The Resurrection
This sermon examines the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the discovery of the empty tomb, the witnesses who confirmed it, and the objections raised against it. The message shows that Christ truly died, truly rose again, and now offers eternal life to all who believe.
Theme
I know that my Redeemer lives and, because he lives, I will one day live with him.
Introduction
Today is Resurrection Sunday, when we remember that the Lord Jesus Christ didn’t stay in the tomb but rose again from the dead on the 3rd day and now lives in heaven where he is our Great High Priest, Intercessor before the Father, and the Bridegroom of the church who is preparing a place for us.
Today, we are going to remind ourselves of the Biblical account of the resurrection and then we will look at some objections to the resurrection.
The Burial of Jesus Christ
(Mathew 27:57-66 | Mark 15:42-47)
The Procurement of the Body
Toward the end of the day, Joseph of Arimathaea came to Pilate and requested to have the body of Jesus.
It was customary, in Roman law, to release the body of the condemned to the family and friends for the purpose of burial, but only once the victim was confirmed dead.
Pilate was initially surprised at the quick death of the Lord Jesus, as many victims suffered long drawn-out deaths that could last from anywhere between 6 hours up to several days.
The longevity of the victim usually depended on their health condition prior to the crucifixion. This was particularly the case for those who were scourged before being crucified. The fact that the Lord Jesus died so soon indicates that his scourging was particularly severe.
The Roman centurion was able to confirm the Lord’s death, as he had been ordered to speed things up earlier in the day.
In John 19:31-37 we find the account of the piercing of the Lord’s side. Because it was the preparation of the Sabbath, the Jews requested that Pilate should have the legs of the crucified men broken to speed up their deaths.
This involved a Roman soldier coming along with a big mallet and smashing the victims’ leg bones so that they couldn’t push themselves up to breathe and they would more quickly asphyxiate, since their arms would be unable to keep hauling them up to breathe.
When the soldiers came to the Lord Jesus and found he was already dead, they didn’t break his legs but thrust a spear up through his side and into his heart.
John recorded that blood and water flowed out of the spear wound. This is an important piece of medical information since blood mixed with water in the heart (also known as cardiac tamponade) suggests a fatal heart rupture.
In other words, the Lord Jesus died of a ruptured (or broken) heart. This event seems to have been foreshadowed in:
Psalm 69:20
“Reproach hath broken my heart; I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.”
I emphasize all this because, since the day the Lord Jesus rose again from the dead, there have been those who say that Jesus didn’t really die, or that he didn’t really rise from the dead.
Well, it is an established fact that the Lord Jesus died, his heart was broken, his side was pierced, and the Roman centurion verified all this to Pilate before allowing the body to be taken down from the cross.
The Preparation of the Body
Joseph of Arimathaea was a rich man who sought to honour the Lord’s body with a decent burial.
Joseph of Arimathaea is described in the book of Luke as being a good and just man, but John tells us that he was a secret disciple of the Lord Jesus because he feared the Jews.
It is clear from scripture that, although Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin, he did not agree with the decision to have the Lord Jesus crucified.
Joseph, being a good and just man, was used by God to fulfill scripture which says:
Isaiah 53:9
“He made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death.”
He was hung on a cross between two thieves, but he was buried in a rich man’s tomb in fulfillment of the scriptures.
Joseph bought fine linen for the burial of the Lord.
The body of the Lord was prepared for burial by wrapping it in fine linen along with a large amount of spice (myrrh/aloes) which would help to prevent decomposition as well as helping with the smell that accompanies it.
The body was then laid in a new tomb which was carved out of stone, and a large stone was rolled across the entrance to prevent wild animals from entering and disturbing the body.
The chief priests also had a hand in the burial, in that they wanted to ensure it was permanent.
The chief priests went to Pilate and asked him to place a watch of Roman soldiers in front of the tomb.
The reason they gave for this use of Roman military might was that they were worried the disciples would come and steal the body away and then announce that Jesus had risen from the dead.
The reasoning displayed here makes it clear that the chief rulers never actually believed that Jesus was talking about the literal temple when he said:
John 2:19
“Destroy the temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
They clearly knew that he was talking about his own resurrection, but when they brought accusations against him in his trial they pretended otherwise.
Pilate gave them clearance to set a watch over the tomb and to seal the stone and make it as secure as they could.
The guards would keep people from forcing their way in and stealing the body, while the seal on the stone showed that the tomb was closed by the authority of Pilate and it would be a criminal offence to break the seal.
In summary, we know for sure that the Lord Jesus was dead when he was taken off the cross and we know for sure that he was bound and buried in a tomb cut out of stone which was sealed with a large stone and guarded by Roman soldiers.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
(Mathew 28:1-10 | Mark 16:1-9 | John 20:1-18)
The Resurrection on the First Day of the Week
The accounts of the resurrection all make it very clear that the Lord Jesus rose again from the dead on the first day of the week.
The first day of the week is Sunday, which is why we celebrate Resurrection Sunday.
This is also one of the reasons why the New Testament church has historically met on Sundays to worship the Lord Jesus.
The resurrection occurred very early on Sunday morning.
Mark 16:9
“Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week”
John 20:1
“The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark.”
The Discovery of the Empty Tomb
The accounts of the discovery of the resurrection will probably appear to be contradictory at first.
Who Came to the Tomb?
- John 20 – Mary Magdalene came early while it was still dark
- Mathew – Mary Magdalene and the other Mary
- Mark – Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome
In reality, each of the writers focused on specific people, making it clear that at least three women went to the tomb, though it may have been a larger group.
Timeline of Events
The Angel Rolls Away the Stone
While Mary and the others are on their way to the tomb, an angel rolled the stone away from the entrance and sat upon it. His appearance was so terrifying that the soldiers fainted.
(Mathew 28:1-4)
The Women Discover the Empty Tomb
The women came before first light. Seeing the stone rolled away, Mary Magdalene immediately ran to tell Peter.
(John 20:1-2)
The Angel Announces the Resurrection
The other women entered the tomb and saw an angel sitting on the right-hand side. The angel informed them that the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead.
(Mark 16:5-8)
Jesus Appears to the Women
While they were on their way to tell the disciples, the Lord Jesus met them.
(Mathew 28:8-10)
The Guards Report to the Jewish Leaders
The Roman soldiers reported the events, but the rulers bribed them to spread the lie that the disciples stole the body.
(Mathew 28:11-15)
Peter and John Visit the Tomb
Peter and John ran to the tomb after Mary Magdalene informed them.
(John 20:3-18)
Mary Magdalene remained and became the first person to see the risen Lord.
Witnesses to the Empty Tomb
The Roman Soldiers
The watch likely consisted of at least eight soldiers. Sleeping on duty was punishable by death.
The Women
At least three women verified the empty tomb.
The Disciples
Peter and John also confirmed the empty tomb.
In total, more than thirteen witnesses verified the empty tomb from different backgrounds and motivations.
The Objections to the Resurrection
The Swoon Theory
This theory suggests Jesus never died but only fainted.
However:
- Roman soldiers were experts at execution
- The spear wound confirmed death
- A scourged and crucified man could not move the stone and escape
The Substitute Theory
This theory suggests someone else was crucified instead of Jesus.
Problems include:
- No one would volunteer for crucifixion
- Jesus’ mother was present at the cross
- The disciples would have recognised the difference
- The apostles later died as martyrs
Liars do not make good martyrs.
The Disciples Stole the Body
The Problem of the Roman Guards
Roman soldiers would not risk execution by sleeping on duty.
The Jewish rulers bribed them to spread the lie.
Mathew 28:12-15
“And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers…”
The Problem of the Martyred Apostles
If the disciples stole the body, they would not willingly die for a lie.
The Problem of Post-Resurrection Appearances
Hundreds of people saw the risen Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:6 – More than 500 people saw Him at one time.
Mass hallucination cannot explain this.
Conclusion
The Lord Jesus Christ genuinely died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.
There is no doubt that he was dead when the Roman soldiers took him off the cross. Jesus didn’t faint — he died for our sins.
The Lord Jesus Christ genuinely rose from the dead on the first day of the week, Sunday, April 5th, A.D. 33.
The question to ask yourself is this:
If Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day so I could have eternal life, have I repented of my sins and asked God to forgive me and give me eternal life?
If the answer is no, let me encourage you to make that decision today.
Make Jesus Christ your personal Saviour.