Matthew 28:1-8 (KJV) In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the {Tomb}. [2] And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. [3] His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: [4] And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. [5] And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. [6] He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. [7] And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. [8] And they departed quickly from the {Tomb} with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

We have all heard sermons that are memorial, but too often we hear sermons that are forgettable. On the day that Mary Magdalene and Mary Cleopas went to the Tomb of Christ they heard one of the greatest – and shortest – sermons ever preached. That sermon was preached by an angel. The Angel of the Lord descended from Heaven. He rolled back the stone that stood in the door of Christ’s tomb. He sat upon it, much as Christ sat on the Mount when He preached His Beatitudes. And from this rocky pulpit the Angel preached.

[5] …. Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified

Jesus was crucified. He was beaten with the scourge, with the hands of the guards. Can you see Him? The Bible tells us that sin separates us from God. We are told in Isaiah:

Isaiah 59:2 (KJV) But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Sin separates us from our God. All are sinners. You sin, I sin. Sin is no trifle. So Christ came. He was crucified for us, for you, for me.

1 Peter 3:18 (KJV) For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Christ suffered for our sins that He might bring us to God. He was crucified. See Him crucified. There was no sin in Him that He should have been crucified.

Matthew 27:21-23 (KJV) {Pilate the Governor} … said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. 22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. 23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

Barabbas was released, but Christ was crucified. He died in Barabbas’ place. He died in my place! They platted a crown of thorns to place on His head, and jammed it down, the blood running into His eyes. They spat upon Him, mocking Him. “Hail, King of the Jews!” They beat Him with their fists and ropes, and gave Him vinegar mixed with bloody animal entrails. Then they crucified Him, parting His garments among themselves. Naked and dying He was crucified.

And He died.
His side was pierced with a spear.
Out ran blood and water.
He was dead.
The Angel said “He was crucified”. Jesus was dead.
He was laid in a place where the dead lay.

But then the Angel said:

[6] He is not here:

Jesus is not here. When Jesus died, He yielded up His spirit to God. His Body became an empty shell, just as it is with all who are human. The Bible says “absent from the Body, we are present with the Lord”. When we leave this life and this body we travel to God’s embrace or to a place where God is not. But when Christ died the Bible says that …

Hebrews 10:12-18 …. when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For BY A SINGLE OFFERING HE HAS PERFECTED FOR ALL TIME THOSE WHO ARE BEING SANCTIFIED. 15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” 17 then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

But Christ did not leave His body in the grave. He is not in the grave anymore. He was crucified, but now has risen.

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.

Jesus came to pay for our sins, and also came to fulfill the Law of God. He told His disciples:

Matthew 5:17-18 (KJV) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. [18] For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law of God. Being perfect and sinless, God in the flesh, He laid down His life for His friends (John 15:13). Mary Magdalene and Mary of Clopas (see John 19:25) stood by the cross of Christ with His mother Mary, watching Jesus die.

Jesus died as our Passover Lamb, the Lamb without spot or blemish. Jesus came to this earth to be “the Savior of His people” (Luke 2:11). He died at the end of the Passover as our Passover

1 Corinthians 5:7 (NLT) … CHRIST, OUR PASSOVER LAMB, has been sacrificed for us.

When the Angel of the Lord rolled the stone away, He broke the seal of the Law on that tomb. Christ Jesus paid for our sins. Jesus died for me. And those who receive His Promise:

John 3:14-18 (KJV) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: [15] That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. [16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. [18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Jesus is no longer dead, but has fulfilled all that the Father wants of Him. He died for our sins, but rose again to show that IN HIM IS LIFE.

Matthew 28:7-8 (KJV) He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. [7] And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead

Jesus is alive. He is alive forever more. He died for us and rose again so that He can live in us. As the Angel closed his sermon he said:

Matthew 28:7 (KJV) … behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

Jesus goes before you. Go to Him. Jesus leads you. Follow Him. Love Him. He is Lord. Practice His presence no matter where you may go. He is alive. Jesus is not amid dead things. He is alive. His people are not dead things. We are alive. Follow Him. Follow Him.