Matthew 28:1-20
"Jesus Christ – He's alive!"
He's alive, according to my own personal experience.
# 1. The Future.
Matthew 28:2 (NIV) “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.”
“I am the resurrection, and the life.” (John 11:25)
Resurrection foretold.
Psalm 16:10 (NIV) “Because You will not abandon Me to the grave, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.”
Every person in this house of worship has a past, a present, and a future.
Each of us has a destiny that will be determined, not by our circumstances, but by our choices.
"I was thinking what a dumb coach we have."
#2. The Mystery.
Matthew 28:6 (NIV) “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.”
Matthew 27:66 (NIV) “So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.”
Jesus, who was dead, now is alive.
We miss great opportunities because we focus on the rational facts.
John 20:6, 7 (NIV) "Then Simon Peter, who was behind Him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen."
Ephesians 3:2-5 (NIV) “Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have
already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.”
‘Neither have you tasted my Jesus.’
#3. The Proclamation.
Matthew 28:7-8 (NIV) “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.
So, the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples.”
“Cry out to the disciples, ‘Jesus is risen.’”
It brought hope to the hopeless.
“Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.”
Proclamation will be that the miracle happened to me!