The Death of Death

Mahovan Mahu

Matthew 28:1-10

On resurrection Sunday God made the most important statement, not just for Jesus, but also for all His creation. Death is dead.¹

While I was working on my sermon, I heard from the morning news that the History channel will show a film about some computer artists who could recreate the face of Jesus. Using the latest 3-D computer technology, a team of digital artists have created what they claim is the real face of Jesus. These people think they found the cloth that was used to wrap the body of Jesus.

Also on the same day I heard how the authorities captured a militia in Michigan. They claim that their leader is Jesus and that they were preparing themselves to kill the Antichrist.

Brothers and sisters, I am your pastor, and I want to tell you my simple message, Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. I have not seen his real face; I have not seen his empty tomb; and I do not have any militia to kill the Antichrist.

Yet I know Jesus Christ personally, as many of you do. We have experienced the resurrected Christ in our lives. Because of His resurrection, we are gathered together to worship, rejoice and celebrate. You either believe in Christ’s resurrection or you reject it. I am not going to prove or disprove to you this reality. I simply like to explain what happened and how that changed the history of our world and the story of my life and hopefully it will be your story as well.

Without resurrection there is no Gospel

Without resurrection there is no Bible. Resurrection is the center of our teaching. No sermon can be written or preached without the resurrection of our Lord in its center. Without resurrection, Jesus could be called a “good” moral teacher.

Paul is very clear in 1Corinthians 15:13-14.

“But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.”

Let us see what happened Friday afternoon after the crucifixion event.

The disciples carried the body of Jesus from the cross to the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, a leader in the Jewish community who offered his own tomb. Nicodemus, a Pharisee who was a follower in Jesus, brought spices to be used for the burial. Because of the late hour and according to the custom, no burial ceremony was conducted after sunset. The disciples wrapped the body, put it in the grave and rolled the stone to seal it.

On Sunday, a day after the Sabbath, the women went to continue the burial ceremony with the spices they brought. They found that the stone was rolled away and the door was open. A greater surprise was waiting for them inside when Jesus’ body was not there anymore. The angel said to them:

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” (5-7)

What was the impact of the empty tomb on the disciples and eventually on us?

We will continue in English.

1. The statement is taken from Dr. Gary Burge.