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He Is Risen – Matt. 28
He Is Risen – Matt. 28
After what must have seemed a very long weekend, AFTER the Sabbath, early on the first day of the week, people began going to the tomb where Jesus had been placed. An angel of the Lord appeared unto them and proclaimed the greatest news their ears had ever heard: "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay" (vs. 5-6).
· He WAS crucified... he WAS dead.
· He IS not HERE ... the tomb IS empty
· He IS Risen.
As they went to tell the apostles what they had just seen and heard, "behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him" (vs. 9). Later, He appeared unto his apostles in Galilee, "and when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted" (Matthew 28:17).
These were not the first times that people worshiped Him. Earlier the wise men from the east came to worship Him and did (Matt. 2:2). The disciples, upon seeing his great power when he stilled the storm, worshiped Him (Matt. 4 ).
It is NOW different! He has been raised to glory. He is now King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He now has all authority in heaven and upon earth. His death provided that people could be saved, forgiven, redeemed, justified, and sanctified. Through Him we now have access unto God. Through Him we have been saved from all things that people could not be saved from by the Law. Through Him we have become children of God. Through Him we are able to overcome not only the fear of death but death itself. Through Him we will spend eternity in the presence of our Creator.
John reveals that now in heaven, the host of heaven worship Him. John said that "...I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,
12 saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
And the four living creatures said, “Amen!”
and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Worship Him? It is the natural reaction to the knowledge of who He is. To know Him is to praise, honor, and worship Him.
Hugh DeLong
