Read
Matthew
27-28
A few years ago, I returned from our
two weeks that we spent in Florida or South Carolina or wherever we went that
year and Robert, the pastor at the First Baptist Church called to say
hello. He said that someone we all knew
was spreading the rumor that I had “Flown the coop” and wasn’t coming back.
I finally got to abuse a Mark Twain
quote and say, “Rumors of my departure have been greatly exaggerated.”
Sometimes people have to come up with
their own explanations.
Sometimes the
truth doesn’t set them free. It scares
them.
But, I thought that Jesus said the
truth will set you free?
What he said was, If you abide in my
word (if you continue in what I have taught you) then you are my disciples for
sure. You will know the truth and the
truth will set you free.
But what if you ignore his
teachings? What if you resist the
teachings of our Lord? What if you just
are not interested in what God has to say?
Then the truth probably scares
you. Then you promote that which
confuses, dilutes, or initiates rumors. You
do your best to avoid the truth. You put
up smokescreens. You fight hard not to
have to hear the truth or let others here it.
The prophecy which the Sanhedrin and
Teachers of the Law should have know so well was fulfilled right before
them. They did not see. They did not want to see. They had to manipulate their basic tenants to
send Jesus to the cross and now that had been accomplished, they wanted to make
sure that was the end of the story.
There was this talk among his
followers that Jesus said he would rise from the dead. To make sure that they didn’t have to contend
with this Jesus even after they had killed him, they asked the Roman Governor
to put a guard on the tomb.
He agreed. He dispatched a guard—that’s not a person but
a small detachment—to guard the tomb.
They were to seal it up and watch it that it was not disturbed. It should have been a simple assignment.
Orders: Nobody gets in. Nobody gets out. Got it!
There had been no major revolts for
some time and the most violence that the disciples had initiated resulted in
one ear being cut off from a Hebrew guard.
Jesus mended that injury on the spot.
The thinking of that day was that
nothing can go wrong here. Nobody would
be crazy enough to mess with the Roman guard over a body in the tomb.
Understand that these are Roman
soldiers. This was the best fighting
force of the First Century. These were
some pretty tough Hombres here.
On top of that, their commanders set
some high expectations. If you were
assigned to guard a tomb and you had to kill 100 Jews to do it, that would just
be a day’s work. There would be no
review and no second-guessing by your superior officers.
Mission accomplished. There were some casualties. Give me a few days off and I’m ready for my
next assignment.
So just who would have the audacity to
break the governor’s seal, roll back the stone, and take the body?
Nobody who walks this earth and is in
his right mind. You are messing with
Roman soldiers here.
But there was an earthquake, and an
angel, and bright lights and just like that the tomb was empty.
The guards reported this to the chief
priests, which might make you wonder if these were not guards from the
Sanhedrin. Perhaps, but their report was
such that it wouldn’t have made any difference who was guarding the tomb or by
whose authority it was sealed.
This resurrection thing happened. The guards we stunned. They were helpless to do anything. It was a done deal before they knew what happened. This was Shock and Awe first century style.
What to do now? Somebody better come up with a story and
somebody better motivate the story-tellers to get it right. This had to be their story and they had to
stick to it.
Why?
Because the religious leaders feared the truth. What occurred was exactly what they were
afraid of, that they had made a big mistake.
Even the Roman centurion who was in charge of the crucifixion knew that
Jesus was the Son of God.
But the religious leaders were
blind. They believed their own
propaganda. They would not accept the
truth. The truth scared them.
Money was the motivator for the First
Century Fake News. And the guards spread
the story as best they could. If they
were Roman soldiers, they should have been glad to get the money as they would
never see a promotion for the rest of their lives.
If they were soldiers dispatched by
the Sanhedrin, they would have been ordered to lie in any case so the money was
a bonus.
But the religious leaders of the day
were afraid of the truth because the truth was that this truly was the Son of
God.
The truth was that these religious
leaders were responsible for his death.
Yes, Pilate the Roman governor ordered the crucifixion but he would have
been content to send this faultless man home and the Jewish leaders
packing. But Pilate was not a strong man
and he was subject to manipulation.
The truth was that Jesus died
according to scripture.
The truth was that God raised him from
the dead.
The truth is, he is risen. He is risen indeed.
The truth is that the truth will set
you free, unless you fear the truth and run from it, or tried to deny it, or
try to throw so much confusion into the mix that you hope to obscure it from
yourself and others.
For you who believe in the Christ and
have committed to following him, hear these words of Jesus once again.
If you abide in my words you are my disciples
indeed, and you shall know the truth and the truth shall set your free.
Know the truth. Don’t run from it. Don’t hide from it. Don’t believe the rumors. Don’t believe the lies.
Jesus, having the same mind as the
Father, stepped out of heaven, lived the human life, having to start out just
like us as a helpless baby, was about his Father’s business by age 12 and just
over 20 years later was on his way to the cross to die for our sins.
That in itself is a celebration—he
took away our sins, but the grave was not the end of the story. Normally when we think of a grave, we think
that’s all folks. That’s our human model
anyway. But we know the grave was not
the end of the story. It was very much a
beginning for all who step into eternity, for all who pass from death to life
in professing their Savior—Jesus is Lord.
God raised him from the dead. He is the first among many. We are among that many who will follow him
into eternal life.
Know the truth. Don’t settle for another perspective on the
truth. Don’t believe the rumors. Don’t believe the lies.
While we as humankind were still
sinners, Christ died for us—truth.
We are forgiven--truth.
God loves us more than we can
comprehend--truth.
He has saved us from our sins by the
blood of Jesus--truth.
He has a place reserved for us for all
eternity--truth.
Because Christ arose from the dead, we
will know what it is to be with God for eternity.
Don’t believe rumors. Don’t believe the lies. Don’t be trapped in senseless arguments for
they are everywhere in this age that has been labeled evil.
Even in this age where nations and
people move farther and farther from God, know the truth. Live in the truth.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to
those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
The cross is empty. The tomb is empty. The truth is awesome. Today we celebrate truth in these simple
words.
He is risen. He is risen, indeed!
Amen!
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