated.

The stone was not rolled away to permit Jesus to come out, for He had already left the tomb. It was rolled back so that the people could see for themselves that the tomb was empty.

“Come and see!” was followed by “Go and tell!” We must not keep the resurrection news to ourselves. The angel sent the women to tell (of all people) Christ’s own disciples. They should have been expecting the news, but instead, they questioned it even when they heard it.

It is when we are obeying God’s Word that He comes to us. Jesus had already appeared to Mary Magdalene in the garden (John 20:11–18; Mark 16:9). Notice that our Lord’s first two resurrection appearances were to believing women. These faithful women were not only the last to leave Calvary, but they were also the first to come to the tomb. Their devotion to Jesus was rewarded.

Come and see.  Believe.  Go and tell.  The commands are simple.

In Jesus Name, Amen.  I believe.  I will continue to tell.