Places of the Passion: The Garden Tomb based on Matthew 28:1-11
Places of the Passion • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewEaster Sunday is all about replacing fear with faith in Jesus.
Notes
Transcript
I. Fear is the common way people respond to the unknown. “And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.” (Matthew 28:4) “But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid.’” (Matthew 28:5) “So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear.” (Matthew 28:8) “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid.’” (Matthew 28:10)
II. The first Easter was a time of great fear. “False Evidence Appearing Real”
III. Easter Sunday is all about replacing fear with faith in Jesus.
IV. We begin with fear, because that is how the first Easter began.
V. Fear whispers to us regularly, “There is trouble out there.”
VI. There are two words that can make us worry—“What If?”
VII. A Lutheran professor gives the following description of a Christian painting:
“The Isenheim Altarpiece is located in France. This sixteenth-century altarpiece was created for a monastery that cared for people with skin diseases.
“That’s an important point! Christ has a skin disease in the painting—showing patients that Jesus understands and sympathizes with their fear. The people at the monastery were afraid that their skin disease would kill them. What is it for you? What do you think will kill you? Teenagers? Taxes? Cancer? Loneliness? Depression? Debt? Divorce? Dementia? Jesus understands!
“Mary, the mother of Jesus, knows all about fear. In the altarpiece, Mary is collapsing in anguish into the arms of John, Christ’s beloved disciple. A mother’s greatest fear comes true—she witnesses the death of her son, her dear son, Jesus!
John the Baptist also appears on the altarpiece. He is holding a lamb, symbolizing the sacrifice of Jesus. Beheaded by order of Herod Antipas in 29 AD, John the Baptist couldn’t have witnessed Christ’s death. The artists include John to remind us of what he said of Jesus, recorded in John 1:29, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
“That’s another important point! What looks world-ending is life-giving! What looks world-ending is really life-giving! Yes. Jesus is the Lamb of God. But yes! He takes away the sin of the world! Your sin. My sin. Our ugly, rotten, putrid sin. That’s because Jesus is a Redeemer. Remember? A Redeemer creates beauty from ashes.
“The Isenheim altarpiece has two painted wings that open and close over the central painting—like doors on a cabinet. When the wings are closed, the altarpiece shows the crucifixion. Christ hanging on the cross, his body discolored by a greenish hue. His wounds covering a sick body. Suffering. Rejection. Death. Death on a cross!
“The outer wings of the Isenheim Altarpiece are opened for Easter and Christ bursts forth from the tomb! Christ is risen! Death has no more dominion over him! Jesus is the resurrection and the life! In the painting, Christ’s hands are raised in blessing. Behind him, in orange and startling yellow, a sun rises against the sky. Swirls of yellow, white, red, and blue garments adorn our Christ.
“But the most amazing feature of this painting of the resurrection are the rubies. The artists placed rubies in Christ’s hands and his feet and his side. Rubies from scars! Jesus, our Redeemer, creates beauty from ashes and rubies from scars!
“The disciples’ rejection and desertion? Finally, rubies! The flogging and mocking? Finally, rubies! The nails and the spear? Finally, rubies! Why? Death is dead! Sin is forgiven! Hope is eternal. The victory is won! What looks world-ending is finally life-giving!” (Quote from sermon by Dr. Reed Lessing.)
VIII. Five times in the Gospel of Matthew Jesus tells them He will be raised from the dead.
IX. Living in fear is easy. Living by faith in Jesus is far better. The words from the angel on the first Easter morning are still good words for us today, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.” (Matthew 28:5–6)
X. One of the most common phrases in the Bible is “Do not be afraid.”
XI. Six words of faith can help you overcome every fear. “I know that my Redeemer lives!” What else is there left to say, but “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” Amen.