Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Easter is a time of surprises
• The disciples were surprised
• People you would expect to be involved
• We hear stories of encouragement
• We see people giving
• Surprises:
• Joseph of Arimathea
• A prominent council member of the Sanhedrin
• He was a secret believer
• The Sanhedrin as a body were responsible for the death of Jesus Christ
• He didn't consent and asked for Jesus' body
• Women of courage
• In this century the women would have looked to men to lead
• The man had fled
• They went to the tomb
• They were afraid to initially tell anyone of the good news
• Lewis Jordan - adrift at sea for 66 days
• He found God

Joseph of Arimathea

• The Sabbath was coming quickly
• He was "waiting for the kingdom of God" (v43)
• He realised that the world we see is not the only word
• He realised that there was a spiritual world
• The others were more concerned with their own power and self - their own kingdom
• This mas was concerned about God's kingdom coming
• Are we more concerned about our homes, job and life - or are we more concerned with God's Kingdom?
• When did he come to faith?
• We are not told
• He did not consent to Jesus' death
• Maybe there was faith or the flicker of faith at this stage
• Maybe the 3 hours of darkness, the great earthquake, the temple curtain tearing in two - helped him on the road to faith
• With great courage he goes to Pilate
• Remember that the disciples had fled
• The Sanhedrin could turn against him
• He knows that Pilate might turn against him
• Consider the story of Obadiah - he feared God
• We should pray that God would work in the most secret of people in Llantrisant
• It would be lovely to see secret believers coming in Baptism
• He gave his new burial plot to Jesus
• How would give their burial plot to another?
• Jesus would not be buried as a common criminal - thrown into a common pit
• It was prophesied that He would be buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9)

Pilate

• The second surprise is that Pilate consents to this [the burial]
• Perhaps his conscience was being softened
• It was a big surprise that Jesus was already dead
• Often people could linger for 2-4 days on the cross
• It was a cruel death - a place of torture
• Jesus had been on the cross for 6 hours - it was not expected He would die so soon
• Jesus gave up His life - it was not taken from Him
• The bible records this as a real death
• It was not a swoon, not a revival, not a resuscitation
• A spear was put into His side - a further proof that He was really dead
• The centurion confirms that Jesus is dead (v44)

The Women

• The men had fled
• The women observed where He was laid
• The women did not go to the wrong tomb
• These ladies are devoted
• They are up early
• They must have been overcome with grief - but their grief did not lead to total inactvity
• Women today can be the mainstay
• In times of difficulty may it be said that we stood up and did not run into a corner

The Empty Tomb

• This was the greatest surprise of all
• Who would roll away this heavy tombstone?
• It was already rolled away
• A man appears to the lady
• An angel in white
• Matthew's gospel tells us there were two angels
• The women sought a man
• Only a man
• He has now risen - not just a man
• He is no longer here
• What is your greatest fear in life?
• For many it is death
• Christ has conquered death
• When we die we know that we will be raised with Him
• The women were overcome by the whole event
• The word 'amazed' is the same word used of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane when he is 'distressed'
• They later told the disciples
• The angel specifically told the ladies to greet the disciples and Peter
• Why not anyone else?
• Peter had denies Jesus three times
• Jesus was going to meet Peter and restore him
• The Lord Jesus is one who restores people
• With God all things are possible
• God can bring us back from impossible situations
• There were many infallible truths about Jesus' resurrection
• Seen by the 12 apostles
• Seen by 400 people
• Walked the earth for 40 days before the ascension
• Psalm 16
• What a wonderful surprise to those who saw Him
• What a wonderful surprise it would be to hear people openly declaring their faith
• Maybe you have doubted the claims - be sure that Jesus was raised from the dead