For those of you who are new, my name is Sean.
I'm one of the pastors of Trinity Cambridge Church.
It's my joy to preach God's word to you this morning.
We are in Matthew chapter 28 today for Easter Sunday.
So please turn with me in your Bibles.
Matthew is the first book in the New Testament.
If you see Mark, you've gone a little too far.
Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's word.
Heavenly Father, we gather as we always do on Sunday morning
because your son Jesus Christ was raised on Sunday morning.
We are alive today because he was raised.
And Lord, we don't want to take his death and his resurrection on our behalf
for granted.
So we pray that you would renew our understanding,
our appreciation
for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Fill us with awe before him
with great joy
as remember what he has accomplished for us.
Glorify the name of your son
and be pleased in our worship this morning.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
Matthew chapter 28, verses 1 to 15.
Now after the Sabbath,
toward the dawn of the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
And behold, there was a great earthquake.
For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven
and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.
His appearance was like lightning
and his clothing white as snow.
And for fear of him,
the guards trembled and became like dead men.
But the angel said to the woman,
Do not be afraid,
for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
He is not here,
for he has risen, as he said.
Come, see the place where he lay.
Then go quickly and tell his disciples
that he has risen from the dead.
And behold, he is going before you to Galilee.
There you will see him.
See, I have told you.
So they departed quickly from the tomb
with fear and great joy
and ran to tell his disciples.
And behold, Jesus met them and said,
Greetings.
And they came up and took hold of his feet
and worshipped him.
Then Jesus said to them,
Do not be afraid.
Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee
and there they will see me.
While they were going,
behold, some of the guard went into the city
and told the chief priests
all that had taken place.
And when they had assembled with the elders
and taken counsel,
they gave a sufficient sum of money
to the soldiers and said,
Tell people,
his disciples came by night
and stole him away while we were asleep.
And if this comes to the governor's ears,
we will satisfy him
and keep you out of trouble.
So they took the money
and did as they were directed.
And this story
has been spread among the Jews
to this day.
This is God's holy
and authoritative word.
Often when I tell
my non-Christian friends,
unbelieving friends,
about Jesus,
they raise philosophical
or scientific objections
that they think
I need to be able to explain
in order to reconcile
my Christian worldview
with them.
How do you explain
the problem of evil
and suffering in the world?
Can you square
the account of creation
in Genesis
with our modern
scientific understanding?
Very smart Christians
over the last 2,000 years
have provided
many compelling
and satisfactory answers
to all of these questions
and more.
And sometimes
I will engage
with their questions
at that level,
but I usually
try to bring
the conversation
back to Jesus.
To Jesus' life,
his death,
and resurrection.
Because Christianity
is not a system
of belief
that someone
arrived at
after extensive
philosophical inquiry.
Rather,
it's the natural
outgrowth
of an earth-shaking
historical event.
In other words,
the central tenet
of Christianity,
the death
and resurrection
of Jesus,
is itself
an inconvenient
historical reality
that we must
reckon with
in order to make
sense of our world.
In other words,
your worldview
needs to be updated
to make an account
for the death
and resurrection
of Jesus.
When a scientist
discovers data
that contradict
his hypothesis,
he can't ignore
the data.
That's not a luxury
that he has.
He needs to modify
his hypothesis.
Similarly,
if your worldview
does not allow
for a resurrection,
that's no reason
simply to discount it
and say that it
could have never
happened.
You need to change
your worldview.
Because there is
compelling historical
evidence that Jesus
really died
and that he was
really raised
from the dead.
The biographies
of Jesus
that we Christians
call the Gospels
of Matthew,
Mark, Luke,
and John
all contain accounts
of the resurrection
of Jesus.
And these writings
have far superior
documentation historically
than any other
contemporary classical
work.
And the oldest
Gospel manuscript
we have
dates to 2nd century AD
and the sheer number
of textual attestations
that we have
in their antiquity
ensure that what
we have here
in our Bibles
and in the Gospels
is what the original
authors wrote.
And the fact
that they were written
so early
means that the authors
could not have
easily fabricated
things.
Especially not
something as fundamental
as the resurrection.
There were contemporary
witnesses around
who could easily
challenge fabricated
elements in the accounts.
Just to give you
an example,
I'm sure you have
had awkward
conversations
with married couples
where the husband
tells you a story
and the wife
promptly corrects him
saying,
no, no, no,
that's not what
actually happened.
This is how
it really went down.
No, that's not
where that happened.
It happened here.
That's not when
that happened.
No, it happened then.
Because the wife
was there
with the husband
and if it's
like me and my wife,
Hannah,
then she's usually right.
She can correct me
because she was there.
The same is true
for the Gospel accounts.
They were written
and circulated
so early on
and so close
to the time
of the actual events
that there were
plenty of people around
to challenge falsehoods.
Hey, that didn't
actually happen.
That's not what
Mary told me.
She was there.
Some of the
minor discrepancies
that you find
in the Gospel accounts
are accounted
for by the fact
that they're telling
the story
from different angles
and different perspectives
and they choose
each author
to note or emphasize
different details
of the story
for the sake
of theological emphases.
And those actually
corroborate the historical
authenticity of the event
because they show
that there were
multiple strands
of oral tradition
that had been preserved,
handed down
from the same
historical event.
And today,
we're looking specifically
at Matthew's account
of Jesus' resurrection
here in chapter 28.
And Matthew draws
a contrast
between the true
witnesses of the resurrection
in the first 10 verses
and the false witnesses
of the resurrection
in verses 11 to 15.
And through this,
teaches us
to believe
in the resurrection
and to bear witness
to the bodily
resurrection of Jesus.
He says in verse 1,
Now after the Sabbath,
toward the dawn
of the first day
of the week,
Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary
went to see the tomb.
All four gospel accounts
of Jesus' resurrection
record that Jesus
rose from the dead
around the dawn
of the first day
of the week.
The first day
of the week
conveys a note
of hope
and renewal.
There's a reason why,
if you remember
from a few months ago,
gyms are always crowded
in January
because people make
New Year's resolutions.
People want to create
a new self.
There's a sense of hope.
We can be different.
We can be healthier.
Similarly,
the phrase
first day of the week
conveys the newness
of hope
that Jesus' resurrection
brings.
Jesus is making
all things new.
This is also why
Christians throughout
the last two millennia
have gathered
for worship on Sunday.
Remember that
the earliest Christians
were mostly Jews
and that Jews
had been faithfully
observing the Sabbath
and worshiping
in the synagogues
on Saturday
for thousands of years.
Something significant
must have happened
to make them change
such a deeply historical,
scriptural,
and universally observed
practice.
This transfer
of the Lord's Day
from Saturday
to Sunday
only makes sense
in light of the resurrection
of Jesus Christ.
Because the Lord Jesus
rose from the dead
on the first day
of the week,
they saw it as only fitting
to make that day
the focal point
of their weekly rhythm
and worship.
This is why
Christian sects
that insist
that corporate worship
should take place
on Saturdays
rather than on Sundays
are misguided,
however well-meaning
they might be.
The resurrection
also reportedly happened
toward the dawn
of the first day
of the week.
Matthew,
like other gospel writers,
employed a light-darkness
motif throughout his gospel.
Most prominently
at the beginning
of Jesus' ministry,
it says in Matthew 4,
13-16,
that he lived in Capernaum
by the sea
in the territory
of Zebulun and Naphtali
so that what was spoken
by the prophet Isaiah
might be fulfilled.
And this is the prophecy.
The land of Zebulun
and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea
beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people dwelling
in darkness
have seen a great light.
And for those dwelling
in the region
and shadow of death,
on them a light
has dawned.
This has been the nature
of Jesus' ministry
from the very beginning.
He is the light
of the world
and wherever he goes,
the light of salvation
dawns over those
who dwell
in the shadow of death.
Matthew also noted
in 27-45
that Jesus,
just before breathing
his last breath
on the cross,
he said,
there was darkness
over the face
of the land.
So darkness precedes
Jesus' death
and here dawn precedes
Jesus' resurrection.
The term Easter
comes from the
Proto-Germanic word
that means dawn.
Just as the sun
rises from the east
to bring the light
of day,
Jesus' resurrection
brings the light
of life.
And that gives us
so much hope.
some of you
probably feel overwhelmed
by the darkness
of this world.
There's so much war,
so much death,
so much hatred
and division.
Some of you
probably feel
overwhelmed
by the darkness
within you,
by your evil desires,
your own selfishness,
your own envy,
hatred,
cynicism,
indifference,
laziness,
addictions.
But however dark
the world might be,
however hopeless
your life might seem,
however dead
you might feel
spiritually,
Jesus' resurrection
teaches us
that there is still
hope for us.
The light of Christ
can still dawn
on your life.
Matthew also notes
that Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary
went to see the tomb.
Matthew has been
very careful
to note
the presence of woman
at all the critical
junctures of Jesus'
death and resurrection.
At his crucifixion,
he said in Matthew 27,
55 to 56,
there were also
many women there
looking on
from a distance
who had followed
Jesus from Galilee
ministering to him,
among whom
were Mary Magdalene
and Mary,
the mother of James
and Joseph
and the mother
of the sons of Zebedee.
Likewise,
at Jesus' burial,
he said in Matthew 27,
61,
Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary
were there
sitting opposite
the tomb.
Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary,
the mother of James
and Joseph,
are consistently
noted as eyewitnesses.
These same women
saw Jesus die
on the cross.
These same women
saw exactly
where Jesus
was buried.
And these same women
were the ones
who,
after all of his disciples
had deserted him,
visited the tomb
and saw that
it was empty.
Matthew is telling us
that Jesus' resurrection
is not a big
misunderstanding.
These women
are eyewitnesses
who knew
where Jesus' tomb was.
And the presence
of these women
in these accounts
significantly bolsters
the credibility
of the resurrection
accounts in the Gospels.
If the resurrection
accounts were
made up stories
by Jesus' disciples
and they really
wanted to sell it,
if they really
wanted people
back then
to believe it,
then they would
not have chosen
women to be
the first witnesses
of Jesus' resurrection.
Because in their culture,
women were ineligible
to serve as legal witnesses
in the Jewish court.
To illustrate
the first century
Jewish historian
Josephus wrote
in his book
Against Apion,
but let not
the testimony
of women be admitted
on account of the levity
and boldness
of their sex
since it is probable
that they may not
speak truth
either out of hope
of gain
or fear
of punishment.
Similarly,
the Talmud,
which is the compilation
of Jewish rabbinical
commentary
on Old Testament
scriptures,
stipulates that
women may not
be a valid witness
in Jewish legal
proceedings.
In fact,
the fact that
the first witnesses
were women
was the very thing
that the second century
Greek philosopher
Kelsus,
who was anti-Christian,
mocked us about.
So it would have been
a point of embarrassment
in the ancient world
that the first witnesses
of Christ's resurrection
were women.
But none of the gospel
writers try to hide
or minimize this fact
because they believe
that their testimony
is reliable
and because
they're not making
this up,
but that's what
actually happened.
There are many other
such details
in the gospels.
For example,
how the disciples
could not heal
a demon-possessed man,
how they bickered
about who's the greatest
when Jesus was getting
ready to die
on the cross,
Peter's thrice denial
of Jesus,
how the disciples
deserted Jesus,
the fact that it says
in Matthew 28, 17
later on
that some did not believe
but doubted
even after Jesus'
resurrection.
These are embarrassing
details that could have
been easily omitted.
but their inclusion
demonstrates that
Jesus' early followers
desire to preserve
what really happened.
And verses 2 to 3
continue,
and behold,
there was a great
earthquake for an
angel of the Lord
descended from heaven
and came and rolled
back the stone
and sat on it.
His appearance
was like lightning
and his clothing
white as snow.
Much like when Jesus
died on the cross
in 2751,
there was an earthquake
and the earthquake
was followed by
many of the followers
of God who had died
being raised from the dead.
But he specifically
noted there
that they only came
out of their tombs
after Jesus' resurrection.
So that was a preview
of what's happening now.
And here,
there's another earthquake
and this earthquake
precedes the resurrection
of Jesus.
It's like the earth
is giving up its dead
or at least precedes
the announcement
of the resurrection
of Jesus.
And it's not the earth
alone that is shaken.
It says in verse 4,
after seeing the angel
of the Lord
rolling back the stone
and sitting on it
for fear of him,
the guards trembled
and became like dead men.
The word trembled
is the same word
that's used to describe
the earlier earthquake
in chapter 27.
The guards are shaken
like the earth.
And ironically,
the dead man
that they were supposed
to be guarding
is very much alive
and these live soldiers
become like dead men.
And amazingly,
the angel of the Lord,
I love this,
completely ignores the guards.
It's like they're not even there.
These guards were,
by cultural standards,
the more important
and powerful people
on the scene.
the angel
completely ignores them.
He gives his entire attention
to the powerless woman
who are visiting the tomb,
which shows once again
that God's ways
are not the same as ours.
While the guards
posted at the tomb
should be afraid
of the angel,
the angel reassures
the woman visiting the tomb
not to be afraid
in verses 5 to 7.
Do not be afraid,
for I know
that you seek Jesus
who was crucified.
He is not here,
for he has risen
as he said.
Come see the place
where he lay,
then go quickly
and tell his disciples
that he has risen
from the dead,
and behold,
he is going before you
to Galilee,
there you will see him.
See, I have told you.
Note here
that the angel
did not roll away
the stone
to let Jesus
out of the tomb.
He doesn't need his help.
He rolls it away
to let the woman
go into the tomb
to see that Jesus
has already risen
and left the tomb
and that he is not there.
Jesus' resurrected body
has been so transformed
that he can appear
suddenly through locked doors
as it says in John 20,
but nonetheless,
he had hands and feet
that people can touch.
The resurrected body
is not beset
with the same physical limitations
that our bodies have.
So it appears
that Jesus simply
walked right out
of the tomb,
even though the stone
wasn't rolled away
at that point.
The stone was rolled away
not for Jesus' benefit,
but for our benefit
to show that the tomb
is empty.
This shows God's kind
dealing with us.
God didn't owe us
any proof,
yet he accommodates
our weaknesses,
our doubts,
and he invites the woman
to come and see.
And the angel notes
that Jesus has been raised
just as he said.
Repeatedly throughout
the Gospel of Mark,
Gospel of Matthew,
sorry, rather,
Jesus has prophesied
that he will be killed
but then be raised again
to life on the third day.
This was a known fact
that Jesus predicted this.
And so in 27, 63, 64,
the Pharisees proposed
to the Roman governor,
Pilate,
Sir, we remember
how that imposter said
while he was still alive,
after three days
I will rise.
Therefore,
order the tomb
to be made secure
until the third day,
lest the disciples
go and steal him away
and tell the people
he has risen from the dead,
and the last fraud
will be worse
than the first.
So Pilate ordered
the Jewish chief priests
and leaders
to use their own guard
of soldiers
to secure the tomb.
This was exactly
why the tomb
was guarded.
And yet the resurrection
happened anyway
because Jesus
is no imposter
and his resurrection
is no fraud.
And the angel
commands the woman
to go quickly
and tell Jesus' disciples
that he has risen
from the dead
and promises
that Jesus is going
before them to Galilee
and that they'll see him there.
And the two Marys
do exactly
what the angel
has commanded
in verse 8.
So they departed
quickly from the tomb
with fear
and great joy
and ran
to tell his disciples.
As they are journeying
their hearts well up
with fear
on the one hand
and great joy
on the other.
Fear
because they are about
to meet someone
who has just
defeated death
which no other human being
has ever done.
they had never even heard
of someone
who had been raised
from the dead.
So surely he possesses
great authority
and power
and ought to be revered
and feared.
But they also feel
great joy
because that person
with great authority
and power
is not anyone
but their beloved
Lord Jesus.
The one who walked
with them.
The one who taught them.
The one who loved them
for the last several years.
So they're filled
with anticipation
as they begin
this journey
to Galilee
and I love
what happens
next.
As soon
as Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary
set out to Galilee
in obedience
it says in verses 9 to 10
and behold
Jesus
met them
and said
greetings
and they came up
and took hold
of his feet
and worshipped him.
Then Jesus said to them
do not be afraid
go and tell my brothers
to go to Galilee
and there
they will see me.
Remember what the angel
has told the woman.
The angel told the woman
hey
go to Galilee
and there
Jesus will meet you
and that will happen.
They will meet Jesus again
in Galilee
but Jesus intercepts them
on the way
and greets them
as if he couldn't
wait long enough.
Like a man
who wants to surprise
the woman he loves
with an unexpected proposal
or a father
who wants to surprise
his daughters
by coming home
early
from his trip
Jesus
meets them
and greets them
before Galilee
and behold
Jesus
met them
and said
greetings
that's the first thing
he said
hey I'm here
full of love
and compassion
our savior
and this is significant
the woman
took hold
of his feet
and worshipped him
their taking hold
of Jesus' feet
shows two things
first it shows us
that despite
having walked
through a closed tomb
Jesus has a real
physical body
second
it shows us
that the way
we ought to approach
and honor Jesus
is in humility
and in submission
taking hold
of someone's feet
is a recognized act
of paying homage
and supplication
in Mark 5
22-23
when Jairus
is imploring
Jesus earnestly
because his daughter
is dying
he falls
at Jesus' feet
it says
and in Luke 17
15-16
a Samaritan leper
whom Jesus healed
it says
he fell
on his face
at Jesus' feet
giving him thanks
it's a posture
of deep humility
that expresses
one's abject need
and indebtedness
to somebody
it's what you do
when you know
that you have
no recourse
but to plead
the mercy
of somebody else
who has the power
to save you
when Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary
encounter
the reason Jesus
they know
that he is their
healer
that he is their
king
that they've been
waiting for
that he is
their savior
that he is their
lord
so they put
their faces
to the ground
and cling
to Jesus' feet
friends
this is how
we all
must come
before
Christ the king
we must not
approach Jesus
with our
chins up
and our
heads held high
and our shoulders
level with his
saying hey
look
look at all
these good
things that
I've done
look
look at all
my qualifications
look at my
potential
all the wonderful
things that I
can do for you
no we must
come to Jesus
recognizing our
abject poverty
and our total
depravity
and cling
to his feet
nothing in my
hand I bring
simply to the
cross I cling
naked I come
to thee for
dress
helpless
look to thee
for grace
but there's more
the women don't
stop at humbling
themselves before
Jesus
they also
worship him
this is shocking
because it's
exactly what the
devil had
tempted Jesus
to do
in Matthew
chapter 4
verses 9 to 10
he said to
Jesus all
these wealth
of the kingdoms
of this world
I will give
you if you
will fall
down and
worship me
but Jesus
rebuked him
be gone
Satan
for it is
written you
shall worship
the Lord your
God and him
only shall you
serve
we should
worship God
alone
but Satan
being the
prideful and
presumptuous
devil he is
demanded worship
from Jesus
and Jesus
rightly rebuked
him
and if anyone
tries to worship
man rather than
the one true God
we must stop
them
so in Acts
10 24 to 26
when Cornelius
falls at the
feet of Peter
and worships him
Peter lifts him
up saying stand
up I too am a
man
even angels
refuse to be
worshiped in
Revelation 22
8 to 9
when John
falls at
worship in
worship at the
feet of the
angel this is
what the angel
says to him
you must not
do that
I am a
fellow servant
with you and
your brothers
the prophets
and with those
who keep the
words of this
book
worship God
even an
angel like we
saw earlier in
this chapter
whose appearance
according to
verse 3
was like
lightning
imagine seeing
someone clothed
like lightning
white as snow
that being
does not deserve
to be worshipped
but Jesus
the one who
was crucified
the one who
is risen
deserves to
be worshipped
that's the
woman's natural
and immediate
response upon
encountering the
risen Lord
and a little
later in
verse 17
Jesus appears
to his 11
disciples and
their response
is the same
when they saw
the resurrected
Jesus it
says they
worshipped him
and this is not
idolatrous because
he is the
son of God
the second
person of the
trinity
the risen
Lord
Emmanuel
which means
God with
us
and this
glorious God
who so humbled
himself in
taking on
human flesh
and submit
subjecting
himself to
death
even death
on the cross
graciously
calls us
his brothers
did you see
that verse
10
he says do
not be afraid
go and tell
my brothers
to go to
Galilee
and there
they will see
me
Jesus taught
in Matthew
12 50
that those
who do the
will of his
father in
heaven is
his brother
and sister
and mother
but look
who he's
saying this
to
it's
these
disciples
the very
disciples
who deserted
him
when Jesus
needed
their help
and their
encouragement
the most
in the moment
of his
greatest
weakness
and need
they were
nowhere
to be
seen
and Jesus
graciously
calls them
my brothers
me
Jesus
his brother
there's so much
forgiveness
and affection
wrapped up
in that
term
and all
those who
are adopted
by God
the father
through their
faith
in Jesus
become
his
brothers
and sisters
within
the family
of God
and witnesses
of his
resurrection
so Mary
Magdalene
and the
other Mary
were true
witnesses
of the
resurrection
but in
verses
11 to
15
we see
that they
have
some
competition
they're
also
false
witnesses
of the
resurrection
verse 11
sets up
the contrast
while they
were going
behold
some of
the guard
went into
the city
and told
the chief
priest
all that
had taken
place
there are
two groups
of people
at the same
time hurrying
away
from the
tomb
the empty
tomb
and the
word
tell
in verses
8
10
and 11
all translate
the same
Greek word
to announce
which means
to announce
a message
and they're
all relaying
a message
they want
to relay
that Jesus
has risen
from the
dead
but the
second
group
is bribed
into becoming
false
witnesses
and therefore
conveyors
of a starkly
different
news
it says
in verses
12 to
15
and when
they had
assembled
with the
elders
and taken
counsel
they gave
a sufficient
sum of
money to
the soldiers
and said
tell people
his disciples
came by night
and stole
him away
while we
were asleep
and if
this comes
to the
governor's
ears
we will
satisfy him
and keep
you out
of trouble
so they
took the
money
and did
as they
were directed
and this
story has
been spread
among the
Jews
to this
day
there's a
deliberate
contrast
that Matthew
is setting
up
between
verses
1 to
10
and
11
to
15
in
1 to
10
the true
witnesses
received
their instruction
from
heaven
from the
angel
the Lord
who has
descended
from heaven
but here
the false
witnesses
received
their
instructions
from the
chief
priests
in the
city
and these
chief
priests
considered
Jesus
an imposter
and a
fraud
but they
revealed
themselves
to be
here
imposters
and fraud
they do
not truly
represent
God
and verse
15 is
ironic
the word
directed
is literally
taught
it's the word
for teach
and the word
story
is literally
word
they are
literally
teachers
of the
word
false
teachers
of the
word
throughout
the gospel
of Matthew
Jesus
is portrayed
as the
faithful
teacher
of the
word
and in
the parable
of the
sower
in Matthew
13
he spoke
of proclaiming
the word
of the
kingdom
sowing the
seeds of
the kingdom
is proclaiming
the word
of the
kingdom
and these
chief priests
are also
proclaiming a
word
but it's
a false
word
and today
also there
are many
who are
false
teachers
of the
word
people who
undermine
the life
death
and resurrection
of Jesus
people who
deny it
explain it
away
admitting of
course that
Jesus was
raised from
the dead
and then
left the
tomb on
their watch
would have
been a
death knell
to their
careers
as Jewish
leaders
because they
were the
ones who
orchestrated
and redrove
his death
so they
tried to
salvage the
situation
by bribing
the soldiers
to lie
that Jesus'
disciples came
by night
and stole
them away
just like
they use
money
to pay
Judas
to betray
Jesus
they think
like many
people in
our world
that they
could solve
all their
problems
with money
and look
at what
Matthew
concedes
in verse
15
and this
story has
been spread
among the
Jews to
this day
the gospel
of Matthew
is an
apologetic
meaning it's
a systematic
defense of
the claim
that Jesus
is the
Messiah
who was
crucified
but now
risen from
the dead
to save
his people
from sin
Matthew
was written
for that
purpose
to defend
that claim
especially for
the Jewish
people
they were
their primary
target
audience
that's why
the gospel
of Matthew
so often
features the
characteristic
fulfillment
formula which
quotes an
Old Testament
prophecy and
shows how
Jesus
fulfilled it
Matthew's
trying to
show his
fellow Jews
Jesus really
was the
Messiah
he really
is risen
from the
dead
and so
for their
sake he
includes this
note of
verse 15
that they
might know
that this
story that
has been
circulating
among them
that has
had some
currency
among them
is false
that Jesus
disciples did
not steal
Jesus body
from the
grave at
night
there's
several
important
implications
of this
lie that
we should
point out
first
even this
lie
confirms
that the
empty
tomb
was an
unquestionable
reality
if Jesus
tomb had
not been
empty
the Jewish
leaders and
the Roman
rulers
could have
very easily
opened it
up for
some
tours
to nip
Christianity
right in
the bud
because
Christianity
unlike other
religions
is based
on a
verifiable
historical
claim
but they
didn't do
that
instead
the alternative
narrative that
they were
circulating at
the time
was that
Jesus
disciples
stole
Jesus
body
while it
was being
guarded by
the soldiers
because it
was empty
second
this story
is so
ridiculous
that
Matthew
doesn't
even
refute
it
if the
soldiers
really were
asleep
like they
claimed to
be
while the
disciples
came to
roll away
a large
stone
and carry
Jesus'
body
away
then they
would have
never
known
that
the
body
was
stolen
by
the
disciples
because
they
never
saw
it
they
were
asleep
at
best
it
would
be
a
guess
they
could
not
know
that
Jesus'
disciples
stole
the
body
they
couldn't
even
know
that
his
body
was
stolen
at
all
third
this
lie
confirms
that
we
already
know
from
other
ancient
sources
what
we
already
know
from
other
ancient
sources
that
grave
robberies
were
common
that's
what
made
this
story
plausible
but
this
actually
corroborates
the
reality
of
Jesus'
post
resurrection
appearances
if
the
empty
tomb
were
the
only
evidence
of
Jesus'
resurrection
and
Jesus
had
never
appeared
to
people
in
his
flesh
the
disciples
would
have
been
hard
pressed
to
convince
people
in
this
day
and
age
that
Jesus
had
risen
from
the
dead
because
grave
robberies
were
so
common
even
the
disciples
would not
have
been
convinced
that
Jesus
was
risen
from
the
dead
until
Jesus'
bodily
appearance
the
empty
tomb
is
more
a
puzzle
than
a
proof
to
Jesus'
followers
this
is why
in
John
21
to
2
when
Mary
Magdalene
first
visits
notices
the
empty
tomb
before
her
second
visit
when
the
angel
explains
to
her
response
is
not
a
triumphant
Christ
is
risen
but
instead
she
says
this
they've
taken
the
Lord
out
of
the
tomb
and
we
do
not
know
where
they've
laid
him
but
Jesus'
disciples
were
fully
convinced
and
they
died
proclaiming
that
Jesus
really
has
been
raised
from
the
dead
because
they
had
really
seen
him
with
their
eyes
and
the
fact
that
the
church
of
Christ
has
faithfully
proclaimed
the
risen
Christ
for
the
last
2,000
years
and
the
fact
that
we
now
proclaim
him
today
on
Easter
Sunday
proof
that
no
one
has
been
able
to
bury
the
truth
of
Jesus'
resurrection
billions
and
billions
of
Christians
have
believed
this
unbelievable
claim
that
Jesus
physically
rose
from
the
dead
and
we
bear
witness
today
that
he
is
alive
and
that
he
is
with
us
here's
why
this
is
so
important
it
goes
to
the
crux
of
our
faith
1
Corinthians
15
17
Paul
says
and if
Christ
has
not
been
raised
your
faith
is
futile
and you
are
still
in
your
sins
then
those
who
have
fallen
asleep
in
Christ
have
perished
if
Christ
has
not
been
raised
then
his
atoning
death
for
our
sin
was
ineffective
and
we
are
still
in
our
sins
sometimes
we
can
think
that
Christ
death
alone
is
sufficient
for
our
forgiveness
and
redemption
but
this
is
not
true
if
Christ
had
not
been
raised
it
would
mean
that
Jesus
was
swallowed
up
by
death
if
Christ
had
not
been
raised
it
would
mean
that
he
was
overwhelmed
by
the
curse
of
sin
he
could
not
bear
the
weight
if
Christ
had
not
been
raised
it
would
mean
that
Jesus
was
overcome
by
still
remain
in
their
sins
and
stand
condemned
under
God's
judgment
and
that
is
why
Paul
says
apart
from
the
resurrection
of
Christ
our
faith
is
futile
and
we
are
still
in
our
sins
everywhere
we
go
in
our
lives
we
smell
death
we
ourselves
smell
of
death
there
are
people
in
our
lives
that
die
our
loved
ones
die
and
we
never
see
them
again
we
ourselves
are
dying
there
is
sickness
there
is
suffering
and
there
is
sin
so
deeply
entrenched
so
pervasive
in
our
world
and
all
of
that
we
have
no
hope
for
it
if
Christ
had
not
been
raised
but
because
Jesus
has
paid
the
penalty
for
sin
on
the
cross
and
because
he
is
risen
we
are
now
justified
counted
righteous
before
Christ
and
because
he
is
risen
we
can
now
be
sanctified
made
holy
become
more
and
more
like
Jesus
and
it's
also
because
of
his
resurrection
that
we
will
be
glorified
our
bodies
will be
raised
and
perfected
like
Christ's
resurrection
body
and
we
will
share
in
his
reign
forever
and
dwell
with
God
our
father
forever
that's
what we
proclaim
on
resurrection
Sunday
and so
though
fools
we
might
seem
to
the
watching
world
let us
not
shrink
from
declaring
this
wonderful
truth
Christ
is
risen
he
is
risen
amen
let's
pray
Lord
we
thank you
for
not
leaving us
to our
own
devices
but
sending
your
son
Jesus
to
save
us
we
thank you
for
his
death
the
death
that we
should
have
died
but
he
died
in our
place
we
thank you
for
his
resurrection
we
now
have
assurance
of our
victory
we
now
have
a
foretaste
of our
glory
we
praise
you
oh
Lord
risen
Jesus
we
love
you
we
fall at
your
feet
we
worship
you
amen
men
amen
you
please
you