And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in
the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and
departed.
And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.
Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until
the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away,
and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error
shall be worse than the first.
Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make
So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.
There were not a few sins, but many sins–my many sins and your many sins that were paid by Jesus. I can't imagine taking that all on his body AND ONLY HE DID. He paid with the last drop of his blood, his life, his all. He has the power and authority to send sins away. Remember he told one in the scriptures your sins which are many are forgiven you. Today you can feel free.
There was such an effort put into killing Jesus, but that was not enough. They wanted to destroy every trace of Jesus. They tried three years to destroy him, to get rid of him. They watched for a way to arrest him and get away from him. It was a pathetic attempt–on and on they picked on him; they challenged him at every turn to find fault in every miracle–just to bring him down and find errors in his teaching. To them, they finally found something they thought would stick and forced Pilate and Herod to send him up Calvary's hill. They mocked him and persuaded the crowd that called his name in honor a week before to call crucify him on Friday. They were the enemies of Jesus and the enemies of truth. The did their best to keep Jesus away from the people and people from him. The nailed him to a cross and taunted him to come down; to the crowd he they tried to make him look hopeless, a fake, a fraud. They cried don't believe him, and the same thing is happening today.
After they put him into the tomb, they put a watch so that he could not get out–so they thought. The put guards there to make sure the rock stayed. What they wanted to do was keep people from Jesus. The devil went to great lengths to keep the truth of their fall, their sins from the people. No matter what, HE STILL AROSE! The devil could not keep him in the tomb. The guards fainted when the angel rolled the stone away. I sometimes wonder if they fainted at the sight of the angel or what they saw inside. You see, the devil can't keep Jesus from you, but he can keep you from Jesus by doubt. He has only the power you let him have.
His enemies tried to keep Jesus away from the people but he came from the grave regardless of their efforts to stop it. Jesus is the most well-known name in history. The whole world knows the words Easter Sunday. The devil couldn't stop it. He tries to make sure you don't believe it; he tries to make sure you not take Jesus seriously; he wanted the guards to make sure the tomb stayed closed. He put a watch there 24/7 to keep a continual watch. The devil is on duty 24/7 to keep you away and from putting your trust in Jesus. He wants to make sure you don't see Jesus. He will forbid you to look in the tomb. He can be as successful as we let him or you can go past the guards. He will not give up for one minute.
Jesus has not expended one minute of effort since the said it is finished–since that first Easter. He is sure. He doesn't have to expend energy because HE IS the SON of GOD. All the deliberate planning was to make sure people would not come to Jesus. What Jesus has already said is enough. Jesus doesn't have to add more words. The scripture that was written then is now, 2,000 years later, still enough to save. Everything he said is spirit and life. He is as powerful now as when he said them so long ago. HE HAS NOT RISEN—HE IS RISEN. He doesn't have to debate or deliberate; he doesn't have to do one things. He himself is sure. He doesn't need church, mankind or even the entire world to be Jesus. HE IS JESUS!
You and I will cease; Jesus will never cease to be the Savior. We don't have to doubt that. He made himself sure from time and eternity. He will endure forever.
What is keeping you from Jesus? Go ahead and move past the guards to the empty tomb and look in to see the source of his power. Move past the devil, whatever he puts in front of you. Don't come to a ritual; COME TO THE ONE WHO IS ALIVE FOREVER MORE. HE WILL MAKE YOU SURE.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 