Message (03/23/08)

Life out of Grave!
Matthew 28:1-10
(cf., Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12, 50; John 20:1-10; 21:1, 18, 22)

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Introduction: We’ve four different gospels, having described the life-story of Jesus from their personal point of view. Therefore, sometime people find difficulty with some minor differences among them. However, this is not actually a problem. It’s just a need of re-arrangement of each story in their own rightful angles so that we’ll get a complete set of a single whole story. Accordingly, in spite of those minor different dramatized emphases of each, there’re more prevalent facts that they have together in common. Among many, let us focus the three similar motifs behind of making this resurrection story. First, they are in common in presenting the disciples’ struggle of faith; and, secondly, they are equally confident in claiming the actual event of the death/resurrection of Jesus Christ; then, thirdly, they seemed so inspired the same in calling their readers to come one step forward in faith.

Struggle with the Extent of Faith: The struggle of these disciples here is not about unbelief or rejection. They did believe in God, Jesus Christ, and even future resurrection; but, the problem is that they couldn’t put that faith in fitting with their present burning situation. Being the fact, they couldn’t expect to see this bodily resurrection beyond/after this tragic death—with this hopeless grave and folded garment. So were so much trembled and also surprised to see the empty tomb on the resurrection morning (cf., Mk. 16:8, 13; Jn. 20:5-9). Friends, let us not be surprised to see this empty tomb today! Let us say, “God can do it.”

None Other than Living Evidences: In spite of their incapability to recognize, the writers of the gospels were so sure in the actual event of the resurrection. They had strong evidences beyond their belief/unbelief. First, they themselves are the eye-witnesses as they had seen the risen Christ with their own eyes (cf. Acts 4:20). The second evidence is the empty tomb itself. The tomb was locked, sealed and guarded, but was opened by angels in the presence of the guards; so, no one could lock it up again (vv. 2-4). Thirdly, the words of angles are clear explanation of this resurrection to the writers of the gospels (vv. 5-8; Lk. 24:4-7).

A Call of One Step Forward: In spite of their differences in naming certain locality, all gospels mention together a sense of movement—going forward to somewhere else (e.g., from Jerusalem to Galilee in Matthew, Mark, John; from Jerusalem to Bethany in Luke; to follow after Christ in John). What did the gospel-writers mean is not about the physical location itself, that’s something beyond it. The most important motif of all the gospel-writers at this point is to give a concept of “movement” —going further one step forward in belief/faith in the resurrected Lord, Jesus Christ.

Personal Reflection:

• What had made Jesus Christ to die on the cross? And what meaning deos his resurrection give me? There must be something to repent for and also something to praise God for.
• If the ressurection of Jesus Christ guarantees future resurrection of even my lowly life, how can I express this hope in my present life?
• Since it is a "life out of grave", what grave-like-situation am I encountering in my life, family, bussiness, educational career? How should I reflect that burning situation in light of Christ's victorious resurrection?