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Sermon preached on Matthew 28:1-10 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Worship Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 03/31/2024 in Petaluma, CA.
Sermon Manuscript
Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
Each year at the anniversary of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead we take a break from our normal sermon series to rejoice in this fact of history. Jesus Christ is risen indeed! The reason Jesus died on the cross was to save God’s people from their sins. All sin deserves God’s judgment, but Jesus went to the cross as an offering to God in our place. He bore God’s wrath as he died there on the cross. For all who have put their faith in him, he paid for all of your sins there at Calvary. But if he remained dead, it would imply that he had not been able to pay the debt in full. It would imply that the God’s wrath yet remained on him. But he rose from the dead on the third day, and it showed that he had overcome. Jesus paid it all. For we who have turned to Jesus in faith, the resurrection tells us that we are victorious in Christ. When God comes to judge the living and the dead, we will not need to fear, because we have found a mighty refuge in Jesus. This is what we will consider again this year as we think about the resurrection of Jesus.
But I wanted to particularly consider the resurrection in reference to the what we find in verse 2. There, it speaks of a great earthquake that was connected with the resurrection account of Jesus. Earthquakes are scary. If you’ve ever been through a big one, you know what I am talking about. Today’s message will help us to think about earthquakes, both in general, and as it relates to the resurrection.
Let us begin in our first point to think of earthquakes in the past. What I have in mind, is what do we learn about earthquakes from the Old Testament? In short, what we find is that often earthquakes recorded in the Bible are an expression of God’s judgment, and related to that, an expression of his presence coming to earth. To clarify, this does not mean that all earthquakes are a specific judgment of God upon some specific people for some specific sin. That would be presumptuous to claim that, unless God’s Word specifically told us that. Yes, earthquakes are here in general, because we live in a world cursed by God because of mankind’s sinful rebellion. In that sense, every destructive earthquake is a general judgment of God. But there have been some earthquakes in history that the Bible has identified as specific judgments of God and specific expressions of his presence on earth.
Let me give you just a few examples where the Bible connects certain earthquakes with his judgment and presence. For example, the prophet Isaiah foretold a coming judgment in Isaiah 29:6 saying, “You will be visited by the LORD of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.” Ezekiel too in Ezekiel 38:19 prophesied of God saying, “For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare, on that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.” Amos speaks of God’s judgment as the roaring of the LORD, making an earthquake analogy (1:1-2). Jeremiah 10:10 speaks of how at God’s wrath the earth quakes. Nahum 1:6 speaks of God’s wrath that breaks rocks into pieces when it comes, alluding to earthquakes. Or you see this poetically in the Psalter too, such as Psalm 99:1. There it says, “The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!” And, of course, you have Mt. Sinai trembling greatly when God descended upon it in the day of Moses (Exodus 19:18). These are just some of several biblical references.
This should not surprise us that the Bible would make a connection between earthquakes and God’s judgment and presence. I mean, think of what is so scary about an earthquake. It comes with no warning. At least with a hurricane or a tornado you can see them approaching and take precautions. And when an earthquake does come, they can be powerful and so very destructive. You try to find refuge, but there is no guarantee that what you are hiding under will protect you. Even if you go outdoors, there are dangers there too associated with an earthquake. The suddenness and the power of it fits well the Biblical theme of God’s judgment.
So then, what we find in the Old Testament, is that sometimes it describes an earthquake as a literal judgment of God coming in wrath upon a people. Other times, the passage may be more using the idea of an earthquake as an analogy to the judgment of God. Regardless of the nuance, it’s these two interrelated parts that really stand out, the idea of God’s judgment, and the idea of God’s coming to this world, sometimes referred to as a theophany.
But there is one more important point that we find in the Old Testament about such earthquakes that are associated with judgment. Some of the prophets speak of how we can find refuge from such judgment in the LORD. Joel 3:16 is one example, saying, “The LORD roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the LORD is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel.” And so, while an earthquake may signal God’s judgment, it also reminds us that the only true refuge from God’s wrath is to find that in God. That is, indeed, why Jesus went to the cross, that we can find forgiveness and grace ahead of God’s judgment. That our sin would be pardoned, and we can find refuge on the day of the Lord.
So then, with this Old Testament background on earthquakes, let us then turn now to our passage and consider this specific earthquake at Jesus resurrection. Actually, we should first remember that at Jesus’ death there was also an earthquake. That was last chapter, verses 51-54. At the moment of Jesus’ death, the temple curtain was torn in two, rocks were split, and even other tombs were opened with some dead saints coming back to life right then and there. It was such a climactic and timely earthquake, that it sparked faith in the centurion who was overseeing Jesus’ crucifixion. That was fitting for such an earthquake, since Jesus’ dying on the cross was the wrath of God’s judgment poured out upon him as he suffered in our place to pay for our sin. Yet, simultaneous to God’s coming to bring his wrath upon Jesus also was a moment of salvation and victory for God’s people who looked to the LORD for refuge. The saints who rose from the dead were a symbolic token of that victory.
So then, we come to verse 2 and see the earthquake there at the resurrection. It says, “And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.” Here the power of the Lord comes through the arrival of his angel and in rolling back of this large stone. I hadn’t mentioned it yet, but in the Bible, these special earthquakes of judgment also often have lightning along with them, and notice that the angel had an appearance like lightning. The earthquake and the angel go hand in hand. And so to see the earthquake connected with both the angel and the stone rolling away is to acknowledge the earthquake heralded the resurrection. What I mean is that clearly this angel is here to tell these first eyewitnesses about the resurrection. And the stone was rolled away so that these eyewitnesses could see that the tomb was, in fact, empty since Jesus was risen. So, this earthquake was the voice of God, so to speak, to begin to announce the resurrection of Jesus.
We are not surprised, however, to see that fear was connected with all this. We’ve said how earthquakes elicit fear, not to mention this angel that is closely connected with it. When the earthquake happened and the angel appeared at the same time, it terrified the guards. Notice that first they literally “tremble” even as the earth had just trembled, verse 4. It’s the same word for shaking used last chapter when it described how the earth shook at Jesus’ death. Then these guards obviously fainted, but the text describes them colorfully as becoming like they were dead. What an amazing contrast with the earthquake at Jesus’ death. There and then the earthquake happens and tombs open and some of God’s people rise up from death. Here the earthquake happens and a tomb opens and some of God’s enemies shake and then fall down like they are dead. So, this great fear comes along with this great earthquake and the angel of the LORD’s presence.
Yet, in contrast, the angel is very quick to try to dispel the fear of Jesus’ disciples here, these two Marys. You see how verse 5 contrasts that with verse 4. The angel speaks no words of comfort to the guards, but to these faithful followers of Jesus, he immediately tells them not to be afraid. Same earthquake and angel, but very different tone. Also, the angel doesn’t just speak comfort to them, he shows them comfort. He shows them the empty tomb. He then sends them off with a mission. They need to tell the other disciples. They need to remind them that this is all what Jesus had predicted to them. They need to go to Galilee just as Jesus had previously instructed them. Look at the end result there in verse 8. The women leave the tomb with a mix of both fear and joy. Actually, great joy, mirroring the language of the great earthquake. Yes, they still had some fear, but they especially were being calmed with great joy at the news of the resurrection.
Lastly, and most wonderfully, as they head out of their mission, Jesus himself appears to them, verse 9. And look at what he immediately tells them. First he says, “Greetings,” which is actually in the Greek literally the word for “rejoice”. Then, verse 10, he tells them not to fear. So, Jesus further speaks to their hearts, to the very emotions they were wrestling with, and again looks to dispel their fear and to promote great joy in their hearts.
And so then, stepping back, I hope you see why an earthquake was so fitting at his death and especially here at his resurrection. What theophany here! The power and presence of God was intruding here on earth. It was being manifested boldly not just in the coming of the angel of the Lord, but especially in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. For then, the Spirit of the Son of God was returning to the body of Jesus, the temple of God on earth, enlivening him unto the resurrection life of the age to come.
But since earthquakes can speak not just of theophany but also of judgment, we recognize that also is here at the resurrection. What judgment indeed is revealed here. Here, the roar of the Lord declares the condemnation of the world with its prince of darkness and all the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. This was seen colorfully in the guards who tremble and faint like their dead, but that was just a token of the reality being manifested. What really declared the condemnation of the world is that Jesus was alive. They who had opposed him had tried to destroy him. They thought they had succeeded. They had already started celebrating with each other that they won – or so they thought. For all Jesus’ enemies, both back then, and still today for any who would deny him, his resurrection is their condemnation. For Jesus lives! Not even death could hold him! He is vindicated and his enemies are judged and condemned. This earthquake indeed was so fitting, declaring the verdict of God against all who hate his Son.
So far today we looked back on what the Bible in the past said about earthquakes. We then considered this earthquake at Jesus’ resurrection. What I’d like to do now in our final point for today is to look ahead. What does the Bible say is ahead in terms of earthquakes? The answer is very important and is two parts.
First, Jesus taught about the future that earthquakes would yet continue to be a part of this world. Jesus’ resurrection, glorious as it was, did not yet bring an end to this present age. Speaking of the future ahead, Jesus said back in chapter 24, “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” You see, Jesus was asked there about what would be the sign that the end of the age was at hand. And he begins to answer that by saying these terrible things such as wars and famines and even earthquakes would be continuing for now. But really, they are just the beginning of the end. So, when we see things like earthquakes today, we can take an application. It doesn’t mean that the world is ending yet. But it is a reminder of the judgment of God upon this godless world. It reminds us that we need to be ready for the final end. And that will only be by finding refuge in Jesus.
So the first thing about the future when it comes to earthquakes is we should be expecting more of them. But the second thing the Bible tells us is that the ultimate end of this age can be described in terms of a final great and terrible earthquake when Jesus returns. That is the apocalyptic imagery given to us in the book of Revelation. That book of prophecy can be hard to understand. Some people read Revelation linearly, like a simple chronological timeline of the future. But what is surely the correct approach is to see that the book of Revelation has several parallel visions that give us different snapshots about the future and ultimately the end of this age when Jesus comes back. One easy way to see the parallel visions is in how there is a vision of seven seals, then a vision of seven trumpets, and then a vision of seven bowls of wrath. A progressive parallelism can be seen in those visions of seven things, such that each of them ends describing the return of the Lord. And listen to how each of them apocalyptically describes this.
At the end of the seven seals, it says, “And there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake,” Revelation 8:5. At the end of seven trumpets, it says, “There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake,” Revelation 11:19. At the end of the seven bowls, it says, “There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake.” All sound familiar? All of this describes theophany and judgment. It describes God coming in Christ to this world to usher in a final day of judgment upon a wicked world. It foretells the wrath of God that will be poured out on that great and terrible day of the Lord.
Indeed that judgment is coming. If that terrifies you, it should. But our Lord warned us about it so that we wouldn’t need to fear that day. Just like we saw here that fear overtook the enemies of Christ, but Jesus gives comfort and joy to his followers. This is true yet today. Even if you have been living opposed to him up to this point. Until he returns, while you still have breath, God has given you this opportunity to be saved from that coming day of wrath. He calls you to repent of your sins and turn to Jesus in faith as your Lord and Savior. That is why we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Because it has become for us not a word of condemnation but a word of celebration. His resurrection from the dead means grace and mercy for us who believe in him, and ultimately life everlasting. As Jesus comforts us his people in Revelation 1:18, he says to us, “Fear not, I am the first and the last and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
So then, while we wait for that day, may every earthquake that you feel, or even hear about, remind you that Jesus is coming again. May these earthquakes remind you to be ready for his coming, that you would find refuge in Jesus, in his death and resurrection. If you have, you know that this final Great Earthquake will not harm you, but be for you the sound of victory in the coming of our risen Lord.
Amen.
Copyright © 2024 Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
All Rights Reserved.
