
The Gospel of Matthew — King & Kingdom
Easter Seals
April 17, 2022
Chris Seidman, Lead Minister, The Branch Church
Matthew 27:62-66 (NIV)
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 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.”
“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
Matthew 28:1-10 (NIV)
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Romans 1:4 (NIV)
Jesus was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead.
What Does His Resurrection Mean For Us?
- He’s worthy of worshiping.
- He’s worthy of following.
For Example
- His resurrection calls us to pay attention to Jesus when it comes to understanding what God is like.
- His resurrection calls us to pay attention to Jesus when it comes to what His death means.
- His resurrection calls us to pay attention to Jesus when it comes to what He says about believing in Him and our own death.
John 11:25 (NIV)
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die … .”
- His resurrection calls us to pay attention to Jesus when it comes to understanding how to live.
Romans 6:4 (NIV)
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Colossians 2:12 (NLT)
For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
Romans 8:11 (NIV)
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
Communion
What’s a seal in your life that’s been broken or that you desire to see broken in the resurrection power of Jesus?