Sermon Tone Analysis

In a world full of bad news, I am so grateful for Easter.

2017 and the start of 2018 have been really hard for a lot of people.

We have been talking about and singing about Jesus and his resurrection all morning long, and it has been great!

Financial struggles, health complications, relationship issues, and the chaos of the world can really weigh us down.

That’s why I love Easter.

Although we talk about it often and keep a pretty close focus on what Jesus did for us, it helps me to take time every year to really buckle down on what Jesus has done for us.

Why?

Because Easter gives us hope.

All morning long, we have sung songs about Jesus’ death and resurrection, and they have reminded us that he is forever exalted, that his name is powerful and beautiful, and that we can face anything because he is alive!

So, how did it all get started?

We want to look at this morning to see how the events unfolded on that first Easter morning.

We see the story of three women and how their plans for the day got turned completely upside down.

Start with me in verse 1-2…

Start with me in verse 1-2…

· Start with me in verse 1-2…

This is really the central idea of Christianity.

It is who we are and what we are about.

In fact, in a passage we won’t look at this morning, we find out that the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is so important that without it, the rest of Christianity is worthless.

This would have been early Sunday morning.

Keep in mind how the Jewish people in the first century counted days.

· This would have been early Sunday morning.

Keep in mind how the Jewish people in the first century counted days.

· Jesus died on Friday afternoon.

He had to be buried quickly because Saturday, which was their day of rest, started at sundown.

Jesus died on Friday afternoon.

He had to be buried quickly because Saturday, which was their day of rest, started at sundown.

· They didn’t have time to properly prepare Jesus’ body for burial.

They didn’t have time to properly prepare Jesus’ body for burial.

So, what

So, we find the ladies coming to the tomb as early as possible to finish the burial process.

· So, we find the ladies coming to the tomb as early as possible to finish the burial process.

The officials were afraid that Jesus’ followers would take the body and hide it, because they heard some talk that Jesus had said He was going to rise from the dead.

· The officials were afraid that Jesus’ followers would take the body and hide it, because they heard some talk that Jesus had said He was going to rise from the dead.

Here’s what Matthew tells us happened:

· Here’s what Matthew tells us happened:

“Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’

“Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”

Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.”

And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.”

“Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’

“Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”

Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.”

And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.”

(, NASB95)

So the women expected to come back to Jesus’ grave and find it covered by a large rock with a seal around it and guards keeping watch.

So the women expected to come back to Jesus’ grave and find it covered by a large rock with a seal around it and guards keeping watch.

· So the women expected to come back to Jesus’ grave and find it covered by a large rock with a seal around it and guards keeping watch.

That’s why they asked in verse 3-4…

· That’s why they asked in verse 3-4…

· Can you imagine their surprise in when they saw that the stone had already been rolled away?

Can you imagine their surprise in when they saw that the stone had already been rolled away?

· What greeted them next was even more incredible.

What greeted them next was even more incredible.

· Look at verse 5…

Look at verse 5…

Instead of a body, they found an angel!

· Instead of a body, they found an angel!

I don’t know about you, but the statement, “…they were alarmed,” is a little bit of an understatement for me!

· I don’t know about you, but the statement, “…and they were amazed,” is a little bit of an understatement for me!

Can you imagine walking into a tomb and finding an angel sitting in the corner?

If that weren’t enough, the angel delivers some absolutely incredible news.

· If that weren’t enough, the angel delivers some absolutely incredible news.

· Here’s what he said.

Read with me verse 6-7.

Here’s what he said.

Read with me verse 6-7.

In just a few short sentences, the angel told the women at the tomb that day more than they could have imagined.

· In just a few short sentences, the angel told the women at the tomb that day more than they could have imagined.

· Those truths that the angel communicated are just as incredible to us today as they were 2000 years ago.

Those truths that the angel communicated are just as incredible to us today as they were 2000 years ago.

The reality he told that day is the source of the hope we have.

· Let’s look at three realities the angel expressed.

Let’s slow down and take a closer look at what the angel said, because those sentences are loaded.

He is going to give us at least three different pieces of information this morning.

· The first is…

The first is…

1. Jesus was dead.

1. Jesus was dead.

Look with me at verse 6 again…

· Look with me at verse 6 again…

· The angel started out by confirming to the ladies that he genuinely knew what was going on.

The angel started out by confirming to the ladies that he genuinely knew what was going on.

· He tells the ladies who they are looking for: “…you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified.”

He tells the ladies who they are looking for: “…you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.”

· They were in the right place, and this really was where Jesus had been buried.

They were in the right place, and this really was where Jesus had been buried.

· Let’s focus on the statement, “who has been crucified,” for just a minute.

Let’s focus on the statement, “who was crucified,” for just a minute.

· They knew that, but there are a lot of people today who don’t.

Don’t miss this truth: Jesus really had died.

· Understanding that Jesus has been crucified is incredibly important in helping us understand why Easter is so crucial.

Understanding that Jesus has been crucified is incredibly important in helping us understand why Easter is so crucial.

· If you were with us Friday evening, we took some time to look at Christ’s death on the cross.

If you were with us Friday evening, we took some time to look at Christ’s death on the cross.

Since some of you may not have been here, let’s recap.

· Since some of you may not have been here, let’s recap.

Jesus had one last meal with His disciples on Thursday night, likely celebrating the Jewish feast of Passover.

· Jesus had one last meal with His disciples on Thursday night, likely celebrating the Jewish feast of Passover.

After that, He and most of His disciples ended up in a place called the Garden of Gethsemane.

· After that, He and most of His disciples ended up in a place called the Garden of Gethsemane.