Pastor Nick Hood

An Angel sitting on a stone After an earthquake

Matthew 28 The Resurrection of Jesus

(Mk 16:1–8; Lk 24:1–12; Jn 20:1–10)

 Matthew 28 After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” 8 So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of 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.” [1]

  1. Today I want to talk about the first Easter
  2.  Tell the story…
  1. let us take a closer look at the story:
  2. Women go to the tomb early in the morning
  3. while they are walking, they experience an earthquake.
  4. in spite of the earthquake, the women keep walking
  5. how many of us would press on to a grave with an earthquake? At the grave, the women see an Angel descending from heaven and sitting on a stone
  6. Guards saw the same thing, but they ran away.
  7. Lesson: the women were tougher than the guards.
  8. Likewise, in many respects today, women are tougher than men.
  9. again, how many of us would stand there and listen to an Angel sitting on a stone at a grave?
  10. After all this, the women go into the tomb.
  11. the women entering the tomb of Jesus is central to the story of Easter.
  12. Again, picture the scene, and ask yourself after all of this, would you enter the grave of Jesus?
  1. In the Luke version, the angel says to the women, “why do you seek the living among the dead?

–5 The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. 6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” [2]  (Luke 24)

  1. Some of us seek the living in the dead.
  2. Sometimes, the things we do defy common sense.
  3. We have to wonder, “why I do something that I know cannot enhance my life “?
  4. What you and I are doing today, is something that can only enhance life!
  1. While still in the graveyard, the Angel tells Mary and the women to tell the disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee
  2. in other words, getaway from the scene of the crime.
  3. Go to where the air is fresh and clear so you can get yourself together
  4. in like manner, sometimes the best thing we can do when someone dies and we are full of sadness, is simply to get away where we can collect our thoughts
  • today, we celebrate the resurrection of our crucified Lord and savior…

[1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Mt 28:1–10). (1989). Thomas Nelson Publishers.

[2] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Lk 24:5–7). (1989). Thomas Nelson Publishers.