[0:00] Now, turning back to the chapter that we read, and especially looking at verse 5 in that chapter, chapter 28 in the Gospel of Matthew and verse 5.
[0:18] And, but the angel said to the woman, do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
[0:33] And especially the words that we have in the middle of the verse, do not be afraid. And we'll first look at seeking the Lord, and secondly, he is risen, and thirdly, go and tell.
[1:01] Seeking the Lord, he is risen, go and tell. And firstly, coming to seeking the Lord. Now, to draw near, to draw near to a tomb or to a grave, can be very solemn and sometimes fearful.
[1:27] If we do it on our own and in silence. Meditating on what is nothing but our own end.
[1:38] What is nothing but our own end. You see, death is not a biological dysfunction of our bodily members as we grow older.
[1:57] Death is the wages of sin. And that is brought home to us by the fact that we see people taken away from the scene of time at a young age, some in middle age, some when they reach an older age.
[2:19] It is not. It is not. It is not. It is not a bodily, not every one of us is guaranteed to reach an old age where we can say that death is a biological dysfunction of our bodily members.
[2:36] It is not. It is the wages of sin. The command of God. From the dust you came and to the dust you must return.
[2:48] The other thing is that you are. The plot that you or I might be paying for on the bribe in the cemetery there and some of us might not be paying for a plot in the bribe but in some other place.
[3:03] The thing is that that very plot that you and I are paying for is the only thing that will never pass from our possession.
[3:18] It will be ours and remain ours even when we are dead. Everything else passes from our possession. Our houses, our houses, our cash, our bank accounts, our possessions, whatever else we have.
[3:40] Even our family, even the members of our family we have to leave them in the care of others. Everything else will pass from our possession except this plot of ground that we are paying for in where we are going to be laid.
[3:57] At the end of our journey here. Now these women did not know what would be waiting for them. As they came to the Lord's tomb early on that Lord's Day morning.
[4:15] And as it is described for us here, they met with an angel whose appearance was as lightning, whose clothing was white as snow.
[4:28] They were gripped by fear. And so would we have been if we had been in their place. But hear the word of the angel to these women.
[4:45] Do not be afraid. This word was to allay their fears. And we read in this account that the watchmen, those who had been set to guard the tomb in case Jesus' disciples would come and steal his body away at night.
[5:07] The watchmen shook with fear as the angel descended. And they became as dead men. The same as happened to John on the Isle of Patmos.
[5:21] When Jesus sent the angel to meet with him, John fell to the ground as if dead. But the angel says to these women, But do you not be afraid?
[5:36] Those who have not got an intimate knowledge of the Lord, let them be afraid. But do you not be afraid who are daughters of Sarah?
[5:50] Sarah, of course, was Abraham's wife. And as Peter puts it for us in his first epistle and the third chapter and the sixth verse, As Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, whose daughter you are.
[6:05] Peter was talking to the woman in his own congregation, the congregation he was writing to. Whose daughters you are. If you do good and fear nothing that is frightening.
[6:19] Now, these words are for you today. And if you take nothing away from this sermon and if it goes over your head, take these words away.
[6:31] Do not be afraid. These are for you today if you are seeking Jesus. If you are seeking Jesus.
[6:43] And we can be gripped by many fears when we set out on the path that leads us to seeking the Lord.
[6:53] You can put the question to yourself, how will he respond to me? How will the Lord respond to me if I do meet him?
[7:06] Can't be filling your thoughts. And can't be filling us with fear. What if he turns me away? It's a frightening thought that can fill our minds.
[7:19] Well, you should take courage from the words spoken by the angel to these women coming to the tomb.
[7:31] Do not be afraid. For I know that you seek Jesus. You see, the Lord knows when one is genuinely seeking after himself.
[7:47] And he does not want to frighten you. But he wants to encourage you. And those that seek Jesus have no need of being afraid.
[7:58] For if you are diligent in your seeking of him, you will find him. You will find him. But all in the Lord's time.
[8:12] All in the Lord's own time. And this means that you have to exercise patience in your seeking of him.
[8:22] You have to exercise patience in your seeking of him. And when you do find him. You will discover in him.
[8:35] All that is necessary for time and for eternity. You will discover that you will find in Jesus.
[8:47] All that is needful for this world. And the world that is to come. You see, all your faithful inquiries after the Lord are noted in heaven.
[9:01] They are noted in heaven. That is why the angel was sent down to the woman. The Lord knew they were seeking after him. They were coming to anoint a dead body.
[9:16] To do the last service. The last service they could do for the Lord. Do not be afraid for I know that you seek Jesus.
[9:30] For I know that you seek Jesus. All your faithful inquiries after the Lord. They are noted in heaven. And they will through time find an answer.
[9:43] For he is a rewarder. For he is a rewarder of all those who diligently seek him. All those who diligently seek him. And listen to the words of the angel again.
[9:58] You seek Jesus who was crucified. And here you are today.
[10:10] And you are seeking after. A person who was crucified over 2,000 years ago.
[10:20] And you are afraid to tell your family. Because you are afraid that they will make you out to be a fool. What on earth are you doing?
[10:36] Seeking after a person who was put to death over 2,000 years ago. What is that person going to do for you? But you see, you are seeking him.
[10:50] In spite of the fact that he was crucified. You are seeking him in spite of that fact. And you are seeking him because he was crucified.
[11:04] And you might at this very moment. Be looking at the cross of Christ. And your knowledge of that cross is very hazy.
[11:17] Your discernment of the light of the gospel is very dim. But as we were saying last week.
[11:29] That does not matter. You might be thinking to yourself. I don't have any knowledge of the word of God in the way that the Lord's people do.
[11:40] And you think to yourself. Well, will that not hold me back? No, it won't. No, it won't.
[11:53] It does not matter. The main thing is that you are seeking the Lord. That you are seeking the Lord.
[12:03] He did not come to call great theologians to himself. And you will never become a theologian until you know Christ anyway. Every, every one of the Lord's people, they are theologians in their own right.
[12:19] It is only when you come to find the Lord. When you come to know the Lord. That is when you become a theologian. But he did not come to call great theologians to himself.
[12:32] He did not come to call people who have a great knowledge of the word. He came to call sinners. And here you are today.
[12:45] Seeking the Lord. And the only qualification you need. In finding him. Is that you are. A sinner. And aware that you are a sinner.
[12:57] Which takes us to the second thing that we have here. Listen. The angel assures. These women. Of the resurrection. Of Jesus Christ.
[13:09] And surely there would be enough in that. To chase away the fear. He is not here.
[13:20] He is risen. And you might. You might. Be here today. And you have been seeking the Lord for some time.
[13:33] For some length of time. And it is fitting that you would be getting despondent. And this word.
[13:46] He is not here. Will not chase away your fears. Will not chase away your despair. But surely the word that follows. Will do.
[13:57] He is risen. He is risen. He is risen. I am alive.
[14:08] And was dead. Behold. I am alive. Forevermore. You are seeking. That's what Jesus said to John.
[14:19] And we find it in. The book of revelations. Chapter 1. And verse 18. I am alive. I am alive. And was dead. Behold. I am alive.
[14:30] Forevermore. You are seeking. After a living Savior. That can be found. Of you. That can be found. Of you.
[14:42] You are not seeking. After a crucified Savior. Whose body remains. In the tomb. Where it was laid. But you are seeking. After a living Savior.
[14:53] And what does that reveal to you? That your seeking. Will not be in vain. Your seeking. Will not. Be in vain.
[15:05] Jesus himself. Warned us. Not to listen. To those. Who would say. Christ. The Christ is here.
[15:16] And the Christ is there. For he is neither here. Nor there. He. Is. Is. Wism. He. Is. Wism.
[15:27] And you might have been conscious. Of the Holy Spirit. Striving with you. Through his word. And through his providence. For some length of time.
[15:39] And in having. Let these moments pass. Without making the best use.
[15:50] Of them. You are thinking now. That your time of opportunity. Is gone. That your time of opportunity. Is gone.
[16:00] Do not despair. My friend. For you are seeking. A saviour. That is risen. And living in the power.
[16:11] Of a never ending life. And in all. You are seeking. After the Lord. You must remember. That he is risen.
[16:23] And you must seek him. As one. Who is risen. One who is risen. You must seek him.
[16:33] By faith. And not by sight. You must seek him. By faith. And not trust. You must seek him. Through trusting his word.
[16:47] Paul puts it for us. In. In the second Corinthians. Chapter five. And verse 16. He puts it this way. He tells us. There are those.
[16:59] There were. There were many. He said. There were many. Who knew Christ. After the flesh. But no.
[17:11] No we him. So. No more. No we him. So. No more. It is through. That Christ. Walked. This earth.
[17:23] In a body. Like you and I do. Like you and I do. But no. He is risen. And he must be sought after.
[17:35] By faith. In his word. Trusting. In his word. You see. You see what Paul is getting at there. That there were many who knew Christ after the flesh.
[17:46] But no. We know him. So. No more. There were many. There are. There. There were many down to the ages. In the church's history.
[17:57] Who put it before themselves. That unless they saw Christ in the flesh. In the body. That they would not believe in. In the flesh.
[18:08] And there was one elder from this village itself. He became an elder in the store of a congregation. And that's what he was setting before himself. That unless he would see Christ.
[18:20] Bodily. In the flesh. He would not believe in. But you see. Christ is risen. We have to seek him.
[18:31] Through faith. In his word. Trusting. In his word. What is the righteousness. Based on faith. Say to me and to you.
[18:44] The word. Is near you. In your mouth. And in your heart. As Paul put it.
[18:55] The word that we proclaim. The word of the gospel. You have heard the gospel. You speak about it. From time to time. It is in your heart.
[19:08] You think about it. From time to time. You are not unfamiliar. With the gospel. You are not unfamiliar. With the scriptures. Of the old and the new testament.
[19:19] The word is near you. In your mouth. In your heart. And if you confess. If you confess. Christ Jesus. If you confess.
[19:30] Jesus Christ. With your lips. If you confess.
[19:41] Him as Lord. And if you believe. That God raised him. From the dead. You will be saved. You will be saved.
[19:53] If you confess. With your mouth. That Jesus is Lord. And if you believe. In your heart. That God raised him. From the dead. Then you will be saved. Sounds very simple.
[20:08] And at the end of the day. It is simple. All you need. Is this trust. This faith. In his word.
[20:19] In his word. So if you are looking. Or seeking. Jesus in the flesh. Then you have to adjust. Your seeking.
[20:30] You have to adjust. Your seeking. For instance. If you are at home. In this world. And you think.
[20:43] That it is a good place. To be in. Then what you must remember. Is that the Lord. That you are seeking after. Is not here. He is not here.
[20:58] So you have to. Let your heart. You have to let your heart. And mind. Rise. Up to the things. Which are above.
[21:09] As Paul. Puts it for us. In Colossians chapter. In Colossians chapter 3. And verses 1 to 3. Seek. He said. After the things.
[21:19] That are above. Where Christ is seated. At the right hand of God. Set your mind. Upon the things. Which are above. And not upon the things.
[21:29] Which are on the earth. Not upon the things. Which are on the earth. And that is. What we. What you have to do.
[21:41] If you are seeking. Jesus. Jesus. And thinking. That you will. Meet with him. Bodily in the flesh. You won't. He is not in this world. He.
[21:52] Is. With sin. Which brings us. To the third. And final thing. That we have here. Go and tell. The ancient. Directs. These women. To go and tell. His.
[22:03] This great news. To his disciples. Leave the tomb. Go. To his disciples. Tell them. Tell them. This great news. And the woman.
[22:14] The woman. Probably. At that very moment. Would have been gazing. Into this. Empty tomb. Aware. Of the presence. Of the angel.
[22:25] And they would have been. Thinking. To themselves. Could we be found. In a more blessed place. They would have no thoughts.
[22:37] Whatsoever. Of leaving. They would have no thoughts. Whatsoever. Of leaving. With that fear. No gone. They would have been.
[22:48] Of the opinion. That they could not. Be found. In a more heavenly place. And it is the same. With each.
[22:59] And every one of us. Some of us. Might have been seeking. After Jesus. Subconsciously. Some of us. Might have been.
[23:10] Seeking after him. Consciously. Some of us. Not being aware. That we were seeking. After him. Some of us. Being aware. That we were seeking. After him. And we might have been.
[23:20] Seeking after him. For a length of time. And suddenly. When he meets. With us. When he meets. With me. And you.
[23:31] What is our reaction? We want to hold on. To that moment. We do not want. To let go of that moment.
[23:45] We want to hold on to it. Because. There is no. Moment more. Blessed. Than when you meet.
[23:57] For the first time. With the Lord. Lord. However. As it was. For these women. So it is. For us.
[24:09] We must. Let go. And we must. Go and tell others. This. Great. News. He.
[24:20] Is. Written. And I. Have met. With him. I. Have met. With him. And they were.
[24:31] To proclaim. This good news. To his disciples. Who in their despair. Needed. To be comforted. Well.
[24:45] When you and I. Find. The Lord. For the first time. For some of us. For some of us. It is.
[24:58] To the Lord's people. That we first. Proclaim. This good news. The first time. We appear.
[25:08] In the prayer meeting. In the presence. Of his people. That is the first time. That anybody. Has any inkling.
[25:19] Of what was going on. In our lives. And the Lord's people. Need every encouragement. They can get. That. That. Especially. In the DNA. In which we live.
[25:31] And we might not. Have been aware. Of it. At the time. But in taking that step. Into the prayer meeting. It was. A great encouragement.
[25:42] To the Lord's people. There are. Others. Of us. When we meet. Christ. For the first time. We are.
[25:52] Posting. To tell. This good news. To all. And sundry. That it might be. The members. Of our family. Or our very.
[26:03] Close friends. To whom. We proclaim. This good news. For the first time. It is not. Glad tidings.
[26:15] That we ought to keep. To ourselves. And the angel. Then pronounces. That he has done. His duty. See.
[26:26] I have told you. See. I have told you. The woman. Could be assured. The woman.
[26:38] Could be assured. And they could. Depend upon it. That this was a person. Who could not lie. The word spoken.
[26:51] By angels. Is reliable. As we have it. In Hebrews chapter 2. And verse 2. And God. Made known. His mind.
[27:01] In Old Testament. Times. Through angels. And through prophets. And through various. Other means. But that is a means. Of communication. That is now.
[27:11] Set aside. In the gospel age. In the gospel age. Were the angels.
[27:24] Not present. At the giving of the law. On Mount Sinai. And here. We find the angel. This angel.
[27:34] Present at the tomb. Of the Lord. The Old Testament. Age was coming now. To an end.
[27:46] And this means. Of communication. Was to be set aside. In the age of the gospel. This angel. This angel's work. Is now finished. See.
[27:58] I have told you. I have done my duty. His work. Is now finished. And he leaves. The proclamation. On this good news. To the woman. Go.
[28:09] And tell. His disciples. And if you are seeking. The Lord. Here today. When you come. To meet with him.
[28:21] Your first duty. Is to go. And tell this good news. To others. Why? Because. If there is anything.
[28:34] That the world. Of our day. Needs. But this. Fallen world. That is under. The dominion.
[28:44] Of the darkness. Of sin. If there is anything. That this world. Needs. In our day. It is to hear. This good news.
[28:56] He is not here. He is risen. And may the Lord. Help you. In your seeking.
[29:06] Of himself. And lead you. To truly. Rejoice. When you meet. With him. To rejoice.
[29:18] In the fact. That you are meeting. With a living. Savior. Through faith. In. His word. May he bless. These thoughts.
[29:30] To us all. Let us pray. Anyway. There. To.