Make It As Secure As You Know How

Easter Sunday

Matthew 27:62-28:7

4/15/01 PSBC

In a nutshell: The Pharisees, and Saul each tried to secure Jesus in the tomb. We can try to do the same thing, but eventually we have to come to grips with the risen Christ and His Lordship.

I. Introduction

A. Conversation with Pilate

"You want me to do what?" I can just hear Pontius Pilate jeering at the Jewish leaders the day after Jesus' crucifixion. "We beat him 39 times with a cat-o-nine-tails, we nailed him to a cross and hung him in the sun for 6 hours, a soldier ran a spear through his heart, he was embalmed and his body is lying in a dark, damp, airless cave. But now you want me to secure the tomb?"

Matt. 27:63-64
63 "Sir," they said, "we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, `After three days I will rise again.'
64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first."

Pilate must have doubled up in laughter. "Let me get this straight. You're afraid that a small group of cowardly, uneducated, and leaderless commoners, will actually attempt to steal the body of Jesus and try to make it look like he rose from the dead? Give me a break!
…These are the same guys who scattered to the four winds when a small group of temple guards arrested Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.
…This is the same group who was being led by a fisherman named Peter right? Wasn't he the one who was confronted by a little slave girl, wondering if he was a follower of Jesus?
…And I heard he denied knowing Him three times, with cursing and swearing.
…This is the same group of men who for the most part, didn't even show up in Jerusalem for the crucifixion of Jesus. Give me a break!"

But Pilate eventually gave in to the religious leaders...

Matt. 27:65-66
65 "Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how."
66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

B. The Real Issue

Imagine that! Setting a guard to watch a dead man! That just doesn't seem right. What were the religious leaders of the Jews, really afraid of? Well, let me tell you...

1. Miracles

For months they had been stalking Jesus. Looking for a way to put Him to death. But during that time, they saw miracles. Blind people received their sight back. Deaf people received their hearing back. Cripples were made to run and jump again. Deathly ill people were completely healed. There was no denying these facts. Too many people had seen these things happen. There were reliable witnesses for everyone of these great miracles.

2. The Ultimate Miracle

Then the ultimate came to pass. Just days before He entered Jerusalem that last time, Jesus had actually raised Lazarus of Bethany, from the dead. There was no denying it. He actually… somehow, someway gave life back to a man who had been conclusively dead for several days.

3. Jesus' Claim to Rise from the Dead

And during all this, on several occasions, this Jesus--this worker of miracles--said that after He was going to be put to death, He would also be raised back to life, three days later.

What were the religious leaders afraid of? They were afraid that He would actually do it! They were terrified by the possibility that He would actually come back from the dead after being in the tomb for three days. If Jesus could actually conquer death, then He would effectively shatter the little ecclesiastical world of the Pharisees and other Jewish religious leaders forever.

C. The Plan

So, they did their best. First, they got a 4000 pound rock to roll down an incline and cover the mouth of the hollowed out cave. Second, they got the Roman governor to seal that rock with the seal of Rome. No one would dare break that seal. (To even touch it without permission meant an immediate death sentence.) Third, they posted guards--professional soldiers who were sworn to defend that seal of Rome with their very life--to guard the entrance to the cave.

Day one passed--all was well; day two passed--all was well, nothing unusual to report; day three... well, that's when something happened!

D. The Resurrection

Matt. 28:2-4
2 There 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.
3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

-The seal of Rome was broken!
-The guards were useless!
-The tomb was empty!
-Jesus Christ was not there!
-He had risen from the dead!
-The rule of the Jewish religious leaders had come to an end!
-And the Kingdom of God began its triumphant expansion into the world!

"Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how." Secure against God? Secure against the life-shattering power of the risen Christ? No way!!

II. Saul of Tarsus

A. Saul's Beginnings

A few years after Christ's resurrection, a distinguished young rabbi rose to prominence.
-He had studied under the famous rabbi, Gamaliel.
-He had achieved high recognition among the Jewish leadership, for his relentless defense of the Jewish faith.
-His name was Saul of Tarsus.

Let me catch you up with things… During the years after the resurrection, Christianity had not died out. In fact, it was spreading like wild fire--especially among the Jewish community. Saul of Tasus, took it upon himself to stamp out this heresy. So, with the permission of his superiors, he began going throughout Jerusalem, arresting Jews who claimed to be followers of Jesus, and seeing to it that they either stayed in prison, or received the death penalty for their beliefs.

But Jerusalem wasn't enough. The followers of this Jesus had spread to Damascus and beyond. So Saul was given letters of introduction from the chief priest in Jerusalem, that would allow him to work with the Jewish leaders in Damascus, to arrest and return to Jerusalem for trial, any one who was found to be a follower of Jesus.

B. Why So Zealous?

But why go to so much trouble? Why work so hard? What was Saul hoping to gain? What was he hoping to secure?

1. First, he was trying to secure his own religion. He thought that Christianity was a heresy against Judaism. He regarded Jesus as a blasphemer and a disciple of the devil. By arresting and persecuting Christians, he hoped to validate his own beliefs, and somehow please God.

2. But second, he was trying desperately to secure himself. Later, as he looked back on these early days, he wrote...

'I was trying to kick against the goads.' In other words, he was like an animal fighting the one who was prodding it to go in a direction he didn't want to go. This meant that, although Saul was fighting against the Christians with intense zeal, he was at the same time fighting an even more intense struggle deep within himself.

"What if Christianity was really true? Suppose Jesus really was the Son of God? Suppose He really was the Messiah and that His death on the cross was God's once and for all sacrifice for the sins of His people? Suppose Jesus had really risen from the dead?" That's where the inner struggle came.

C. The Bright Light

In this state of mind, Saul was making his way to the north from Jerusalem, to Damascus, when suddenly a bright light flashed around him! He was knocked to the ground, blinded by the light. Those who were traveling with Saul also saw the light and heard a voice, but only Saul understood what the voice said...

"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

"Who are you Lord?" Saul asked.

"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," the voice replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." (from Acts 9:1-6). When Saul, who was later called Paul, obeyed and went into Damascus, God sent a Christian man to him, by the name of Annanias...

Acts 9:15-16
15 But the Lord said to Annanias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.
16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."

And that started the greatest persecutor of Christian faith, on the road to becoming the greatest missionary of the Christian faith!

Saul's inner man had said, "Go, make your ancient religion, its traditions, your education and your expertise, as secure as you know how. Make yourself secure against Jesus. Stamp Him out with your activity. Conquer Him with the persecution of His followers."

But suddenly--there was a bright light, and Saul actually met Jesus. And the reality of the resurrection changed his life forever.

D. The Reality of the empty Tomb

You see, friends, this is the reality of the empty tomb. The bottom line to the Resurrected Jesus is that He wants to change our lives. He wants to change them from being followers of our ways to followers of His ways.

His authority to change us, comes because of what happened, first on Good Friday, then on that first Easter. The agony of the cross and the reality of the empty tomb shows His love for us. But that love demands something very significant from us. The cost, is He expects us to submit to His love. He expects us to submit to His Lordship or leadership in every part of our human existence.

TRANSITION: But down through the ages, human beings have rebelled against this idea. Just like the Jewish leaders of Jesus' day…, just like Saul of Tarsus…, people down through the ages have tried their best to make the tomb as secure as it could be, so they wouldn't have to face the issue of the Lordship of the crucified and risen Christ.

III. Four Ways We Try To Secure the Tomb Today

And friends, don't kid yourselves, we still try to do it today. Oh, we don't try to put physical seals on the tomb of Jesus to secure it. We don't post guards. We don't arrest or put people to death. But we try to secure the tomb anyway.

You see, we gladly accept the salvation from eternal Hell that Jesus purchased on the cross. But often we minimize the issue of day to day Lordship, that the empty tomb represents.

It's unfortunate, but many Christians today have bought into some practices and values that effectively secure the tomb and keep Christ from taking his rightful place as Lord of their lives. These practices and values also keep them from enjoying the peace and fulfillment that comes from making Jesus Lord. Let me identify some of the most blatant. Try each one on for size and see if any of these might be keeping you from submitting to Jesus' Lordship in your life...

A. We've Become Frogs in the Kettle

The first is that we've become "frogs in the kettle". George Barna wrote a book a few years ago, with that title. It is based on the sensitivities of a frog.

Illustration: If you take a frog and put it in a kettle of boiling water, he'll immediately jump out. But if you put a frog into a kettle of room temperature water and gradually turn up the heat, the frog will stay in the water, even when it boils, and is cooked to death.

I'm afraid many of us have become frogs in life's kettle, and the water is getting very hot, and we don't even seem to notice. 10 years ago, would you have put up with profanity and nudity on television; or the fact that 7 out of every 10 male/female relationships portrayed on TV sitcoms involve sex outside of marriage? Does abortion on demand even affect you anymore? Are you even phased any more, when you read about another child shooting his or her classmates?

Friends, these things break the heart of God. And submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ means that our hearts will also break with the things that break the heart of God. We need to be so affected when we encounter sin in our world, that we look for ways to get rid of it, rather than dulling our minds to tolerate it.

We seal up the tomb of Jesus Christ when we buy into the modern culture. When our values and beliefs reflect the bankrupt values of a shallow, hurting society, we are securing the tomb!

B. We're Too Busy

Another value we've bought into is the value of business.

Illustration: A student named Ron Jensen rented a travel camper and traveled around the country with his wife while working on his doctoral thesis, a few years ago. He set out to interview 350 Christian leaders. At the end of his tour he made a discouraging observation. He said, "I found a great deal of zeal for God's work, but very little passion for God."

We have gotten so busy with the schedules of our kids' schools, sports and leisure activities; with our own work; with our hobbies; with our retirement activities; and our golf… that we have neglected developing a passion for God through personal time alone with His Word and in Prayer.

You might remember these words from the second chapter of Revelation that we looked at about a month ago…

Rev. 2:2-4
2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.

Forsaking our first love secures Jesus in the tomb. Being too busy keeps the main thing from remaining the main thing in our lives. The risen Lord--Jesus Christ--needs to be at the center of our lives. Being busy is no substitute for a relationship with Him. And busy-ness is one of the things that secures Jesus in the tomb.

C. "Yea, but...ism"

Illustration: Several years ago, a man who was at the time, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Fredrick Moore Vinson, said, "Nothing is more certain in modern society than the principle that there are no absolutes."

I'm afraid that this is a philosophy that many in our society have bought into… hook, line and sinker. Even Christians are doing it. I call this, "Yea, but...ism."

It goes something like this...
· The Bible says, "Sex outside of marriage is wrong and harmful to you and society."
Yea, but...you don't know how mature my girl friend and I are. We're really in love. And we're really responsible. Besides everyone does it!.

· The Bible says, "The Sabbath was created for man to rest from the labors he does the other six days of the week."
Yea, but...you don't know the job I have. I've got to get ahead. I've got to pay those bills. I've got deadlines. I've got demands on my time. You don't understand my business.

· The Bible says, (Matt. 5:28) "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
Yea, but...I just look at the web sites on the Internet because I'm curious. Porn really doesn't hurt anyone!

· The Bible says, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing," (Heb 10:25).
Yea, but…I just don't feeling like getting up to go to church every Sunday. The 8:30 service is too early, and the 11:00 service is too late! Besides, I got in really late, Saturday night, and I'm just not a morning person.

· The Bible says, "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority." (Heb 13:17)
Yea, but…that's only true when I agree with my leaders.

· The Bible says, "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,"
Yea, but…that's only true when we sing out of hymnbooks, or use the organ. Or others say, Yea, but…that's only true when we have drums, guitar and a praise team.

Have I stepped on any toes yet? I'm not here to make friends this morning. I'm trying to offend all of our "yea, but… excuses" that aren't built solidly on the Word of God.

You see, friends, the principles and truths taught in this Book come directly from God. And everyone of them is completely applicable to every situation any of us can encounter every day of our lives.

When you practice respect for God's Words, you practice Lordship. But when you "yea but..." you are securing Jesus in the tomb.

D. Looking Out For Number One

A fourth way to seal up Jesus in the tomb is to look out for number one.

In the book many of you men have read this past year, Man in the Mirror, Patrick Morley tells the story about Steve.

Steve and his wife sold their businesses, he enrolled in graduate school out of state, and they purchased a home near the university. When they went to close the mortgage on the new house, the mortgage company wanted him to falsify some financial information.

"I can't do that," he told them.
"It's no big deal. Everybody does it," was the reply.
"I don't think you understand, I can't do that."
"It just goes in the file; nobody will ever even look at it. Beside, if you don't then we can't give you the loan."

Steve really believed God had led them to the decision to return to school. Now his peace was shattered. To complete the move he would have to compromise his integrity. The decision was really quite simple: "Who do I put first in this decision--my own desires or Christ's?"

Friends, everyday, we are faced with choices. Many of those choices will give us a benefit in the short run, but will dis-honor God in the long run. If you choose to look out for number one, at God's expense, you've sealed up the tomb, and you will not experience the peace and abundance of Jesus' Lordship in your life.

V. Conclusion

Phillips Brooks a powerful theologian and preacher, made the statement on the front of your bulletin. It makes a powerful observation…

"The great Easter truth is not that we are to live newly after death--that is not the great thing--but that we are to be new here and now by the power of the resurrection."

Friends, don't seal up the tomb like the Jews did, and like Saul did, and like so many people who call themselves Christians today, are doing. In your mind today, make a decision to take a stand, on Easter Sunday 2001--that with God's help, you will not do anything to keep the tomb of Jesus Christ secured. But that you will yield in whatever way you can to the Lordship of the risen Christ. 

Amen!