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first of all youth the youth night is back on every other Thursday night so it will not be this Thursday but the following Thursday so there should be emails email updates concerning that and then as well the Sunday school for the children is back on and God willing that will be every every Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. and then a final announcement Chloe Butler has requested to be baptized and joined the church so if you do not presently know Chloe try and get to know her and God willing in the next few weeks we will have a baptismal service well for our call to worship this morning you can turn in your Bibles to Psalm 148 Psalm 148 I'll begin reading in verse 1 praise the Lord praise the Lord from the heavens praise Him in the heights praise him all his angels praise him all his hosts praise Him Sun and Moon praise him all you stars of light praise him you heavens of heavens and you waters above the heavens let them praise the name of the Lord for he commanded and they were created he also established them for ever and ever he made a decree which shall not pass away praise the Lord from the earth you great sea creatures and all the depths fire and hail snow and clouds stormy wind fulfilling his word mountains and all hills fruitful trees and all cedars beasts and all cattle creeping things in flying fowl kings of the earth and all peoples princes and all judges of the earth both young men and maidens old men and children let them praise the name of the Lord for His name alone is exalted his glory is above the earth and heaven and he has exalted the Horn of his people the praise of all his saints of the children of Israel a people near to him praise the Lord amen well please turn in your Trinity hymnal to him number 135 hymn number 135 will stand as we sing together [Music] I've heard that it was said that John Calvin wrote that particular hem whether that's the case or not I'm not actually sure but but if it is it certainly gives the lie to the idea that he was some austere cold-hearted figure that only wrote theology that him certainly breathes out hopefully the heartbeat of our of ourselves this morning as we gather in the presence of the Great God of heaven and earth will let us pray our Most High God Father Son and spirit we come into your presence this morning and we acknowledge that you are holy you are righteous that you are glorious that you are just that you are good and merciful and gracious we acknowledge that you made this world and all things in it by the word of your power in the space of six days and all very good and as the psalmist reminds us in Psalm 148 the creation itself ought to be a cause for us to praise and to glorify the living in the true God we acknowledge your sovereignty and the government over all your creatures and all their actions we know that you and your holiness and in your wisdom caused all things to work for the good of your people to those who love you to those who are the called according to your your purpose and we know that can only be the case if indeed you are a sovereign God that is in the heavens and he does whatever he pleases and on these Sabbath days Lord God we remember in particular the work of redemption how we praise you Father for choosing us in Christ before the foundation of the world how we praise you that you sent the son of your love into this world to live for us to die for us to be raised again for us and how we praise you for the work in the Ministry of the Holy Spirit certainly our salvation is of a triune God our salvation should promote in us a praise and glory and honor given unto you not only now but in the age to come we ask that you would receive our worship now that as we sing and as we pray and as we consider the these scriptures we would do all with a conscious desire to bring glory to our God we would ask that your Holy Spirit would guide us and direct us and aid us as Jesus said that apart from him we can do nothing and to enter into the high king of heaven to worship the high king of heaven certainly we require aid from on high so fill us now with the Holy Spirit and promote in our hearts reverence and fear and Thanksgiving and joy and may we indeed as we sing as we pray as we look to Scripture be focused upon that one who is indeed most glorious and wondrous and worthy to be praised do forgive us now for our sins do cleanse us in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ we all transgress we all lack conformity under that law as your people Lord God we've been saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus who has pointed us to the law as a rule of life so do forgive us that we do come short do cleanse us in the blood of the Lamb wash us and purify us and fit us so that we may indeed enter into your presence for those God who've entered into this place strangers to your grace those who are dead in their trespasses and sins we pray on their behalf that you would exercise forgiveness toward them we pray that through the preaching of the gospel your spirit would be at work that you would open eyes and hearts to behold the truth not only of your law but of your glorious gospel and the fact that Jesus does save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through em may this they may this be the day of salvation for sinners and may you indeed call them out of darkness in the marvelous light we pray that for our meeting here we pray that for other churches in Chilliwack and throughout Canada and to the uttermost parts of the earth the Psalms and the prophets speak of a day when Christ will have dominion from sea to sea and we pray that even today your kingdom of grace would come that it would advance through the proclamation of the truth and the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit that your word would run swiftly and be glorified and that you would save sinners from every tribe and tongue and people in Asia so that more and more would gather together to praise our great and glorious God we asked you would look with favor upon this congregation the various physical needs those who are suffering with illnesses those who are suffering with sorrows and depression and trials and difficulties God weak and fast at times we say with the psalmist why art thou disquieted o my soul may we always be reminded with that psalmist to hope thou in God for you are gracious and merciful to your people and we pray that you'd undertake on our behalf bless the work in Surrey we thank you for our brother Mike we pray that you'd own the preaching of the word there today we pray for those brethren that they would worship you in spirit and truth and that they would shine as a light in that community that they would hold forth the word of truth and that you by grace would save sinners through the ministry there and this for your glory sake and our God we do pray for those in other parts of the world that suffer for the cause of Christ we read just a few excerpts in the last hour but we know there are so many more and so many more unknown to us or by anyone in the Western world and yet we know they are known very intimately by you and we pray that you would bless those who are suffering for the cause of Christ we pray for those in particular that are in Muslim nations that are that are in in such danger and threat for their own lives and for their property for their families we do pray that you would just bless and surround your people that you would use them God to testify to the glorious gospel of free and sovereign grace and even in those regions we pray that you would be preached that you would be believed on that more and more sinners would come to know Christ as Lord and Savior do continue with us now we pray and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well you may turn again in your Trinity hymnal to him number two to seven hymn number 227 we'll use a familiar tune to sing Psalm 2 so let's stand together and sing to 27 [Music] Oh before our scripture reading you can turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 6 Luke chapter 6 we'll read verses 20 to 36 some have noted the differences in terms of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's Gospel the Beatitudes specifically and what we find here in Luke's Gospel I think it's helpful to remember that Jesus was an itinerant preacher he went from place to place and certainly as an itinerant preacher he would revisit themes he would say things perhaps differently on occasion it would not be the case that he would always say the exact same thing in every given scenario so that is one way to account for the differences that do appear between what we find here in Luke 6 and Matthew 5 in terms of the Sermon on the Mount same material same subject matter same themes to be sure but in different contexts different audiences different times and seasons in our Lord's life he would tailor the message to that particular setting so just be aware there are many ways to explain the sorts of things that people use to rage against the Scriptures saying it's inconsistent and there's contradictions most of the times people that say there are contradictions have no idea what a contradiction even is so don't be scared be faithful to your Lord so beginning in Matthew chapter 6 at I'm sorry Luke chapter 6 at verse 20 then he lifted up his eyes toward his disciples and said blessed are you for yours is the kingdom of God blessed are you poor for yours is the kingdom of God blessed are you who Hunger Now for you shall be filled blessed are you who weep now for you shall laugh blessed are you when men hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and cast out your name as evil for the son of man's sake rejoice in that day and leap for joy for indeed your reward is great in heaven for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets but woe to you who are rich for you have received your consolation woe to you who are full for you shall hunger woe to you who laugh now for you shall mourn and weep woe to you when all men speak well of you for so did their fathers to the false prophets but I say to you who here love your enemies do good to those who hate you bless those who curse you and pray for those who spitefully use you to him who strikes you on one cheek offer the other also and from him who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either give to everyone who asks of you and from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back and just as you want men to do to you you also do to them likewise but if you look you love those who love you what credit is that to you for even sinners love those who love them and if you do good to those who do good to you what credit is that to you or even sinners do the same and if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back what credit is that to you for even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back but love your enemies do good and lend hoping for nothing in return and your reward will be great and you will be sons of the Most High for he is kind to the unthankful and evil therefore be merciful just as your father also is merciful amen well let us pray our God in heaven we thank you for our Lord's teaching we acknowledge it's a difficulty for us to obey again we pray for the supply of the Spirit to enable compliance to your law for each and every one of us now we thank you that our Lord sets the perfect example in his own life and ministry a man who went about doing good may we take seriously this mandate here in Luke and in Matthew that reality that we are to treat others as we want them to treat us give us grace to put this into practice and our own families give us grace to put this into practice and our own churches give us grace to live in a manner that is well pleasing in your sight Lord God and how we thank you for the gospel of ours salvation for whenever we come to the law whenever we come to see your righteous standard we see how far short we fall and how we thank you that there is mercy in the Lord Jesus Christ how we thank you the gospel does bring salvation to us we don't say these sayings to try and free us from our responsibility but so that we may rejoice in the goodness of God who has saved us from our sins we bless you and we praise you through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well for our final hymn before we look in more detail at God's Word you can turn to 599 number 599 again we'll stand as we sing together [Music] please turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew's Gospel chapter 27 Matthew chapter 27 I'll begin reading in verse 45 in Matthew 27 now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying Ailee Ailee lama sabachthani that is my God my God why have you forsaken me some of those who stood there when they heard that said this man is calling for Elijah immediately one of them ran and took a sponge filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed and offered it to him to drink the rest said let him alone let us see if Elijah will come to save him and Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit then behold the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom and the earth quaked and the rocks were split and the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the graves after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many so when the Centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and the things that had happened they feared greatly saying truly this was the son of God and many women who followed Jesus from Galilee ministering to him were there looking on from afar among whom were Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of James and Josie's and the mother of Zebedee's sons now when evening had come there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him when Joseph had taken the body he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb and departed and Mary Magdalene was there and the other Mary sitting opposite the tomb on the next day which followed the day of preparation the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to pilate saying sir we member while he was still alive how that deceiver said after three days I will or I will rise therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say to the people he has risen from the dead so the last deception will be worse than the first Pilate said to them you have a guard go your way make it as secure as you know how so they went and made the tomb secure sealing the stone and setting the guard amen well let us pray our Father we thank you for the written word we pray again for the Ministry of the Holy Spirit she would guide us and direct us and lead us now to consider this burial of our Lord Jesus Christ how we thank you that he came down for us men and for our salvation that he lived he died he was raised the third day we thank you that he's stationed at the right hand of the Majesty on high and that he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead may we all be found clothed in his righteousness may we all be found ready to meet him on that day young and old all who attend this local body we pray she would save by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ do this for your glory do this for your honor do this for our everlasting well-being and we pray these things through Christ our Lord amen well the last time we were in Matthew's Gospel we considered at length the crucifixion account the fact that our Lord Jesus died on the cross we saw that this was indeed the way he accomplishes the purpose specified in Matthew chapter 1 remember the angel says you shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sins that's the purpose for which the Savior came yes it was to engage in good religious teaching it was indeed to engage in good works and kind-hearted deeds to others but the primary focus of Christ's life was his life is death in his resurrection for sinners so we considered that at length we will soon consider the empty tomb the resurrection of our Lord in Matthew 28 well there's a transition between his death and his resurrection and that is found here in verses 57 to 66 the burial of the Lord Jesus Christ and I believe that this section though obscure and though perhaps not given as much attention as the previous section and as the following section is nevertheless very instructive for us and holds out not only theological lessons and apologetics lessons but it teaches us something concerning our comfort that we have in the Lord Jesus as John Calvin says the burial of Christ is now added as an intermediate transition from the ignominy of the cross to the glory of the resurrection so we're gonna look at verses 57 to 61 under the heading the burial of Jesus and then verses 62 to 66 under the heading the security at the tomb of Jesus but note in the first place with reference to the burial the request of Joseph of Arimathea in verses 57 and 58 says that when evening had come now this is the evening of Friday it's more likely late afternoon because the Sabbath began at dusk or it began when the Sun went down and so no doubt Joseph of Arimathea comes before that time it would have taken considerable time to get the body or receive the body of Jesus and to prepare it for burial so the evening there doesn't probably mean 8 or 9 o'clock at night it's prior to when the Sabbath was instituted we'll see a a marked contrast between Joseph of Arimathea who was a council member and these other council members that come to our Lord joseph has honorable intentions with reference to the body of Jesus the others dishonorable but we also see something of their Revere for the Sabbath it is intriguing that Joseph wants to do all this prior to the institution of the Sabbath because he doesn't want to be working on the Sabbath but these fastidious wretches that debated with Jesus in Matthew after 12 have no problem whatsoever on the Sabbath to go to Pilate who's a heathen to then actually seal a tomb and then post a Roman soldier to guard that tomb there's a marked contrast between the two groups that represent the one Sanhedrin but notice we meet this man Joseph of Arimathea verse 57 now when evening had come there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph now there are several things taught us concerning this Joseph of Arimathea in the gospel narratives Matthew is sparse in terms of who he was but the other Gospels indicates a more information so he hails from ER he comes from Arimathea he now resides in Jerusalem in fact his to the family tomb that he purchased was very near to Jerusalem again a rich man could do this a rich man of some sum Worth and value was able to do that it tells us or Matthew does tell us that he was a rich man I think we appreciate what Jesus taught in Matthew chapter 19 he says it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God but Jesus continues and says but with God all things are possible and it's intriguing as well that this rich man did good things with his riches there's just sort of this communist ik assumption among some of the people of God that to have riches is bad no it's what we do with those riches isn't that Paul's point in first Timothy chapter 6 command those who are rich in this present age to get rid of it all no they need to function with it according to God's will and word riches in the cause of the service of Jesus Christ is a blessed and wonderful thing we ought not to fault the heir I'm a fan man because he was a rich man he used his riches for a noble purpose so the problem isn't riches the problem is what do we do with it and we ought to appreciate that I think captures the biblical doctrine concerning money now John tells us in John 19 thirty-eight that Joseph had been a secret disciple of Jesus because he feared the Jews now there's probably a couple ways that we approach this so while he was a secret disciple we're not supposed to be secret disciples but look at what this secret disciple had been emboldened to do he didn't always remain a secret disciple we sometimes hear these accounts of persons and you know countries where they're persecuted and severely vexed and we say well they they should go out on the street and witness for Jesus we don't do that in our free country we don't open our mouths when there is no military threat against us it's easy to Monday Morning Quarterback those people in other countries and what well you need known Jesus in the midst of jihad we don't do it in the midst of the liberty and freedom that we have so let's not be so hard on Joseph being a secret disciple but let's appreciate what Joseph faced with reference to the Jews he was too afraid to even mention that he wanted to follow Jesus why is it because the Jews specifically the Sanhedrin are the religious leaders and many of the people in Israel that followed them were wretched to the people of God in the first century you know the the first powerful enemy of the church is in the book of Acts it's not the Roman Empire it's not Nero that beastly figure rather it is the unbelieving Jews they had animosity against the people of the state of the Nazarene they had animosity against Jesus and his followers and so Joseph was afraid of these Jews we see them and in John's Gospel with that man who had been born blind they were putting people out of the synagogue if they had identified with the Lord Jesus Christ again it's easy for us to say oh you just need to own Jesus even in the midst of all that yeah but brethren their lives were at stake we don't own Jesus when our lives are not at stake it's a it's a very difficult thing for us to be Monday morning quarterbacks of other persons as well according Mark's Gospel he took courage and he approached Pilate in mark 15 43 he might have been a secret disciple but he then took courage and he approaches Pilate again I think that probably his wealth is notoriety the fact that he was a position holder on the Sanhedrin all of this probably paved the way for easy or at least an easier access into pilots court and then as well he was a member of the Jewish Council but Luc highlights for us that he had not consented to their decision to murder Jesus he did not luke specifies that very clearly that that Joseph did not consent in their Deen to deliver up the Son of God and to crucify him it tells us in mark and in Luke that he was waiting on the kingdom of God it's a good science a blessed statement one who is waiting on the kingdom of God sees the Messiah Cobb and believes on him as both Matthew and John tell us he was a disciple of Jesus now he was also assisted by Nicodemus in John chapter 19 there's no way that you know one man could have done everything that is said here when it says that he himself he went out this tomb he didn't do that he paid people that's one of the benefits people say well money isn't everything yeah but it can help you pay people to dig out tombs there's some benefit to it at least he is represented in here and represented here as the man that comes but Nicodemus helped him John chapter 19 very specifically now remember Nicodemus was a man according to John 3 that also came to Jesus by night why would he come by night probably for the same reason that Joseph of Arimathea was a secret disciple the animosity of the Jews the antagonism of the Jews they didn't want to face that they didn't want to broach that so then we see according to John's Gospel that both Joseph and Nicodemus lavish honor and respect upon Jesus after his death they lavish honor and respect upon Jesus after his death the contrast with the other counts members is stark when we see the Pharisees and the chief priests go to Pilate structurally it's the same sort of thing man from Sanhedrin goes to Pilate man from Sanhedrin makes a request Pilate then grants permission in the particular thing it's a stark contrast between joseph of arimathea and these men from the Sanhedrin that come to try and twist many see in this a connection to isaiah 53:9 which is very obvious or very hopefully evident to us as so much of Isaiah's prophecy is in the background of Matthew's Gospel isaiah 53:9 says and they made his grave with the wicked but the rich or the rich at his death because he had done no violence nor was any deceit in his mouth now what Joseph does here specifically is he asks for the body of Jesus he wants to give it a proper burial that's not typically how the Romans rolled you know how the Romans dealt with those who were executed on the cross they left them up on the cross to disintegrate eventually they'd probably fall off of the cross and there would be sort of ravaged by scavengers or any any sorts any sort of unmentionable things they would just leave the body why would they do that as a deterrent to others you kill a gopher you hang him up and your yard so that all the other Gophers see and and fear and take heed right that's the way the Romans did this they didn't have any regard for an executed criminal they didn't tend to the body they didn't show respect and esteem no they left it to rot now the Jews however had a different approach Deuteronomy 21 22 to 23 says if a man has committed a sin deserving of death and he is put to death and you hang him on a tree his body shall not remain overnight on the tree but you shall surely bury him that day so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance for he who has hanged is accursed of God see see this is a different sort of way of approach now typically when it wasn't executed criminal and they still did did give a burial to that person the Jews they didn't do it in the family tomb they didn't do it one right next to Jerusalem that had been purchased with a lot of money they they did it in a common grave a common burial site and intriguingly you know what Pilate does after this in Mark's Gospel in fact turned their turn there for just a moment I think you need to appreciate something at the outset as we consider this passage it's the apologetic angle Paula Jetix deals with defending the faith that's what apologetics means defence of the Christian faith well very often I guess it just seems to get recycled and rehashed over and over and over again you'll hear people say well Jesus didn't actually die he was sick he didn't feel well he you know he was overcome with the the sort of physical pain that he had but he wasn't dead when he went into the grave that's interesting because everybody in the first century situation confirmed that he was dead every single person in the 1st century context that was connected to it in fact these Jews that plot with Pilate actually confirmed that he was dead you see every step of the way they made sure every step of the way it was affirmed every step of the way it was confirmed now notice in mark 15 verse 43 Joseph of Arimathea a prominent council member who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God coming and taking courage went into Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus Pilate marvelled that he was already dead and summoning the Centurion he asked him if he had been dead for some time so when he found out from the center and he granted the body to Joseph you see it's kind of like when we studied first Kings chapter 18 everybody's tracking right now aren't they yeah I remember on Wednesday night I think you preach it on Sunday too it's a great passage Elijah the prophets of bale throwing down on Mount Carmel one of the things I suggested in that treatment was how the deck was stacked against Yahweh the words Elijah meets them at Carmel which is the home turf for bay lists Elijah lets them go first Elijah gives them hour upon hour upon hour upon hour to try and get their God to perform when Elijah steps up to the plate what does he do he further stacks the deck against himself he takes water and He pours it all over the altar he pours it all over the sacrifice he did the trench and he fills it up with water that's what I'm saying he's stacking the deck that simply means cheating in cards if you ever play cards kids don't cheat but the way of cheating in cards telling you don't but here's how if you ever want to the idea of stacking the deck means putting them in the order that most benefits you when you look at that scene in Mount Carmel the deck was stacked a stacked against Elijah he helped stack it and against Yahweh so that when the fire descends and consumes the sacrifice it's obviously God that's what's happening in this transition everybody admits that Jesus was dead the Jews in their brilliance know their folly nevertheless serve the purposes of God the stone the seal and the guard what is that doing it's stacking the deck no way anybody could raise from the dead when those three things are put in place the psalmist says that even the wrath of God the wrath of man shall praise you that's what's happening here all of these efforts by the wicked to try and oppose the sovereign God of heaven and earth merely serve to make it that much more glorious I mean the thought of a man raising from the dead is yes in and of itself but try that when there's a stone rolled in front of the tomb when that stone has been sealed and an armed guard is posted you see these men in their folly think they're keeping down this Messiah they are just making his resurrection that much more beautiful imagine meeting these guys you know what you fools did you made it such that no one will possibly believe that it didn't happen he's even God hating rebels uh oh yeah you know according to the narrative he raised from the dead so you got to appreciate the apology apologetics in this particular passage we see confirmation by Pilate that Jesus had in fact died now go back to Matthew 27 you see the the actual burial in verses 59 to 61 I prepare the body again John 19 fills this out a bit more for us Pilate commanded the body this was the permission granted by the Roman governor to be given to him when Joseph had taken the body he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth this is not the crowd to try a shroud of turin it was a fake you know that probably a lot of younger people here with the Shroud of what I mean growing up or later on in life I don't know what it was but we heard all about the Shroud of Turin didn't wait it wasn't fake I wasn't real and even if it was who cares we don't walk by faith we walk by and we don't walk by sight we walk by faith and what God's word has to say you see these men both Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus lavish respect upon the body of our Lord it's intriguing because this is how the whole passion narrative or one of the one of the ways the whole passion narrative starts what do we find at the beginning in Matthew chapter 26 we see that woman come and lavish goods upon Jesus she prepared my body for burial is what Christ says you see at the beginning in the end Christ is honored beginning in the end Christ is esteem beginning in the end Christ is lavished with the devotion of his disciples and I would just say by way of an aside this passage does teach us of the dignity of the body brethren we are not Gnostics the Gnostic heresy Tait teaches that you know it's not the body it's the soul it's the spirit that's what really matters I believe in the resurrection from the dead the goal of our salvation is body and soul presence with God most high brethren there is esteem and respect to be paid upon the body of those who depart from us notice something else in terms of apologetics in verse 16 and laid it in a new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock it's an interesting statement a new to Luke defines it for us where no one had ever lain before John tells us in which no one had yet been laid what's the apologetic sort of strength of this there was no mistaken identity as to who was or who wasn't or who should have been and who should not have been in that particular tomb there was no confusion on the part of the women when they make the discovery there's no confusion on the part of Peter and James or Peter and John when they run to the two and they investigate they're not having to look at various bodies which was the way that persons buried in that particular time no one had as yet been laid in that tomb but it had been purchased for both joseph of arimathea probably his darling wife who hailed from Arimathea and their kids and possibly their grandkids and if they were the kind of where does it live today and their dog they would have filled this tomb with all sorts of people that was comment but the fact that this was a tomb that was new the fact that this was a tomb where no one was ever laid cannot be utilized against us it is to promote the reality that the people were not mistaken I think France explains it better than I just attempted the point is significant for apologetics in that makes it more difficult to explain the woman's discovery as due to mistaken identity there was only one body in the tomb he couldn't mess that one up I think it was it it was him he was the only one it was a brand-new tomb no one had ever laid there before there's no mistaken identity there's no well are you sure it was him of course it was him and then the final part of this sort of apologetic is the women had to to notice in verse 61 I mean again the apologetics of the large stone against the tomb of the door of the tomb but notice in 61 and Mary Magdalene was there and the other Mary that's the Mary and mother of josie's sitting opposite the - that's conspicuous in three instances in this narrative there at the crucifixion there at the burial and guess who's at the resurrection these women saw these women watched women are held in high esteem in the latter parts of the patch of narrative when we when we get down to the next part the fear of the of the the other Sanhedrin members the fear of these Jews well what their disciples his disciples might come and steal in a way the disciples bailed they departed they left him they didn't own him in his life they didn't own him at the crucifixion why in the world would they perpetuate some sort of a ruse it just doesn't make sense the women however were faithful the women however were devoted the women stood watch it's intriguing they sat there it's a sign of grief to be sure but it's reminiscent of the man who sat at the cross the Roman soldier who was sort of guarding the whole scenario it's almost like these ladies are faithful sentinels over the body of our Lord Jesus Christ Spurgeon makes the interesting spiritual application to us in the church today he says can we cling to Christ when his cause seems to be dead and buried I think about this these women love Jesus had followed Jesus they were devoted to Jesus they had just seen Jesus died a horrific death upon the cross some would say well he obviously wasn't the Messiah he obviously didn't have the goods to deliver some in the vein of the Centurions a truly this was the son of God they would have given up they would have said no more not these women these women cling to the Savior even when he's in the tomb he's women cling to the Savior even when things look like it's a lost cause so Spurgeon says can we cling to Christ when his cause seems to be dead and buried when truth is fallen in the streets or is ever buried in the Sepulcher of skepticism or superstition can we still believe in it and look forward to its resurrection I think that's a good spiritual application we go through these seasons or periods when because of superstition because of opposition because of an undermining of the truth and oftentimes more often than not from within the professional church itself can we nevertheless cling to the reality that God is triune that Christ is one glorious person in two natures and that the way of salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone should Rome and the Pope and all the devil's of Hell assault that reality will cling to it will hold fast to it well everybody else may throw it down in the street and jump up and down on it we're gonna stand fast we're gonna be like these ladies we're gonna be sentinels over the truth so that's the burial now notice secondly the security at the tomb of Jesus now only Matthew records this section and only Matthew records what happens in Matthew 28 11 to 15 which makes perfect sense remember that Matthew writes primarily to a Jewish audience what do you think this lie circulated that he didn't really raise her rise from the dead but his disciples came and stole him away it was it was a Jewish thing it was a Jewish myth and so certainly the author of a gospel narrative that is directed to the Jews is the one that's going to deal with that particular situation fact he shows us or tells us how this all originated so there is a comparison to be made between verses 62 to 66 and what you find in chapter 28 11 to 15 J after the resurrection the guards go to the chief priests and they tell them they took that the tomb is empty that's what these guys do I'm just giving you a little foreshadowing here they bribe the guards look at the way truth is opposed I mean even in his death they hate Jesus remember John Wickliffe the Bible translator Wickliffe Wycliffe however he pronounced that y-you know what he died of martyrdom no he died of a stroke do you know what happened to him about 40 years later the roman catholic church deemed he was a heretic ordered that his body be dug up and that hid his bones be burned to ash what was his crying he translated the Bible and he maintained justification by faith a little terrible horrible things right you see the truth is hated by the enemies of the truth and that is vividly displayed for us in this present passage make no mistake about it brethren if the world hated Jesus it's going to hate you they may be favourable for the time but the tides can change and in fact if you study the world around you may actually see those tides turn turning even as we speak we are seeing opposition to Christ as we have perhaps not seen it in our lifetimes in the Western world I'm not saying that so you can go out live in a hut somewhere but just know that the people of God have been targeted for execution throughout the history of the church I mean if Wickliffe body was fetched out of the dirt 40 years later so that his bones could be burned and the ashes thrown into a river why in the world do we get upset if people didn't like when we prayed at Tim Hortons oh we're so persecuted aren't we for not at least not at this point though I think if we're looking at the larger scene of things there is a governmental opposition to Christianity that we need to be aware of at any rate let's go back to the security at the tomb of these at the tomb of Jesus so the request of these leaders verses 60 262-264 on the next day which followed the day of preparation yeah that's the Sabbath day you know the commentary spell you know spend a lot of time why does he call it the Sabbath why does he call it the day in preparation I don't know he does he says day after the day of preparation that means it was sad a Saturday it was the Sabbath day again these you know fastidious Pharisees and religious leaders of the Jews that that wanted to upbraid the Lord Jesus Christ because his disciples ate on the Sabbath they wanted to upbraid our Lord Jesus Christ because He healed a woman that was bent over for 18 years he heals her on the Sabbath the ruler that a synagogue actually has the gall to say there are six days that you shall come and be healed but the seventh is the Sabbath to your God imagine that fastidious observation of the my newness points upon the sabbatic calendar and yet they go to a heathen and they concoct this particular vile plan but let's see what they say very specifically well john gill says they were the inveterate and implacable enemies of Christ this is why we sang Psalm 2 because even after Christ's death these men still plotted a vain thing against Yahweh and against his Christ notice specifically in verse 63 they also confirmed that Jesus was dead so when these theories pop up from time to time and say well he didn't really die he was just sick or injured or heard and they sort of put him in the tomb and because he wasn't dead he was able to come back out of the gym Pilate confirmed with his Centurion that he was dead men who killed people for a living confirmed that he was dead I gotta tell you if I met up with a dead body I might be wrong I might pronounce it not dead or dead and it could be the absolute opposite my job isn't to kill people some of you are saying you're killing me right now hurry it up these Roman soldiers at the execution of Jesus that was part of their job how was work today honey great he died by whatever time are you sure he's that they didn't get that question from their wives were you sure he was dead of course he was dead this is my job but notice what these Jews say in verse 63 sir we remember while he was still alive what do they assume first-century contacts very much connected to the scene they assume that Jesus is dead they assume that the body that goes into the tomb is dead they assume the body they had seen hung on the cross whom they railed against who had been which had been executed by the Roman soldiers they believed he was dead it's incidental it doesn't say well we know that he was it wasn't it's not a confessional statement but it is intriguing certainly remember while he was still alive I was still alive means that he is now dead I notice what they say how that deceiver said that terrible to speak of our Lord as a deceiver as an impostor as a as a fake he wasn't the genuine article these wicked men take upon their lips this sort of a blasphemy against the Son of God who came to save his people from their sins but notice what they remember certainly remember while he was still alive how that deceiver said after three days I will rise it's a bit of a difficulty there because Jesus announced on three separate occasions to the disciples that he would rise the third day he says this in Matthew 16 he says it in Matthew 17 he says it Matthew 20 now some suggest that Judas told these religious leaders that's certainly possible another way to perhaps understand it is that they knew when Jesus said destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up but he wasn't talking about the physical temple was talking about the temple of his body that there's a possibility that they could have known that which underscores all the more their wickedness at the trial before the Sanhedrin because while the false witnesses are testifying he said this and that if they would have known better and yet they didn't correct that error they allowed a gross breach of misconduct in their courtroom which we saw they did a whole lot they might be referring to the sign of the prophet Jonah go back to Matthew 12 for just a moment Matthew chapter 12 the only thing here is that Jesus doesn't speak about him raising from the dead that's why I think there's some merit to the thought that they knew something about this destroy this temple and I will raise it up in three days being a reference to his body not to the physical structure the notice in Matthew 12:39 he answered and said to them an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth so this is what causes them a degree of concern now going back to Matthew 27 note their request in verse 64 they said therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say to the people he has risen from the dead so the last deception will be worse than the first they request security they request an armed guard some suggest well I'm not gonna get all this all the some suggest we'd be here forever but you see what they want they want an armed guard you see what motivates this is this fear that the disciples are gonna come steal the body out of the tomb perpetuate a myth that he has risen from the dead and then the the last exceptional will be greater than the war the first now as to their request just want to read France I think he nails this he says the authorities fears focus explicitly at least not on the possibility that Jesus might actually arise that that's not in their wheelhouse they are not thinking in those terms but on the opportunity for his disciples to cash in on such language to stake a stage a fake resurrection an explanation which they will continue to uphold even after the event and I think he nails their concern specifically a messiah allegedly returned to life after being officially executed for blasphemy will they rightly perceive be far more dangerous to their religious authority than Jesus had been while alive you see this is what's motivating them if the disciples come or anything happens to that body if they staged this fake resurrection they claim that he is he is risen we're really really gonna be in a source state at that point so they're they're political politically minded men bent on securing their religious authority and maintaining control over the masses it is in Israel now in terms of the misplaced concern just want to read John Gill I'm not picking on the disciples when I suggest that you know they they departed from Jesus Matthew tells us in 2656 you don't want to be found by the cross was John that's seen where John Jesus looks at the woman behold your son he looks at the son he says behold your mother John was the only one there so John Gill says but of this there was no danger stealing the body so that the disciples are securing the body so that the disciples wouldn't steal it he says they were too fearful and timorous to do such an action had they been ever so much inclined to it he says even if they wanted to they didn't have the guts they didn't have what it took he goes on to say they all forsook him and fled immediately upon his apprehension nor Durst any of them appear at the time of his crucifixion but John and were now shut up for fear of the Jews and besides that's what John tells us where are they when Jesus comes to that a couple days later they are sealed up for fear of the Jews these are guys going out and grave robbing so they can perpetuate some idea or some myth and build a religion on it they were shut up for fear of the Jews and besides they had forgot what Christ said to them about his resurrection though these men remembered it and even disbelieved it when it was told that remember those instances in 16 17 20 when Jesus would highlight the fact that he must go to Jerusalem he must be tried he must be put to death and he must be raised the third day it's like they didn't even hear that part raised none of them ever captivator or or fixate on that part of it they never focused in on that I used the illustration it's like throwing a piece of lettuce to your dog it just doesn't comport it's just a foreign object it's not something that's for mouths least doggy mouths and that's how it was it seems for these disciples in terms of the resurrection he would announce his trial he would announces his persecution he would announce the fact that he's going to die but he would say that he would be raised said they didn't even they didn't ever want some what we're gonna be raised I think gills right they forgot all about it now notice the security posted at the tomb well let's not pass that last statement so the last deception will be worse than the first that's sort of a proverbial way of saying that if these disciples steal his body and perpetuate the idea that he is raised from the dead the last deception resurrection will be worse than the first his messianic claims his his miracles his ministry his going about doing good you know what is very ironic is that proverbs of that proverb applies to them their last deception denying the empty tomb denying the resurrection of the Lord denying the Apostolic testimony denying the overwhelming evidence their last deceptions even worse than the first when they rejected Christ as Messiah when they rejected his miracles when they rejected his ministry they unwittingly pronounced this proverb against themselves now notice finally the security at the tomb again Pilate gives permission now this is where persons have a bit of a difficulty you have a guard some suppose that Pilate is simply making the observation you have temple police use those temple police and station them at the tomb sort of interpreting Pilate here I think in some sense very reasonably that he knew this was a mockery he knew that Jesus was innocent he knew that he was delivered up because of the envy and the wretchedness of these religious leaders so some suggest that he says you have your own guard go deal with it yourself others say no it's a command take a guard take some of the Roman soldiers to that particular - I sort of think it's that way because of eleven to fifteen because they have to be bribed because they have to be told that that they're protected by the religious leaders from Pilate so the way that I would read this is you may take a guard go your way when he says make it as secure as you know how as secure as you can let's go ahead do this take it have at it and then in verse 66 so they went and made the tomb secure now remember it had already been secured in terms of this large stone that had been rolled over edie but then it says they sealed the stone and set the guard there stacking the deck against themselves that's what they're doing this is akin to elijah pouring water all over at sacrifice so that when the fire comes down and consumes it you can't miss the point God is the God of heaven and earth you can't miss the point when this is rolled away when the tomb is empty Christ is present now this ceiling the tomb could have been with wax could have been with some sort of a cord same sort of thing with Daniel Daniel chapter 6 with reference to Daniel then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den and the King sealed it with the cygnets of his Lords that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed so they seal it and they set a guard France says the ceiling of the tomb and the placing of an armed guard mentioned only by Matthew add to the dramatic triumph of Jesus resurrection despite every human precaution you see why I say it's like watching Elijah gather buckets of water pour it all over the altar pour it all over the sacrifice pour it all into that ditch that surrounded it we're watching it saying does he know that that's gonna make it so that it's difficult for his sacrifice to be consumed it adds to the drama it adds to the demonstration of God's glory it adds to the show this last last thing yet they make the tomb secure they seal the stone they set the guard John Chrysostom said Behold a seal a stone and a watch and they were not able to hold him matthew henry says to guard the sepulchre against the poor weak disciples was falling because needless but to think to guard it against the power of god was folly because fruitless and to no purpose you see the burial of our lord jesus does function in a way that i hope will never be obscured to us again we will see this transition between death on the cross to the resurrection from the tomb but what happens with reference to the laying of Jesus in the tomb well in conclusion I want to draw out a few lessons in the first place the folly of the religious leaders they impugn the entire ministry Christ they call him a deceiver an impostor a fake they say that resurrection or what the what they thought the disciples might do would be a greater deception than the first suggesting that everything in his ministry was deception you see brethren it's not the case that the Jewish religion and the Christian religion just coexist side by side now we have to coexist and not bomb each other I get that but theologically the god of the Old Testament is the triune God there's no other God the the Babylonian Talmud doesn't speak kindly concerning Jesus you know again I'm not suggesting we go out to engage and you know physical holy war but we are not to engage in some sort of theological sort of reproach meant or well they worship the same God we do no they don't Jesus is our God and they didn't worship Him they concoct it up a whole host of things to try and show that he was a fake as well they impune the character of the disciples I mean what a wretched nasty piece of work that is well they're gonna come at night and pull roll back a stone steal a dead body go bury it somewhere else and then lie to people that he faked there that he was raised from the dead boy look let's think of the best about our neighbors and then impune the character of anybody that might believe them oh you believe that lie but as I mentioned earlier Psalm 76 10 says surely the wrath of man shall praise you they unwittingly helped confirm the resurrection they unwittingly helped confirm it think rile says this well they were actually making it impossible to prove that there was any deception or imposition see that sealing of the Stone provides evidence of tampering doesn't it wouldn't that be a vital piece and their argument or in their polemic against the resurrection well well there was a ceiling and it was broken you hear that their seal their guard their precautions were all to become witnesses in a few hours that Christ had risen they might as well have tried to stop the tides of the sea or to prevent the Sun rising as to prevent Jesus coming forth from the tomb they were taken in their own craftiness their own devices became the instruments to show God's show forth God's glory so we see the folly of the religious leaders we see the faithfulness of the disciples Joseph of Arimathea Nicodemus and these dear women praise God for their faithfulness Spurgeon makes the observation with reference to Joseph and Nicodemus Joseph and Nicodemus are types of many more who have been emboldened by the cross to do what without that mighty magnet they would never have attempted when night comes the stars appear so in the night of Christ's death there these two bright stars shone forth with blessed radiance sunflowers bloom only at night such a blossom was the courage of Joseph and Nicodemus now don't take John 19:30 and say well Joseph was a secret disciple I like that I'm gonna be that new brethren be an outspoken disciple of the Lord Jesus hold forth the word of truth be a faithful testimony to the Lord God Most High but be very careful not to judge persons like Joseph of Arimathea or like Nicodemus because these men shined brightly after the death of our beloved Lord we've already touched on the apologetic emphasis of the burial Pilate confirmed with the Centurion that Jesus was in fact dead the religious leaders confirmed that Jesus was in fact dead the tomb was new one in which no one had ever laid so there was no mistaken identity the tomb was secured by a large stone the large stone was sealed so the tampering would be prevented the large stone that had been sealed was then guarded by an armed soldier all of this indicates to us that what we find in Matthew 20 a is not some cunningly devised fables or some concocted fairy tale we're not to read the Bible in this way in a land far far away where fairies and pixie dust surround the woods there lived a man this is the word of the Living God Most High this is the truth as it is in Jesus he lived he died he was raised that is the reality of our religion and that is what we continue to preach in the face of all opposition now finally we ought to consider the theological emphasis of the burial words we know that when the author is right history they're doing theology as well that tomb that had Jesus in it for a time teaches us certain things in the first place it confirms his death what do you do with a dead body you put it in a tomb what's one of the reasons for the tomb it testifies that he died Heidelberg catechism number 41 why was he also buried there by to prove that he was really dead see far salvation hinges upon this reality that he died for us the tomb underscores that the tomb punctuates that the tomb highlights that certainly the last part of his humiliation was attained he is the second Adam the first Adam was told this for dust you are and to dust you shall return the last last aspect of his humiliation was being placed into that tomb one man has made the observation because John 19 tells us this tube was in a garden Adam the first fails in a garden Adam the second raises from the garden thirdly this demonstrates his over coming death our confession says on the third day He arose from the dead with the same body in which he suffered the resurrection wasn't an apparition he was not phantom he was not ethereal you couldn't sort of put your hand through him it was real the body that went into the tomb comes out of the tomb for fourthly what we find here in terms of real practical comfort is what Paul highlights Paul celebrates Paul delights in at the end of 1st Corinthians 15 the tomb of Jesus removes the fear of the grave for the people of God again I don't think we need to be those kind of weirdos I can't wait till I die I can't wait to see how it's gonna happen someone has well said I don't mind dying I just don't want to be there when it happens the brethren are you afraid of the grave no because Jesus went to the grave you might be afraid of a bullet in the head or a knife to the belly or some other strange way of leaving this world that's ok but the fear of the grave death is swallowed up in victory Oh death where is your sting o Hades where is your victory Christ took the fangs from the grave for his people by going to the grave for his people and as well the grave for the tomb of our Lord Jesus confirms for us it not only removes the fear of the gray forest people but it confirms to us the hope of the resurrection of the Dead for his people it enables us to actually sing $5.99 and mean it it enables us to see that when we pass from this life we will enter into the presence of God Most High when Jesus returns he will unite our bodies and souls together he will usher us into his presence and there we will live forever and ever and ever world without end Amen Zacharias your Sinus says Christ our head has opened up the way for us from the grave to glory that's what the tomb preaches that's what the tomb breaches and this function in the apostolic preaching of the Cross you see it in acts 13 but one text in particular that we close on now is in first Corinthians 15 Paul the Apostle says moreover brethren I declare to you the gospel which I preached you which also you received in which II and in which you stand by which also you were saved if you hold fast that word which I preached to you unless you believed in vain for I delivered to you first of all that which I also received that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures that my friend is the gospel the gospel isn't about my good life the gospel isn't about your good life the gospel isn't about personal enrichment or personal esteem the gospel isn't a feeling the gospel isn't an orientation the gospel isn't something we put on on Sunday the gospel is the message of Christ him living him dying him being raised the third day Christ is the gospel Christ is the sum and substance Christ is everything if you have not come to Christ listen to Paul's message he says I preached to you that which I received which also you received and in which you stand by which also you are saved you see some of you are not saved that's the issue with the gospel that's the issue with Jesus you don't come on church on Sunday so that pastor Butler your parents can manipulate you don't manipulate you make you feel bad for coming in late the other night that's not the issue the issue is salvation it's the gospel alone that answers to salvation if you don't believe this fact this truth this reality that Christ lived that Christ died that Christ was buried and that Christ was raised from the dead you are lost you are dead you are eternally damned you are condemned in hell forever Paul's words should be heard by which also you are saved if you reject this message you continue to deny this message you continue to even Pat this message on the head and say well it's quite nice but it's not for me at this point in my life you will be lost that's what's at stake that's why it's a big deal but Paul says in verse 10 for I am the least of the Apostles whom not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the Church of God but by the grace of God I am what I am so I find that not good news the way the gospel Jesus life Jesus death Jesus resurrection but that's certainly good news for sinners like us here was Paul the chief of sinners according to first Timothy 1:15 here was Paul persecuting the church of god most I hear was Paul later on as I say I'm not even worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the Church of God but by the grace of God I am what I am you know what that means that means encouragement that means hope that means joy unspeakable and full of glory that means that God saves not the respectable not the Polish not the upright but sinners that's who God that's what Christ is about I didn't come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance he says that the harlots and the publicans are entering into the kingdom of heaven and you religious leaders are denying it brethren great news sinner great news if you are not saved look to him in faith and you will be saved well let us pray our Father we thank you for the the death and the the tomb and the resurrection of our Lord we thank you for his ministry on our behalf we thank you that there is salvation in him salvation that is full salvation that is free salvation that is gracious and an effectual salvation from hell and damnation the curse and the rigors of the law and all things that are against us in this world I pray for people here this morning that have not come to Christ that they would look that they would live that they would know the joy of being found in him God do this for your glory do this to further populate heaven and Lord for all of us in Christ increase our confidence caused us to rejoice in the fact that Christ has defamed the grave that Christ has confirmed the resurrection of the Dead and may we look forward to such things and may we see that this is the Blessed hope of our Lord's returning where he reunites body and soul and brings us into the presence of our God Most High go with us now help us to sanctify the day help us to be Joseph of Arimathea and not to be these fattiest fastidious wretches that that focus on things that are not significant and they engage in the sorts of things that are object Lee Witt go with us we pray through Christ our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation and then be dismissed you [Music] you