Matthew Chapter 28
Two women somberly made their way to the tomb early on Sunday morning to finish preparing the body of Jesus for His permanent resting place in the tomb. The body had not been taken care of the day before because it was the Sabbath.
Can you imagine what the worship service was like on that Sabbath morning?
It was such a shock to their system. The one who had taught them so much, bringing so much hope, peace and joy to their hearts, had been so cruelly murdered on a cross meant for criminals.
The women wondered how they would get into the tomb knowing that the rock rolled in front of the opening was too heavy for them to move.
As they drew close the question was answered in the form of an earthquake!
Let's Reflect
1. The Bible says there was a great earthquake. Now that’s scary in and of itself, but who appeared at that moment?
2. What happened to the guards who stood watch at the tomb?
3. How does the Bible describe this one who came to roll the stone back?
4. I don’t know about you, but I would be afraid if an earthquake had just happened, and if I knew I had to deal with Roman guards at the tomb, and if I found a heavenly being standing in front of me when I arrived. But what did the heavenly being tell the women?
5. The Bible says they departed quickly from the tomb with both fear and excitement. Imagine what you would be feeling if you looked inside a tomb expecting to see a dead, lifeless body, but He wasn’t there? Who did they catch up with on the road back?
6. Jesus told the women the same thing the angel had just told them. What was that?
7. What did He say they should do?
8. In verse 11 there’s a “meanwhile”. Meanwhile, the guards that had fainted at the sight of the angel - came to. And some of them decided they would go and tell about what just happened. Who did they tell?
9. These soldiers were paid money. Why?
10. Matthew skips ahead to the disciples meeting in Galilee and who shows up at their meeting other than the resurrected Messiah Himself! The Bible says they worshipped Him, but some did not. Why? If you and I had been in that room, I wonder what we would have done? I would like to hope we would have had the first response, but that is a lot to process.
11. Matthew ends his account with the Great Commission of Jesus. He gave them instructions to observe or keep all that He had commanded them. What was the promise that He gave to the disciples?
I have written in my Bible on this last page of Matthew something I once heard a Pastor say.
“The purpose of our lives is to leverage everything that we have and that we are – to use it ALL to reach others with the gospel. The God of the universe has tasked us to share the gospel with the lost so that they will escape the final judgement of God.”
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