by Kevin Burton
Your tombstone and mine will land with the thud of finality. Jesus’ tombstone was pushed aside in very short order.
This was God’s plan, and we rejoice in it today on Easter, as we serve a risen Savior, who conquered death to make a way for us to be saved.
The plan of the Roman authorities, once they had crucified a sinless, completely innocent man, was to place a huge stone in front of the cave where Jesus was buried, and then to put in place soldiers to guard the cave. They wanted to end this whole Jesus thing once and for all. Their reasoning is recorded in the book of Matthew.
“Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.”
“Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. (Matt. 27: 63-65 KJV).
This they did. But on resurrection Sunday “as sure as you can” was shown to be woefully, laughably inadequate up against the power of God almighty.
“And behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. (Matt. 28: 2-4 KJV).”
The soldiers eventually got up off their faces and reported to their superiors.
“Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.” (Matt. 28: 11-15 KJV).
Now the soldiers, I do believe, heard what the angel said. “He is not here, He is risen” and everything else the angel said to the women who went to the tomb early on that morning. But they chose to embrace the lie.
Incidentally, those elite Roman soldiers, who were subject to execution if they failed in their mission to guard the tomb, were NOT about to fall asleep.
Jesus is risen. The soldiers knew it. The disciples would soon come to know it and you need to know it. Never give ground on this point.
Why? Because the whole Christian faith rests on the resurrection.
Let’s hear it from the late Dr. Warren Wiersbe in his Bible commentary on Matthew 28:
“We must never underestimate the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Wiersbe wrote. “The world believes that Jesus died, but the world does not believe that He arose from the dead. Peter’s message at Pentecost emphasized the resurrection. In fact, it is emphasized throughout the book of Acts. 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 hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man who he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath 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).
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