The Resurrection

Savior and Teacher: A Study of Matthew Part 9
Dr. Timothy Keller
08 April 2012

Matthew 28:1-20
1After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.  2There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.  4The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead me.

5The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.  Come and see the place where he lay.  7Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.  There you wil see him.'  Now I have told you."

8So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.  9Suddenly Jesus met them, "Greetings," he said.  They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him.  10Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

11While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.  12When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.'  14If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble."  15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed.  And this story has been widely circulated to this very day.

16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.  17When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.  18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirity, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

The Resurrection is a life transforming commitment.

DID IT HAPPEN?
--Women eyewitnesses that were still alive--women's testimony was not admissible
--Why choose women as an eyewitness if you were trying to fake a narrative.
--Some of his disciples doubted the he rose again--he kept coming back to prove it.
--People were skeptical back them.
--They weren't any more gullible than people today.

JESUS IS WITH US IN HISTORY AND IN THE GOSPELS
--Ephesisans 2:14-18

CHRIST TURNED OUR LIVES INTO A PERSONAL RESURRECTION AND CONNECTION WITH GOD
--"I am with you always"
--It allows all our grief to be swallowed up.

It is the ultimate happy ending.