From Graves to Gardens
Sermon Notes
“From Graves To Gardens”
Happy Easter everybody! If you’re a first time guest we want you to know City Awakening is a place where want to see skeptics and believers seeking truth, finding joy, and living with a purpose in our city. We believe that truth, joy, and purpose is found in Jesus, but even if you’re a skeptic who doesn’t believe that, you’re still welcome to come to our church. In fact we’d love for all of you to come back next week, as we continue our teaching series on a book of the bible called Revelation. It’s a series about finding peace in a world of chaos. The reality is we live in a very chaotic world, and it seems like it’s getting more chaotic as time goes on. Our Revelation series is about finding peace in a world of chaos, and we’d love for you to come check it out next week.
But today’s Easter, so what we’re talking about today is the resurrection of Jesus. Easter is all about the resurrection of Jesus, it’s about the historical claim that Jesus has risen from the dead. Both skeptics and believers can agree it’s a historical fact, that many people have claimed Jesus has risen from the dead. What we’ll disagree on, is if that claim is true. We’ll agree a claim has been made, but we’ll disagree on if that claim is true. So today we’re examining this historical claim to see if it’s true. We’re examining this historical claim to see if Jesus has truly risen from the dead, and what it means for our lives today if it’s true? Let’s turn to Matthew 28 and get into it. If you open your bible to the middle and keep turning right, you’ll find Matthew. We’ll be in Matthew 28:1-15. The title of the message is From Graves To Gardens, and the big idea is the resurrection can turn graves into gardens...The resurrection of Jesus can turn graves into gardens...
Here’s your context. Matthew is the author of this book of the bible, and he writes this book as an eyewitness account to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The text we’re about to study records some of the events after Jesus has already been crucified, buried, and risen from the dead. But none of his followers are aware that he’s risen yet, so most of them are hiding in fear of the Romans and Jews coming to kill them next. They’re anxious, scared, hopeless, joyless like they had just attended a funeral. It’s because they did just attend a funeral! They attended the torturous death of their friend Jesus! But Jesus is about to reveal himself to them in his resurrected body, and as we study this text, we’ll address the following questions about the resurrection of Jesus: 1st is it possible, 2nd is it true, and 3rd what’s it mean for our lives today? Let’s check it out.
Matthew 28:1-15 states, “After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards were so shaken by fear of him, that they became like dead men.” What Matthew’s saying happened, what he’s recording, is there was a supernatural event from heaven. He says an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and rolled back the 2 ton stone, the 4000 pound stone that sealed the tomb. The stone wasn’t rolled back so Jesus could get out, it was rolled back so others could see in. It was rolled back so others could see the empty tomb, and that Jesus had risen from the dead. If you’re a skeptic this sounds like a legend, like a fairytale, because you don’t believe in supernatural events like this. You don’t believe supernatural events like this are possible. So the 1stthing we need to ask is the question is it possible? Is the resurrection of Jesus possible? If you believe it’s possible God created life, then you should also believe it’s possible God can resurrect life. If you believe it’s possible God has the power to create life, then you should also believe it’s possible for God to just as easily flex his power to re-create life.
But if you’re a skeptic who doesn’t believe this, then you’re stuck with having to ask the question is it possible, for life to create itself?...Is it possible, do you believe it’s even logical, for life to create itself?...If you say yes, then what you’re saying is you believe life can just suddenly create itself. You’re saying you believe something that isn’t living, can just suddenly create something that’s living, which doesn’t sound very possible or logical. I’ve never seen two rocks suddenly come to life, suddenly become attracted to each other, then suddenly move closer to each other to create new life. Rocks don’t do that, because rocks aren’t alive! It takes something that’s living to create something else that’s living! It takes life to create new life! My point is if you’re a skeptic you’re much closer to being able to believe in the resurrection of Jesus than you realize. I say that because you already have an anything is possible belief, since you believe life can just suddenly create itself. Your own skepticism is actually prepping your heart for faith! I mean if you can believe it’s possible for something like two rocks to just suddenly create life, then you should also be able to believe it’s possible for Jesus to just suddenly resurrect back to life. What Matthew’s telling us, what he’s teaching us, is that Jesus is the God who has the supernatural power to make the impossible, possible. Jesus is the God who has the supernatural power to create and resurrect life.
Vs. 5, “The angel told the women, ‘Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples he has risen from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see him there.’ 8 So, departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell his disciples the news. 9 Just then Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ They came up, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus told them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.’” What Matthew’s teaching us here is people were repeatedly being told to come and see, meaning this isn’t a secret event. The resurrection of Jesus wasn’t a secret event, instead it was a public event where Jesus was inviting people to come and see. He was inviting people to see, to witnesses his resurrection, which has left us a trail of evidence for believing it’s true. So the 2nd thing we need to ask is the question is it true? We’ve already examined if the resurrection is possible, but we also need to examine is it true? We have a lot of evidence for examining if the resurrection is true, and Matthew gives us three pieces of evidence in this text. The 1st piece of evidence is the many witnesses who saw Jesus rise from the dead. Matthew wasn’t the only witness, instead he says there were many witnesses, which included the women and the disciples or the brothers. In 1st Corinthians 15 the Apostle Paul reports there were over 500 witnesses! 1st Corinthians 15:3-8 states, “Christ died for our sins, 4 he was buried, he was raised on the third day, 5 and he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time...7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles...8 he also appearedto me.” Paul repeatedly says Jesus appeared, and he’s also name dropping people just like Matthew did. What they’re essentially saying is “If you don’t believe Jesus has risen from the dead, then go check the witnesses! Go check with Mary! Check with Cephas! Check with James, the 12, the 500 hundred other men and women who saw Jesus rise from the dead.” You don’t start name dropping people like that, unless you’re confident they saw the same thing. You don’t start name dropping people like that, telling people to check the facts with the other witnesses, unless it’s all true! So the 1st piece of evidence Matthew gives for examining if the resurrection is true, is the many witnesses.
Vs. 11, “As they were on their way, some of the guards came into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 After the priests had assembled with the elders and agreed on a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money 13 and told them, ‘Say that his disciples came during the night and stole him while we were sleeping. 14 If this reaches the governor’s ears, we will deal with him and keep you out of trouble.’” This is the 2nd piece of evidence Matthew gives for examining if the resurrection is true, and it’s the conspiracy theory of the chief priests and soldiers! Matthew says they agreed on a plan, to try to discredit any claims about the resurrection. The fact that the chief priests are trying to discredit the resurrection, the fact that they’re trying to come up with a conspiracy theory on what happened to the body of Jesus, is evidence the tomb was truly empty. I mean if the tomb wasn’t empty, then why would they care? If the tomb wasn’t empty, then why would they be trying to explain what happened to the body of Jesus? But the reason they care, the reason they’re trying to come up with a conspiracy theory to explain the resurrection, is because the tomb was truly empty. It also wouldn’t make any sense for Matthew to report this unless it truly happened. I mean if the chief priests and soldiers didn’t really make up a conspiracy theory like this, then why would Matthew say they did? Why would he try to make up a conspiracy theory that goes against his own claim for the resurrection? The only reason he would mention a conspiracy theory that goes against his own claim, is if it’s true. If there wasn’t an empty tomb there wouldn’t be any reason for the chief priest and soldiers to create a conspiracy theory like this, and there wouldn’t be any reason for Matthew to report this detail. But the reason Matthew mentions this detail, is because the chief priests and soldiers saw the empty tomb, and they agreed on a plan, agreed on a conspiracy theory to discredit any claims about the resurrection of Jesus. The reason Matthew mentions this detail, is because it’s all true. So the 2nd piece of evidence Matthew gives for examining if the resurrection is true, is the conspiracy theory.
Vs. 15, “The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed, and this story has been spread among Jewish people to this day.” The phrase to this day, implies that the chief priests and soldiers kept trying to spread this conspiracy theory to discredit the resurrection. But even to this day, meaning to this 2024 day, skeptics are still trying to come up with all kinds of conspiracy theories to discredit the resurrection. So this is the 3rd piece of evidence Matthew gives for examining if the resurrection is true, and it’s that the body of Jesus is still missing to this day. Matthew’s saying the reason we still have all these conspiracy theories is because the body of Jesus is still missing to this day. Nobody in history has ever been able to show us the body of Jesus. There isn’t a single credible drop of ink in history, that tells us where the body of Jesus is. I mean we’re talking about the most public figure, public trial, public execution, public event in history. It was an event that drew so much public attention, that it required soldiers to protect the tomb 24/7, yet nobody knows where the body is?...Isn’t that odd to you?...Isn’t it odd that history is silent on where the body of Jesus is, especially with this being such a public?...Isn’t it odd that the soldiers and chief priests didn’t show anybody the body of Jesus?...I mean they tried to spin the news, but you can’t spin the news when hundreds of witnesses have seen the truth, and when you don’t have a body to show as proof. All they had to do was show people the body of Jesus and all claims about the resurrection would have ceased. But the reason they didn’t show people the body, is because there wasn’t a body to show! From that day to this 2024 day, skeptics still can’t show us the body of Jesus! It’s because Jesus isn’t a dead savior, he’s a living savior who conquered death, who conquered the grave, who conquered the tomb when he rose again on the 3rd day! The evidence Matthew gives us of the witnesses, the conspiracy theories, the missing body of Jesus all point in the direction that the resurrection of Jesus isn’t just possible, it’s highly probable and true!
But the 3rd and last thing we need to ask is the question what’s this mean for our lives today? We’ve examined if it’s possible, we’ve examined if it’s true, but what’s this mean for our lives today? There are several things the resurrection means for our lives today.
1st the resurrection of Jesus makes it possible for you to have real life transformation, because Jesus is a living savior who has the power to transform your life. He’s a living savior who can change and transform every aspect of your life for the better. So instead of relying on your own will power to change and transform your life, rely on his power to change and transform your life. This is especially true when it comes to your struggles with sin and temptation. Jesus wants to walk with you daily and help guide you away from temptation. 1st Corinthians 10:13 states, “God is faithful, and he won’t let you be tempted beyond your ability. But with temptation he’ll also provide the way of escape, so that you may be able to endure it.” Jesus cares about the damaging effects sin has on you and your relationships, and so he’ll provide a way of escape from your temptations. It’ll always be better for you and your relationships, when you take his escape. He’s a living savior who can change and transform every aspect of your life, for the better.
2nd the resurrection of Jesus makes it possible for you to be forgiven of your sins, because Jesus is a living savior who died on the cross and rose again for the forgiveness of your sins. Let’s say you commit a crime and are sentenced to two years in prison. How do you know when your prison debt is paid in full? You know it’s paid in full when the prison doors open, and you walk out of prison free. This is how you know Jesus paid your sin debt in full. It’s because when the stone on the tomb opened, he walked out of the tomb proving his death on the cross sets you free! You don’t have to keep beating yourself up over sin, when Jesus already paid the price and took the beating for your sin. You should take your sin serious, because you don’t want to keep doing the very sin that nailed Jesus to the cross. But you don’t have to keep beating yourself up over your sins, since Jesus has already forgiven you and taken the beating for you. He’s already set you free.
3rd the resurrection of Jesus makes it possible for you to have hope beyond your struggles, because Jesus is a living savior who can help guide you through your struggles. He’ll either remove your struggles or help guide you through your struggles, but either way he promises to be with you in your struggles. Matthew recorded Jesus promising his followers this in Vs. 20, “I’m with you always, to the end of the age.” Jesus is saying, “I’m with you no matter where you are or what you’re going through in life. I’m with you even when it feels like you reached the end of the rope.” I know in life it sometimes feels like you’re being abandoned, but with Jesus as your living savior you’re never abandoned! In life it sometimes feels like you’re being crushed, but with Jesus as your living savior you’re never fully crushed! In life it sometimes feels like you’re barely hanging on, like you reached the end of the rope, but with Jesus holding the rope, you’re never without hope!
4th the resurrection of Jesus makes it possible for you to not freak out when life isn’t going as you planned, because Jesus is a living savior who has a greater eternal plan. The disciples didn’t fully realize this until after Jesus rose from the dead, which is why they were hiding in fear after Jesus was crucified. They had a certain plan in mind where they thought Jesus was the messianic savior who came to conquer their political and military enemies. So when they saw Jesus being crucified instead of conquering, it shattered all their dreams and plans leaving them discouraged and hiding in fear. But when Jesus rose from the dead he conquered sin and death, which is a greater enemy than any political and military enemy. By conquering sin and death he proved his plan is greater than any other plan, and when the disciples realized this all their hope and joy was restored. So instead of freaking out when life isn’t going as you planned, you need to remember Jesus rose from the dead proving he has the greater eternal plans. You need to trust his wisdom over your wisdom, trust his plans over your plans, because his plans are always better for your life.
5th the resurrection of Jesus makes it possible for your grave to turn into a garden, because Jesus is a living savior who conquered the grave. In the 1600’s an English poet named George Herbert said, “Death used to be an executioner, but the resurrection of Christ makes death nothing but a gardener. An usher to convey our souls, beyond the utmost stars and poles.” He says death used to be an executioner, but it’s now a gardener. The resurrection has turned our graves into gardens, so the only thing death can do is usher us into an eternally joyful life in heaven with Jesus. Our graves won’t be the end of our story or the end of our joy, instead they’ll be the beginning of our eternal story and eternal joy. It’s because Jesus is a living savior, who turns graves into gardens.
The big idea of the message is the resurrection of Jesus can turn graves into gardens...But if you’re a skeptic, you can’t enjoy the implications of the resurrection without having faith in Jesus and his resurrection. You need to trust the evidence of the witnesses, the conspiracy theory, and the missing body. You need to put your faith in Jesus and his resurrection, if you want the implications of the resurrection to become a reality for your life. If you’re a believer, you already have faith in the resurrection, so all of this is already a reality for your life. But sometimes you forget to live like it’s a reality. Sometimes you forget to live in the hope, peace, joy that’s available to you every day, because you have a living savior you can go to every day! Sometimes you have faith like a believer, but you live like a skeptic, forgetting to walk daily with your living savior.
The good news Easter has to offer both skeptics and believers, is that the resurrection of Jesus isn’t just possible, it’s highly probable and true! The good news is Jesus is still alive today, which means so is the hope, peace, joy he can bring into our lives today. The good news is Jesus is still alive today, which means we can turn to him as our living savior today, right here, right now. So let’s turn to Jesus as our living savior today! Let’s turn to Jesus for hope, peace, joy for our lives today, and trust that his eternal plans will turn our graves into gardens later...Let’s pray...