Posted: 13 April 2023
From a sermon given on 09 April 2023:
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.
(Matthew 28:2)
And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
(Matthew 28:4)
The chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate, and requested for guards to provide extra security, for they thought that the huge stone covering the tomb, wasn't enough to prevent Jesus from being "stolen." So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard .
The Easter story can never be hindered nor thwarted. Enemies of the cross have tried to hide the light of Jesus by setting philosophical and religious 'guards' and 'stones' over His resurrection. Easter reveals otherwise and illuminates the gospel making it shine brighter.
While the tomb was still guarded, He rose from the dead. The grave could not hold him, the properly armed guards could not restrain him and death could not subdue him. Behold, He is risen!
Further readings:
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
(Matthew 27:52-53)
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
(Romans 6:5)
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
(Philippians 3:10)
