The Empty Tomb - Frank Brancato

It's wonderful to be with each and every one of you.

Today, we have a wonderful crowd for which we are thankful.

We have some visitors from other places, good friends and are

with us and family. We also have some folks from the

community and we would hope that you would feel as you are.

And that is an honored guest today.

You know, today's the day that the world considers to be

significant, this is the day that the world recognizes the

resurrection of Jesus Christ. And, you know, we do that every

Lord's Day. In fact, today is the most

important day of our week. Because it's the first day of

the week, it's Sunday, is the Lord's day and every Lord's day.

We appreciate the resurrection of Jesus in the communion where

we commemorate his death, his burial and his resurrection,

very significant every Lord's day.

But all of that being said, let's talk about the event.

The greatest miracle that ever happened, the greatest

interaction that God had with His son in a miraculous form in

a supernatural form to raise him from the dead.

We want to talk about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

For a little while this morning, may, I say, also in introduction

here, all the critics in the world that have tried to

discount or tried to try to speak away or tried to do away

with the resurrection. Have to answer the question.

Why was the tomb empty at the text we find In Matthew chapter

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

28 and beginning there in verse 2 and behold, there was a great

earthquake for an angel of the Lord.

Descended from heaven and came and rolled back the Stone from

the door and sat on it. His countenance was like

lightning and his clothing as white as snow and the guard

shook for fear of him and became like dead men.

But the angel answered and said to the women, do not be afraid

for. I know that you seek Jesus, who

was crucified If I'd, he is not here for, He Is Risen as he said

come. See the place where the Lord lay

just a few foundational things before we begin with the

resurrection part. You remember, in Our Minds Eye,

we go back to the crucifixion and maybe we'll just go back to

the last few minutes on the cross.

Okay. We went through a series of long

series on the last week in the life of Jesus.

Let's just go maybe for the last few minutes of his life and when

Jesus was hanging on Mount Calvary when he was hanging on

calvary's Cross. He finally said, he said father,

he said it is finished. It is accomplished.

I have done it. I have fulfilled.

What you sent me to do. And then he says, father into

thy hands, I commend my spirit. And then the Bible says, in 1

gospel account, he literally bowed his head and he gave up

the ghost. The King James says, so Jesus,

freely gave his life, his life was not taken away.

Understand this. This was on the day of

preparation. This is Paris q a day.

This was Friday. And the Bible says, it was even

or at the beginning part of the early evening of the Jewish Day,

that's 3 p.m. and at 3 p.m. Jesus is dead.

Now, that means that in order to count that day to bury Jesus and

order to count part of Friday. Okay.

He has to be taken down from the cross, and he's got to be buried

before 6 p.m. at 6 p.m. IM it became the Sabbath.

It was the next day. So there was a secret disciple

and the Bible says, his name was Joseph of Arimathea and he was a

secret disciple for fear of the Jews.

The Bible says, he was also won by the way.

That was a member of the Sanhedrin and he did not consent

to the death of Jesus. And he just so happens to have a

grave nearby. In fact, remember this?

In Isaiah chapter 53, it says his grave was to be a Among the

Isaiah 53 · chapter mention

wicked man. But that wouldn't happen.

He would be with the rich man in his death.

So here comes Joseph of Arimathea, right?

And he takes Jesus. And he begs the body of Jesus.

And incidentally, it says, when he went to pilate, he summoned

the courage Just a little side note here.

Have you ever stopped to consider that?

And by the way, there is no such thing as courage, where there is

no fear. So, fear is not the problem,

okay? A coward is a reaction to the

fear. That's what's wrong.

A courageous person is a reaction to the fear that

matters. This was a man that summoned,

the courage and went and begged, the body of Jesus.

And really, it always is courageous to stand up for

Jesus. Always it takes courage to do

that. Even today and he begs the body

of Jesus and he takes the body of Jesus.

And the Bible says, he wraps him in linen, and he lays him in his

new Tomb. I read something this week.

I didn't know maybe you've heard this, maybe, you know, this, but

it was quite an honor to be laid in a new Tomb.

I didn't know anything about that, but really, it was a, it

was something of honor. It was an active honor.

Jesus is crucified between two, thieves like a thief, like a

criminal. What you was not but when he was

buried he was buried like the king that he is.

How do I know that? You know, in John chapter 19,

John 19 · chapter mention

John's account says Nicodemus, showed up Nicodemus shows up and

he comes with 100 pounds of fragrant spices. 100 pounds of

myrrh and alloy, right? And the Bible says or a low and

it was wrapped in those spices, okay?

You know, the only time historically, they used 100 lb

the only time. Is when they buried a king.

Jesus was crucified between two thieves.

His grave was to be assigned among Wicked, man, but he would

be with a rich man in his death, and he was buried.

Like, the king that he is, he is King of Kings, he's Lord of

lords. Well, then the Bible says, they

took the stone and they rolled the stone in front of the

opening of the grave. And, you know, there's a reason

for that. Obviously, you got to keep the

animals out. You have a dead body in that

grave and they have to keep the animals out, so that was one of

the reasons they roll. A stone in front of that

Sepulchre. But there was also another

reason grave robbers. And I don't know how common that

was but people coming in. I don't know what they were

going to steal, but the two reasons that historically, they

rolled a stone in front of the opening was to keep animals out

in also, Graves clothes are grave robbers.

What else? There were the two Mary's there

too. You ever stopped to consider?

Why the Mary's were there. And remember this, it was the

day of preparation. So it wasn't the Sabbath yet.

There's three hours before it became the Sabbath.

From the time, he was crucified until the Sabbath hit.

Ever wondered why they went there.

You know, I think about somebody dying.

I think about a cemetery. I think about when you go to

visit somebody's grave, I think about a public Cemetery.

We're not talking about public Cemetery, we're talking about a

private tomb. We're talking about a new Tomb.

In fact, one that was newly hewn out of a rock and no one had

ever been there or in it. No doubt these women had to go

there. How do I know that?

Because in Luke's account, it says that they come back after

the Sabbath for the purpose. Of tending to the body of Jesus

even more. So they had to find out where

that grave was no doubt. So they're, they're opposite the

Sepulchre to find out exactly where it was.

They would be coming back after the Sabbath so, all of a sudden,

you have People that join together and get this.

All of a sudden you have a problem.

You got the Pharisees and the chief priests and they join

together with the same problem. Remember this?

The only thing they've got to do is they've got to be, they got

to be able to talk away or do away with the fact that he is

risen and all they were worried about was three days.

That's it. In fact, all of a sudden the

Sadducees because they were primarily made up the Sadducees,

the chief priest and he got the Pharisees.

And incidentally, this is the second time in a week that the

Pharisees and the Sadducees joined up together.

The first time was on Tuesday earlier on, in the week, in the

day of questions, when they came to Jesus with the herodians and

the three groups of men tried to discredit Jesus by asking him

questions and couldn't do it. Now, they do it again now.

Either consider this, the Sadducees did not believe in the

Resurrection. The Sadducees did not believe in

that at all. They didn't believe in an

afterlife. They thought when you're dead,

that's it. The Sadducees didn't believe in

the Resurrection, The Fair. He's did believe in the

resurrection, okay, but they have a problem.

Here's the problem. The Sadducees, don't believe

that he's going to be raised to. They want to keep it from the

disciples to come in and steal the body away.

Okay, that's the Sadducees, the Pharisees, they believe in the

possibility of it, but they didn't recognize Jesus as the

Son of God, they didn't recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

They didn't recognize the deity of Jesus.

So, they also think, wait a minute, even though it's

possible to rise and have an afterlife, I don't think it's

going to be Jesus, so they would come and steal him away and

fabricate it, and this is what they said in verse 63 of chapter

27, they said remember sir. How the deceiver said he was

alive when he was alive. Then, after three days, I will

rise again. And incidentally, Jesus said

this more than once, In fact, on one occasion, though and in

Matthew chapter 12 and verse 39 and 40, remember that was a very

Matthew 12 · chapter mention

significant event. You've got those that were

rejecting Jesus, you have those religious leaders, and they said

the Jesus show us a sign, give us a sign.

Give us some kind of a magic trick.

And Jesus said, the only sign that I'm going to give you is a

sign of the prophet. Jonah, for as Jonah was three

days and three nights in the belly of the great fish.

So shall also be Son of man, three days and three nights in

the heart of the earth. So we're worried about three

days, right? We got to do something about

three days. So they go to Pilot and they

said remember when he was alive he said he would be raised the

third day. We have to do something about

that. All right?

So what they said is to Pilot, they said command that the stone

or the tomb be secure until the third day, lest the disciples

come by night and steal the body and say that he is risen.

You know, I thought about this the other day.

Have you ever stopped to consider that?

The way that we often times? Judge somebody else is based on

her own character Let me show you what I mean by that.

If I'm a dishonest person if that's me.

I'm dishonest. I expect other people to behave

the same if I'm deceptive. I expect other people are going

to behave the same way if I'm evil.

And mean, spirited, I would suggest or I would think in my

mind, other people are going to behave the same way.

So here are the disciples, right?

And in their mind, because they're deceitful, they're

deceptive, they're Liars. They're all of those dishonest

things. They think the disciples are

going to do the same thing. They don't view the Disciples as

a bunch of honest, good men, that just lost their leader and

they're heartsick about it. They think that this way, oh no,

they're going to pull off the greatest hoax known to man ever

done. They're going to pull off the

greatest hoax in history. Here's pilot solution.

And by the way, think about all the decisions pilot made When

Jesus was before him, he said I got it, I'll send him to Herod,

right? And that didn't work Herod.

Sending back. Did your problem deal with it.

He looked upon him and six times.

He said, I find no fault in him. Six times, he gets another idea

and he brings him out and standing next to Barabbas.

Surely, they'll choose to release Jesus, over Barabbas

know. They don't, they didn't work

either. Bad decision, bad choice.

So, then he gets an idea. I got it.

I'll just beat him and they take him.

And they literally almost beat him to death, with beatings and

scourgings, and all of that. And they mocked him.

That didn't work. And finally, it was on to the

Cross. If you ever stopped to consider

the only thing pilot did that was a good choice was when he

was hanging on the cross, and it was the superscription that was

placed over his head in the three languages of the ancient

world. Okay, Hebrew Greek and Latin and

that is this is Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.

Here's the decision. They said, no take it down.

Don't say he's the king of the Jews.

Say he said, I'm the king of the Jews.

Pilot made the choice. Know what I have written.

I have written. That's the only thing you

didn't, right? He is the king king of kings and

Lord of lords. So here's the, here's the

solution that pilot says, he said, make it as secure as you

can. And this is how he says, it seal

the stone and set the watch. Now I don't know what you think

about. When you think about ceiling

something up, you might think about it.

Like from a painting standpoint seal something together, cock it

together, okay? You might think about gluing a

carpenter Like Glue things together and we might say that

is sealed together. Okay, that's not this word here,

that's not what they meant. The seal did not keep the seal,

did not make it impossible to open.

What it was is the seal was a governmental seal and it had a

cord by the way, and the cord would be placed on the entrance

of the Tomb and also be placed on the stone itself, it would be

placed there with wax and kind of like a Signet ring.

It was official, it was a governmental official idea and

it was placed on one side with the, with the wax and on the

other side with the wax and together, it was bound by a

chord. In other words, it wasn't

impossible to open. It was a crime to open.

That's what that meant. Make it as secure as you can.

Seal the stone, it wasn't an impossibility to roll the stone

away. It was a crime to break the sea.

So that's what pilot says that's what you're going to do and set

a watch Fowler said this do this is brilliant.

The seal means that non disciples are forced to be first

to bring the astounding news to Jesus enemies that all of their

precautions have been futile. It is not the disciples or

tamper with the tomb or the body, no doubt absolute, he

arose now, the Sabbath is over. Okay.

All that being said, the Sabbath is now over and we go to

Matthews account again in Matthew chapter 28 and verse 2

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

and behold. There was a great earthquake for

an angel of the Lord. Descended from heaven, and came,

and rolled back the Stone from the door and sat on it now.

Have you ever seen the painting? I love this the painting.

Okay, the depiction and the painting shows.

A guy shows an angel brilliant Angel whatever that they thought

it looked like and it shows him sitting on a stone and then

inside the tomb the entrance of the Tomb they see this.

That's got this light coming out of the Tomb and Jesus

triumphantly walking out alive. Is that why the tomb was open?

Is that why the stone was rolled away?

Listen, the stone was rolled away.

Not to let Jesus out. The stone was rolled away to let

the others in. Make no mistake about it.

You think the Lord needed that he could walk right through that

rock? In fact, you know what happens,

a little later on that night, he walks through a door, he didn't

need that. It was for others to see in.

And by the way, picture, this no other mention at all is of the

seal. In other words, when the angel

rolled the stone away, he couldn't have broke the seal or

later said, look, the seal is broken.

No an angel, did it? And rolled back the stone and

was sitting on it. Now.

In verses 3 and 4. His countenance was like

lightning and his clothing as white as snow and notice and the

guards shook for fear of him and became like dead, man.

In other words, they were paralyzed with fear.

Have you ever been really, really, really, really scared.

Sometimes people, you know, you know, the phrase, scared stiff,

man, I'm scared stiff. In other words, you are so

petrified. You are so afraid.

You're almost paralyzed. You can't move.

They were paralyzed as in fear. Now I'm going to tell you what

some commentators saying. I don't think this is right at

all some say wait a minute. They were scared to death

because they feared their own life they feared for their life

because it was a crime if you were a guard.

If something happened to the one you were guarding and he got

away. It was worthy of death

Philippian Jailer okay Philippian Jailer that's what

the Philippian Jailer was afraid of.

That's not what this says. Then say that all the guards

shook for fear of him, that's the angel. he was in the

presence of a an event. It was an act of God and he was

powerless, folks. you know, it's kind of like this member in the

Garden of Gethsemane when they came to get Jesus in the garden,

Jesus walks out. He sees them and it says he goes

out. Jesus saw them coming and he

goes out and then it said there was a band of men members of

that is that's a Roman cohort. We talked about how many

recently, I think I might have mentioned to you but a Roman

cohort was 500 men. So 500 men are coming to pick up

a Galilean Carpenter and his friends because that's all they

considered him to be. And here they come.

Jesus sees them out in front. What does he do?

Judas is leading the mob. Jesus goes first, and Jesus

said, what he said, who are you looking for?

And they said Jesus of Nazareth. And Jesus said, this is what it

says, in the original. Jesus said, I am And in his

presence, they drew back and they fell to the ground.

Powerless, that's the point. And you know, just maybe this

was happening in the face of or or in the I shot of Judas to

show that these that these men and Judas to had no power, none.

They all fell. That's kind of what happened

here. It became like dead, man.

I don't know how long they were, but they were scared.

Stiff. Notice what happens to them?

The next two verses, but the angel answered and said to the

woman Do not be afraid for. I know that you seek Jesus, who

was crucified? He is not here for.

He Is Risen as he said come. See the place where the Lord

lay. In other words, these precious

women can stand with courage that God only has the very best

in store for them. And the one that they seek is

not dead He's alive. In other words, they came

seeking a dead leader. They left seeking a Risen Savior

and their hearts were full of wonder and amazement and hope

verses 7 and 8. And then they're told this go

quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead

and indeed, he is going before you into Galilee there.

You will see him behold I have told you.

So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy

and ran to bring his disciples were verse 9 and as they went to

tell his disciples, notice behold, Jesus, met them saying

rejoice. And so they They came and held

him by the feet and worshiped him.

Now, it's brilliant that they would give the first-hand

eyewitness testimony to the resurrection.

That they would have that. Now, it says here, they held him

by the feet. There is no contradiction, but

we have to go to John. Got to go to John's account.

Okay. Jesus said to her, do not cling

to me. For I have not yet ascended to

my father, but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending

to my father and your father and my God and your God in the King

James version, it says, touch me, not in the original.

It says Stop clinging to me. So what the Lord said is, stop

clinging to me, I have not yet ascended to my father.

Now, there's all kinds of explanations that you will read

and commentaries about what he meant by that touch me.

Not for I have not yet ascended to my father, all kinds of

explanations. Okay?

Now, we know that it wasn't a matter of don't touch me because

I haven't gone up to my father, 40 days after that, we don't

want that because later on, he said to touch him eight days

later. He told Thomas touch me so it's

entirely possible. It fits the prophetic type.

The high priest went into the holy of holies is sway, Linwood

used to preach it. The high priest went into the

holy of holies once a year to the presence of God and took the

blood sacrifice of the lamb and was given there for the people

in the presence of God. Once a year, some Scholars say

that it's entirely possible. Jesus, fulfilling the type went

to heaven. Ascended to heaven, and brought

the sacrifice before God in his presence, just like the Old

Testament, high priest would do. Now I'm just suggesting that is

a idea that could be doesn't really matter.

Here's all that matters. They were clinging to him and he

says, stop, stop clinging, to me, touch me, not now.

Also in John chapter 20 in John's count and the

John 20 · chapter mention

handkerchief that had been around his head.

Not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place

by itself. Now interestingly there was a

custom and Eastern custom and when they would have a meal,

okay? If you were going to get up from

the table and you were finished, what they would do is they would

take the napkin and they would throw it down with the other

Linens and another words, you are throwing it down there.

Saying I'm not coming back. I'm done.

I'm finished. You know what?

It says here also from the standpoint of if you We're going

to come back and what they did. They took the napkin and they

folded it neatly and they put it by itself significant, That's

History. I didn't make that up.

Okay, let's just read what the word of God says.

Just so we can say we did look and the handkerchief that had

been around his head not lying with the linen cloths, but

folded together in a place by itself.

That is the Eastern custom or the Oriental custom of leaving

the meal. I'm coming back.

I know, one thing for sure. He's coming back.

And why would the word of God specify that the napkin was

folded separate from the rest of the Linens?

If it wasn't significant? He's coming back.

And we are so grateful. Matthew 28 10 again.

Then Jesus said to them do not be afraid.

Go tell my brethren to go into Galilee and there you will see

me. Now, interesting about this, the

Lord Echoes the words of the Angel, exact, with one

difference. One difference, the angel said,

go tell my disciples. Jesus says, go tell my brethren.

You know what's interesting about that one commentator said

he said and there's really two theories here.

One said, because the word brethren means Brothers, it

means a kin relationship, a kinship relationship.

So, one commentator said that it was possible.

This is just one idea it's entirely possible that he was

talking about his own half Brothers.

In other words, tell them that I have risen, so that they

understand my mission. I don't think that's what he's

talking about it all. I think what he's talking about

is exactly what the angel said. The angel said go tell my

disciples. You know what the Lord is

saying. Not only tell my followers, you

tell, Mike in you. Tell my spiritual kin, you tell

my brethren. even though you left me, even though you forsook

me, Even though you off sweat and fear. even though you were

nowhere to be found, you're my brethren.

Go tell my brethren. Go tell I think that's exactly

what the Lord saying there. now, his spiritual kin and then in

verse 11, Now while they were going to hold some of the Guard,

came into the City and reported to the chief priests all the

things that had happened. You know what's interesting

about this, you got the women, okay?

You got the women, you got the soldiers, and if you ever

stopped to consider the women in the soldiers, they're going to

tell the same story. Please get that they're going to

tell the same story. It's good news from the women.

It's bad news from the soldiers but it's the same story.

There's no fabrication. Do you want to know what the

story was from the get-go? Their story was this.

He's risen. That's the story, The Women

bring the good news the soldiers, bring the bad news of

that specific factual event. He is risen.

But you know, something people from all cultures in every era

of History, they tried to deny the resurrection.

Let me suggest 7 theories really quickly. 7, theories.

These are seven theories that people have actually had.

And you know what? You're going to find when I show

you these theories, you're going to find.

It's so much easier, just to read the word of God.

He's risen, he's not here. He has risen easier to do that,

but not Society. Let me tell you what man has

done over time. The first theory that we talked

about is the Swoon theory. That was the semi-coma theory.

Now this was really a theory by the way.

And in this Theory, this is what it said.

Jesus never really died. He was never actually dead.

In fact, he was just traumatized.

Seriously. Seriously, traumatized.

That's it. He was traumatized.

But when he was buried in the Tomb, there was the coolness of

the Tomb and there was The Fragrant spices.

And when they wrapped the body, with those spices, you don't

happen to him, he revived himself and he got up.

Come on. Do you remember this?

You know, the Romans were very, very good at crucifixion.

They're very good at execution. They knew you remember, when

Jesus was hanging on the cross, the Bible says, they didn't

break his legs and you, and I know why they didn't break his

legs. We know that they didn't break

his legs because that's exactly what God Said.

Would happen. Not a bone in his body would be

broke. We know that soldiers know that.

Nope. You know, why they didn't, he

was already dead and then they did what they took the spear and

then came the Deathstroke and they took it.

It and thrust it into the side of Jesus and from his side flow

of blood and water which showed two things.

Number one, he was human. Number two, he was dead.

Oh and by the way, Chris come preach on this.

Tonight's gonna preach on the road to Emmaus and if this is

true, then Jesus just walked to that village with holes in his

feet. It's impossible.

That's the Swoon Theory and by the way, interestingly about it,

this Theory, it took sixteen hundred years to come up with

that theory and a man by the name of venturini.

He came up with it, 1,600 years, what else?

Here's another theory that no burial Theory.

Remember, we've already established that his grave was

to be assigned among wicked men, but he would be with the rich

man in his death, okay? Where wicked men were taken was

in the valley of hinnom, a City Way.

Stop a real place. It was called gehenna, and they

would take the bodies of those wicked men and throw them on a

pile where fires burn constantly.

That's where wicked men were supposed to go.

Bible says, it wouldn't happen. He'd be with a rich man in his

death, so the no burial theories.

This, he died, but he was never buried.

He was just thrown onto that Heap.

And his body was burned, but he was not.

Risen. If that's the case, then that

means nobody was in the grave. Nobody was in the Tomb, right?

Why steal it? It means nobody was in the Tomb.

If that theory is, right. Nobody was in the Tim.

What else? Why put a guard out there.

Why guard the temp of the white guard?

The Sepulchre up. There was nobody in it.

Here's another one. This is the get ridiculous.

This is the hallucination Theory.

Yeah. Hallucination.

In other words the disciples they didn't really see the Lord.

They just hallucinated. Let me tell you that's a whole

lot of hallucinate and going on. Cuz they hallucinate for 40

days, 40 days of hallucinate all hallucinating the same thing.

And by the way, by the way, this Theory said they hallucinated

that, but he really hadn't risen from the dead.

And remember this. Why would they hallucinate

something? They didn't even think was going

to happen. Do you remember one time when

Jesus talking to his disciples? He said to his disciples he said

I'm going to die. And on the third day, I'm going

to rise again. Remember what one of them said,

ask him what he meant. They never clue.

Why would they hallucinate something?

They didn't think was even going to happen.

Doesn't make any sense. They didn't expect one.

Oh, and by the way, and then die as Martyrs for a hallucination

and by the way, he'd still be in the grave.

If that's true. Here's another one.

Again, they get ridiculous. That the telepathy Theory In

other words, it was a matter of telepathy or they were given

telepathic pictures from God. In other words, he never really

rose from the dead. It was just telepathic pictures.

No, you don't have to be a telepathic movie.

It went on and on, and on, and on.

Ridiculous. And again, what about the tune?

Tomb was empty. What else?

Oh, this is a good one. How about the Seance Theory?

Yeah, and this Theory actually believed.

That a medium. Conjured up, the spirit of the

Dead Jesus by a cult power. And it really wasn't Jesus being

raised from the dead again, though, how is the tomb empty?

Where was the body and how could they touch him?

13, the next maybe this one, the mistaken identity Theory, Come

on. In other words, there were

somebody just looked like Jesus. They said o hero Heroes, how do

you walk through a door? How do you spend 40 days of his

disciples? How did he ascends in Acts

chapter one up toward the heavens?

How do you do that? And again, if that's the case,

if the mistaken identity theory is correct, you know what that

means? The body of Jesus would still be

in the Tomb. It's not He's risen.

Okay, there's one more. It's the last one and it is I'll

just call it this. I'll call it.

This is the best of the bad. Here it is the theft Theory.

So another words, somebody stole the body of Jesus who did that?

Soldiers. No religious leaders, absolutely

not. So the only other people could

have been the disciples if you believe in the theft Theory, how

could they have done it? How could the disciples have

overpowered the soldiers, roll the stone away, unraveled?

Jesus and furthermore, by the way, you wouldn't steal the body

fabricator. Resurrection and then die as a

martyr for you wouldn't do that. You know what we find?

And we find the actual ly proves the resurrection ice, have a

sermon on that, he's to call it. The lie that proves the

Resurrection, the LIE actually proves it, let me show you what

I mean. In Matthew 28 12 through 15 when

they had assembled with the elders and consulted together,

they gave notice get this, they gave a large sum of money to the

soldiers saying. Tell them his disciples came at

night and stole him away while we slept.

And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease

him and make you secure. So they took the money and did

as they were instructed. And this saying is commonly

reported among the Jews until this day.

You know what's amazing to me? The LIE cost, more than the

Betrayal. when Jesus was crucified, he was betrayed for

30 pieces of silver, the price of a Slave, When the light came,

it was a large sum of money. You know, I got to thinking

about this morning, actually. Have you ever seen this Ally?

Always cost more? Ally is always worse.

I remember growing up if you tell a lie, it's worse than

standing there. Even though you're wrong about

something, but you admit it, you don't lie.

It's always better than when you lie.

If you lie, it's worse, it's always worse.

The lies have always been worse. And you know what they did, they

gave large sums of money. to protect the lie and I'm almost

finished but listen to me please nothing explains away the fact

That the tomb was empty. The only answer is he's risen.

And because he is raised, we have hope.

We have hope. It's the only reason we have

hope. Jesus, cheated death.

God raised him from the dead. He is risen and the tomb is

still empty. I don't know where that is.

By the way, you can go there and no save the garden tomb.

You know, Catholicism says, I don't know where that was didn't

even matter. Whatever it was it was Joseph of

Arimathea his new Tomb. That's all we know.

And you know what? He didn't stay in there longer 3

days, he's out. He's out.

Now why is it a blessing? Why is it important for us to

believe in the resurrection? I'ma give you this passage and

I'm done. Here it is.

This is why you have to believe in the resurrection.

But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the

firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep for Since By Man

Came Death by man also came the resurrection of the Dead for as

in, Adam all die. Even so in Christ shall all be

made alive. But each one in his own order

Christ, the firstfruits afterward those who are Christ's

at his coming. You know, what's great about

that? This world is not as good as

it's going to get. What if this was it?

What if this was it? We are of all men.

The King James says, most miserable, if there is no

resurrection. And by the way, if there is no

resurrection, that means Christ did not die Christ, didn't was

not raised. If that's the case we're of all

men, most miserable. Got no hope.

But we do have hope. And the first thing you have to

do in order to have this, hope you have to obey the gospel.

You got to obey the gospel, you have to assimilate what Jesus

did with the death burial and resurrection of Jesus.

That's it. Baptism, when you go down into

the watery grave of baptism and you die to sin, and you're

raised to walk in newness of life, then you have hope then

you are accessing the great, hope that we have in Christ.

If you're here and you're not a child of God, please become one

today. This is how you doing.

Come, believing in Jesus, repent of your sins confess, his name

as the Son of God. Say those words, I believe that

Jesus Christ is the Son of God and then be baptized in water

for the remission of your sins, and rise to walk in newness of

life, just like Jesus did in the long ago.

We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the

Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you

would like any additional information, or you would like

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