March 18, 2024
What Happened on Resurrection Sunday
By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.
Read Matthew 27:57-28:6.
The chief priests and Pharisees went to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate and asked him to set guards at the tomb because they believed Jesus’ words more than His disciples did. They feared the resurrection, and they wanted to stop it.
Pilate must have thought they were out of their religious minds, but he humored the Jewish leaders. He had a seal placed on the tomb. He stationed guards to prevent anyone from disturbing the grave. And yet, on Sunday morning, the seal was broken, the stone was rolled away, and the guards fell like dead men. There was no stopping the resurrection.
Of course, the chief priests and the Pharisees didn’t quit there. They bribed the guards to lie about what had happened, to spread the rumor that the disciples had stolen Jesus’ body (see Matthew 28:11-15). Right—the same disciples who were too scared to come out of hiding after Jesus was arrested overpowered burly Roman soldiers and took the body of the Lord. Not exactly a believable story, but the religious leaders had to try something, I suppose!
Even after that, their opposition continued. The disciples spent forty days with the resurrected Jesus; they were empowered by the Lord and began performing signs and wonders in His name. They preached the Gospel and brought more people into the Way of Jesus. So, the religious leaders locked them up, tried to silence them, and even killed some of them. But even that could not stop the power of the resurrection. The persecution only emboldened the faith of Jesus’ followers and brought more people into the fold.
Just as those religious leaders tried to deny the resurrection all those years ago, there are many people today doing the same thing. For, if the resurrection is true, then Jesus has a claim upon our lives. He calls us to something wonderful, of course. He gives us comfort, joy, peace, a sure hope, an eternal inheritance, and more—but He does require that we submit to Him as Lord. To be a Christian is to believe in the resurrection (see Romans 10:9 and 1 Corinthians 15:12-20). There is no seal that can keep the Truth silenced, no stone that can be rolled into place to limit the power of our great God, and no guard who can stop the Lord from bringing salvation to all those who call upon His name.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for the resurrection—for the promise of my own! I know there is nothing that can stop Your resurrection power at work in my life. May I submit to Your will, remembering Your promise that all things work for my good as Your child. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay” (Matthew 28:6).
Learn more in Dr. Michael Youssef’s sermon Stopping the Resurrection?: LISTEN NOW | WATCH NOW
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Listen to Dr. Michael Youssef on today's broadcast of Leading The Way at OnePlace.com.
Watch Dr. Michael Youssef on this week's broadcast of Leading The Way at LightSource.com.