1. Jesus is ALIVE!!! Matthew 28:1-10

2. Matthew 28:1-10 (NRSV) After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.

3. Matthew 28:1-10 (NRSV) 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” 8 So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

4. Matthew 28:1-10 (NRSV) 9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

5. Introduction…  The story of the two Mary’s  What compelled these two women to see the tomb of Jesus?  They probably still remembered what happened to Jesus just days before

6. Observations of the text…  There is a sense of seeing and fearing that are interchangeable…  Verse 1 - “…went to see the tomb” – Theorasai (gk.) meaning to watch, to observe, to hold vigil  Verse 2 - “Suddenly there was a great earthquake…” – idou (gk.) meaning suddenly, behold, look here - seismos (gk.) meaning to shake

7. Observations of the text…  What was the cause of the earthquake?  Verses 2 & 3 – ”for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.”  Insert yourself here in the story. How would you have reacted having experienced all this so far?

8. How would you react?  Would you have gone on this roller coaster ride with the two Mary’s?  Then come face to face with the angel sitting on the stone that has been rolled away…  The atmosphere must have been intense

9. How would you react?  Would you react like the guards in verse 4 – “For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.”  Put yourself in their shoes (or sandals), there was the earthquake, lightning, angel, stone rolled away, etc…  I think the lightning sealed it for them because “it is a power fraught with danger”

10. How would you react?  OR would you react more like the two Mary’s – afraid, confused, etc… but given the opportunity to let it sink in  Verses 5 & 6 – “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.”

11. How would you react?  How long do you think the two Mary’s stuck around?  Did they linger and touch everything in the tomb?  Double (perhaps triple) checking what they are experiencing is true - we cannot see what is truly important without also experiencing fear.

12. What kind of fear?  “Do not be afraid.”  In English it sounds like a command  Is it fear because we’re confronted with a threatening moment?  But the angel was actually being reassuring and not commanding – “There is nothing to fear.”

13. What kind of fear?  So it was more “awe” or “amazement” or “wonder” than fear…  It sunk in for them – Jesus is not here. He’s alive! Right?  Verse 8 – “So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy.”

14. What kind of fear & joy?  And now here’s the double whammy of “awe”… they met Jesus in the flesh!  Verse 9 – “Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.”

15. Application  What do you get from seeing & fearing (awe struck)?  Is this not how faith is shaped?  This is the Good News…  And here’s the important bit – they were commanded to share this good news with the other disciples  And the extra important bit – Mt 28:16- 20; the great commission…