Just As He Said! (Easter 2026)

Just As He Said!

Matthew 28:1–10

The Resurrection of Jesus is the heart and foundation of the Christian faith. In fact, without the resurrection of Christ, there’s no gospel, no hope, no salvation.

Of course, here, in these verses from Matthew’s Gospel, we see not only that Christ is risen… we also see what His resurrection means for us as His people.

Maybe you noticed that God’s sovereign power reverberates thru our Scripture reading: an earthquake… an angel of the Lord, blazingly white, appearing as bright as lightning… rolling back the stone and sitting on it. Imagine that! This Angel, this emissary of the Almighty God, sitting atop the stone that had sealed Jesus’ tomb! It’s as if the Angel were saying, “mission accomplished! The battle with Hell and Death is over! And Christ has won!”

In other words, this was no quiet, meek and gentle event. It was & is a full force display of God’s authority. The resurrection was never intended to be a passive, feel good story. It is Truth! A triumphant act of God’s redeeming, life giving power. The stone was NOT rolled away to let Jesus out—anymore than it was the nails held Jesus to the cross! The stone was rolled away to let us in.

It all points to a central Truth: Jesus is the Victor!

We live in a “victim” society! We’re either looking for a victim, or playing the victim! But I want you to hear something clearly this morning: Christ was not a victim—He’s the Victor! Christus Victor! He is our victorious King.

1 Corinthians 15:54–57 — “Death is swallowed up in victory… thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Of course, Matthew tells us the women came seeking a dead Jesus—they came in weakness, they came in grief, in despair and confusion… BUT, regardless… they came!

And, in a sense, you and I can say the same! As we’ve gathered together today, we gather in our own weakness… our own grief… our own confusion!

And yet we hear the very same words the women heard that first Easter morning: “Do not be afraid!”

Why? We certainly have plenty to fear! Have you watched the News lately… or bought groceries?

War… inflation… hostility… the truth… death… life! And a thousand other things!

Yet we know that God has assuaged our fears! Christ has made us strong… turning our frailty into dependency in Christ… “for when I am weak, I am strong!” Not my words, God’s Word!

Add to that…who among us does not grieve? We grieve loss… so many losses! Yet we do not grieve as the world grieves because of our assurance in Christ! Not my words, God’s Word.

And we certainly know of confusion, for heavens sake! We live in an age of mass confusion where opinions are treated as facts, and where good is called evil and evil is called good! Yet, we’ve tasted and seen (experienced) the peace that passes all understanding! Again, not my words, but God’s Word!

God’s Word is Truth and it is Grace for those who believe!

Not so for the unbelieving! The unregenerate stand as dead men before the glory of God! Just ask the Roman guards at the empty tomb!

Of course, we may come to the risen Lord in despair… but as we fall before His living presence in submission… with worship and wonder… He fills us with light and life… and joy! Joy that motivates us… and compels us to tell what we know to be true!

As believers we hold to a blessed assurance that nothing in this life or the next can ever steal! But that’s not all…

The Angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid! (Why? Because…) He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said.” Did you hear that?

As. He. Said. Those three words—“as He said”—are everything! They’re the very foundation God gives us to trust Him completely!

Jesus told His disciples repeatedly that He would be crucified and rise again. And now, before the empty tomb, God kept His word. God always keeps His Word! His promises.

He promised a Savior—He sent Christ.

Christ promised to rise—He is risen.

He has given us the assurance that He will return—He will come again.

Our salvation is not about our feelings, our emotions. It’s not about our opinions! It’s about the unbreakable, infallible, eternally reliable Word of God.

The Word that calls us to “Come, see… go quickly… tell His disciples.”

And in these simple Words, we’re given the pattern of the Christian life:

Come — draw near to Christ

See — behold the Truth of who Christ is

Go — proclaim Christ to others

True faith does not remain silent. The women left the empty tomb… called/commissioned to share the Good News! All the while filled with BOTH fear and great joy—a fitting combination after encountering the living God, if you ask me.

And, now, as we move forward after our own encounter with Christ, may we always remember… We are saved by grace alone—but that grace never leaves us alone! It sends us out, empowered by Christ’s Spirit, as witnesses. Come. See. Go.

“Do not be afraid, for I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen!” Come and see…Then go quickly and tell… the tomb is empty… just as He said. Amen.