While most were still sawing logs, Jesus was coming back to life. All the powers of darkness were nothing against the power of God. How does the resurrection affect you today?
Matthew 28: 1In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
The women were concerned about the guards but more so about the stone over the tomb as they headed to the garden that morning to finish preparing the body of Jesus for burial. In their grief they forgot Calvary would have been incomplete with the resurrection. As it began to dawn and in the darkness of the early morning light the earth shook. It still trembles at the power of Jesus Christ today. A few days earlier the earth quaked to receive the body of its creator at Calvary. After being in the tomb three days the earth quaked to let him go. It was a salute to what he accomplished and finished.
An angel came and lit up the night to announce the Lord’s birth. Now an angel came to the tomb. He paid no attention to the guards. In fear they passed out. I don’t care what empire thinks it rules or how society thinks about this and that, the silence of dawn looks at the world and the opponents of the truth and lays them all down. The angel rolled the stone away and sat on it. He told the women He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
Then they remembered the words of Jesus. Once inside the tomb they saw two more angels, one at the head and one at the foot of where Jesus had laid. The grave clothes were there. The women were told to go and tell the others what had happened—Jesus had risen from the dead.
In the next few weeks 3,000 souls were saved. Later the ground shook a man named Saul off his horse as he headed to arrest Christians. He became one of the great apostles of the Lord. Now, over 2,000 years later the ripple effects of that earthquake still have an effect on the world. What effect is it having on your heart today?
Many shared a resurrection testimony. Near the end of the service, the sun came up. An open tomb was set up in the front corner and the sun coming through the windows shined right on the stone that was moved to the side. It was as if the Lord spoke “come and see—I’m not here.” Everyone gathered to the tomb and we closed the service in prayer by the tomb. He is alive!
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 