The Seven Miraculous Events
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
The events centered around the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ were miraculous to say the least. One miracle generally calls for another miracle. In the Book of Matthew we find seven different miracles referred to. This great number of miracles leaves us without a shadow of a doubt as to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It would appear that the Lord created a Divine environment for the resurrection of Christ in order that we might have every assurance as to its reality. God never leaves His people in doubt.
1. There are some who would object to the miracles of the Bible, including the miracles of the resurrection. We have always had these skeptics and always will; but there is no excuse for skepticism. Underlying unbelief in regard to miraculous events is our unbelief in God Himself. Did not God create the earth and the entire universe? Did He He not cause the sun to shine and the moon to be a lesser light to rule by night? Has not this same God, who has created this universe, sustained it for all these years? Has He not imparted life? A God who is able to create a universe and sustain it is certainly able to perform other miracles. There is nothing that God is not able to do. There is no miracle too great for Him to perform. The trouble with the skeptic is that he wishes to get along without God.
2. There is only one reason why any individual should wish to deny any of the miracles. That reason is that he is rebellious and does not wish to be compelled to recognize Jesus Christ as God in human flesh. Rather, than admit his fault, he denies the evidence by throwing all the miracles into the wastebasket and saying, "They did not happen." But after all, what skeptic is there living today who has any authority to reject the evidence of the miracles? Were any of them present when the miracles took place? Do they have one iota of evidence, from any individual who was present when they took place, which would be contradictory to these measures? They do not.
3. When the generation of Jews in the day of Jesus Christ came seeking a sign to prove His Deity and Messiahship, He told them that no sign would be given other than the sign of Jonah. "As Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." The resurrection of Jonah from the great fish brought a city of half a million on their knees in repentance. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is that sign of which Jonah's resurrection was symbolized.
I. THE MIRACLE OF AN EARTHQUAKE (Matthew 28:1-2)
Miraculous events suddenly took place, one after another, when Christ was raised from the dead. The 28th chapter of Matthew first mentions the miracle of an earthquake.
1. There is no doubt but that this earthquake had something to do with the battle between God and Satanic forces. All the powers of hell were present to keep that tomb sealed. The powers were not so much concerned about the tomb as the body which was chained by death rather than by a stone. When the earth quaked, God spoke. God was reaching out His strong arm and throwing back the forces of Satan. He was breaking the bonds and chains of death.
2. We find a further description of this earthquake in Matthew 27:51-53. Many people think when they read the Scripture referred to that this was an earthquake that took place at the death of Jesus Christ; but that is not what the Scripture says. We find that as a result of this earthquake the graves were rent open and many of the saints arose from the dead, but we are specifically told that they "came out of the graves after His resurrection," not before. This earthquake was the breaking of the bonds of death, not only for Christ, but for all human beings. It was for the purpose of opening many graves.
3. The effect of this earthquake is described in Matthew 27:54. The centurion and those with him saw this earthquake and all that was done. Fear gripped their hearts. They confessed openly that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. It was the miracle of the earthquake accompanying the resurrection of Jesus Christ which demonstrated to them that Christ was more than a mere man, but One who had power over the universe; and therefore they at last recognized His Deity though they had rejected Him before.
II. THE MIRACLE OF AN ANGEL (Matthew 28:2-6)
There are many angels at the service of God, but they serve in obscurity, not revealing themselves lest they receive the glory instead of Jesus Christ. Let us learn a lesson from the humility of the angels. When Christ arose from the dead God wrought the miraculous and allowed men to see one of these powerful creatures who serve Him. Certainly Heaven was dealing with earth that day. Those who beheld the angel knew that the resurrection of Christ was more than an apparition, for strange events were happening. The angel rolled back the stone. No human being could have rolled back that heavy stone; but angels are powerful. If you will study the Scriptures you will be surprised at the power of the angels. For instance, one angel destroyed the first-born in every home in the whole nation of Egypt in one night. One angel blinded the entire army of Syria. One angel slew thousands of Israelites when David sinned by numbering the people. The angel sat upon the stone. His countenance was glorious. Men did quake and shake before him.
Though men feared the angel and could not resist his power, he came as a ministering servant unto the weaker vessels of humanity. He brought a message of comfort to the women who sought Christ. Hebrews 1:14 reads, "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who" shall be heirs of salvation?"
III. A MIRACULOUS MESSAGE (Matthew 28:7-8)
1. The angel who brought the message of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the women also instructed them to "go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead." That was the beginning of the gospel ministry of the saints. The resurrection of Jesus Christ at that moment became the theme of all Christians of all ages. It is a message of comfort for those who have loved ones who have passed on. It is a message of hope for the dying. Let us never cease to carry this message.
2. The angel instructed them to go quickly. The message of the resurrection is one that requires haste. The disciples were sorrowing, not knowing that Christ was risen. The world today is in tears because they do not know this message. Haste ye and carry it to them.
3. The angel told them to go with a message but assured them that they did not go alone. "He goeth before you into Galilee." The Lord has gone ahead and blazed the trail for us that we might follow in His footsteps with a message of life. It is wonderful to know that before we carry the message of life to the lost, Christ has gone ahead to prepare the way that their hearts might be willing to receive the truth.
IV. THE MIRACLE OF A RESURRECTED LORD (Matthew 28:9)
When the women approached the tomb they were wondering who would roll back the stone for them (Mark 16:3). They wanted to anoint the body of Jesus Christ and they came with the full intention of doing so, but they knew that it would take stronger hands than theirs to roll back the stone. They also feared that the guards would not roll back the stone because the Roman seal was placed upon it and could not be broken, but to their dismay as they approached the tomb they saw the stone rolled back; but they were more dismayed when they saw that the body was not there. The stone was rolled back in evidence of the fact that He was raised from the dead, not in order that He might be raised from the dead.
As the women ran to tell the disciples, whom did they meet but the Lord, Himself, who had gone ahead! The angel had told them they would find Him. The evidence of the resurrection was already theirs. They did not hesitate. They worshiped Him. His own have been worshiping Him ever since, for the resurrection of Jesus Christ proclaimed Him as God and worthy of worship which belongs alone to Deity.
V. THE MIRACLE OF A DILEMMA (Matthew 28:11-15)
When Christ died upon the Cross, the Jewish people knew that He had said that He would rise again from the dead the third day. Their consciences also told them that they had done wrong in crucifying Christ. They had had enough evidence to know that they had crucified their God. Foolishly they thought to conquer God by placing a guard outside the tomb to keep Him from being raised from the dead, whereas, in reality, they were only making the resurrection of Jesus Christ a resurrection that would be free from any possibility of human influence or falsity. When Christ arose from the dead and the guards fell back helpless before an angel who came to announce the resurrection they realized for the first time that it would have been better had they not put a guard, there. Then they could have said that the body of Christ was stolen away. Under the circumstances they were made ridiculous by their own action, so they gave the men who were on watch money and told them to report that the disciples had stolen the body away.
1. Could eleven unarmed disciples have defeated armed and trained soldiers? No, these soldiers made themselves foolish and weaklings by agreeing to such a statement.
2. Would Rome have permitted these soldiers to live had they failed in fulfilling their duty? No, they would have been put to death.
3. If Christ had not really been raised from the dead, would the Jews have had reason to have been so disturbed about the incident? Their alarm in itself was evidence that the resurrection was real.
VI. THE MIRACLE OF A COMMISSION (Matthew 28:18-20)
It was absolutely preposterous to think of twelve disciples and a few friends going out and facing a world which was antagonistic to them, preaching about Jesus Christ. Had not the world just crucified Christ? Was there not a mob spirit abroad and an inborn hatred for Christ and all who had any affiliation with Him? We might well expect them to be devoured and crushed in pieces as if they had been thrown into a lions' den.
1. Now they had a message to preach that the world could not resist. It was a message of resurrection power. They went forth teaching all nations. They went forth baptizing all nations. Their teaching and their baptizing centered about the thought of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They told of a Christ who had power to overcome sin and produce a new life. For such a message it was worth dying.
2. They not only had a. resurrection message, but they also had resurrection power to proclaim this message. Christ was now raised from the dead. He no more was in the body of limitation having cast aside His power for the time being. He now proclaimed to His disciples, "All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth."
VII. A MIRACULOUS PROMISE (Matthew 28:20)
1. How marvelous it is to know that Jesus Christ is with us. Often we sing, "If Jesus goes with me, I'll go." If He is with us, nothing can harm us. If He is with us, we have companionship. If He is with us, we have a Guide. If He is with us, we have new strength. If He is with us, He is pleased with our activity. If He is with us, we have encouragement to fight the battles that we face.
2. But what was it that made it possible for Christ to be with us? Before the resurrection, while God was manifest in human flesh, Jesus Christ was able to be in only one place at one time. Formerly the disciples stayed close by the side of Christ. They endeavored to cast a demon out of a man and failed until they brought Christ in Person. When Lazarus died, Martha and Mary both said, "Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." But Christ could not have been in two places at one time as long as He was in human flesh. Now conditions were changed. The resurrection had set Christ free so that He might be at all places at all times. Even today and unto the end of the world we may all have Christ with us individually forever.
3. When Christ was in the ship with His disciples and a great storm came up, the disciples cried out, "Master, carest Thou not that we perish?" He answered with these words, "How is it that ye have no faith?" As long as Christ was in that ship, it could not sink; and as long as Christ is with us, we cannot fail.
AN ILLUSTRATION
Mrs. F. J. Cressey, for years the Primary teacher of the First Baptist Church of Los Angeles, a woman of rare ability and consecration, told this story:
She had in her class a little lad whose unconverted mother had such a horror of death that she would not go into a church for fear of hearing the subject mentioned.
After hearing the Easter lesson as taught by Mrs. Cressey, the child ran home and, bursting into the room he cried, "Mother, you need not be afraid to die, 'cause Jesus went through the grave and left a light behind Him."
The words gripped the mother and stayed with her. Shortly after this a neighbor invited her to attend some revival meetings, and she accepted the invitation, a thing she would not have done but for the message which had prepared her mind and heart.
One evening her little boy prayed, "Please, God, make my mamma a Christian, and do it right off quick."
That night the mother went to the meeting and gave her heart to Christ.