An Angel's Easter Message

An Angel’s Easter Message
Mt. 28:1-8

Intro: This was a glorious morning! The morning of the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Most of the world was totally unaware of what had happened but Heaven was definitely Excited. An angel had been given the important task of rolling the stone away from the tomb and giving the first Easter Message to the world.
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I. A Word of Assurance
Just as day began to dawn on that Sunday morning; Mary Magdalene, a faithful follower of Jesus, and Jesus’ own mother Mary, made the journey to the garden tomb hoping to be able to anoint the Body of Jesus; they wanted to show their love and pay their last respects; but there were a couple of things they did not know about:
1) The Pharisees and chief priests had persuaded Pilate to Seal the tomb with the official Roman seal and to place soldiers there as guards of the tomb. These ladies were concerned about being able to roll the stone away from the tomb but they didn’t know about the sealing of the tomb. They would not have been able to move that stone at all. Not only was it physically impossible for them; it would have been against the Law to do so, but they were not aware of it.
2) Even more important, while Pilate had commanded the tomb to sealed and guarded, God had commanded the tomb to be Opened and shown to the world.
So, when the ladies arrived, they were amazed to see that the stone had already been rolled away from the door of the tomb, and they were also amazed to see an Angel sitting on the stone.
I love the way its phrased in the Bible: the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled back the stone from the door and Sat Upon It. As the women looked at the angel they saw his face shining bright like lightning; and his robe was brilliant white like snow.
How do you think you would react to such a sight? Amazed! Afraid! Feeling terror; Trembling in fear; not knowing what to think; surely not knowing what to say. So the first part of the angel’s Easter message was a Word of Assurance:
Fear Not! Don’t be afraid; there’s nothing to be fearful about; nothing to be in terror about.
I Know! I know why you are here; I understand your situation I am aware of your love for Jesus and your desire to anoint his body. Ye are Seeking Jesus who was crucified.
I can’t help but imagine that these women felt great assurance from these words!
I believe these words can bring us assurance today:
Fear Not!
I Know!
You are seeking Jesus; you want to know more about Jesus; you are here because you love Jesus and you desire to live for Jesus.
You and I don’t need to be Conquered by Fear- God KNOWS- he knows your fears; he knows your confusion; uncertainties; Knows your heart ache; knows your hurts; your disappointments; knows your afflictions- He Knows!


II. A Wonderful Announcement
He is not HERE! He is Risen!
He is not here in the tomb; he is not here in the place of the dead; he is not here in a grave or cemetery. He has risen from the Dead and He is Alive. What a wonderful announcement!
Do you realize how significant these few words were?
They were vitally important not only to these women; not only to his disciples who loved him; but to the whole nation of Israel; to the whole world at the time; to the whole world and all who live for ALL time. He is not here; he is risen!
- Redemption is Provided.
- Relationship is Restored
- Resurrection is Assured


III. A Worthy Assignment
- Come see the place where the Lord lay; take a personal look; see for your self that Jesus is not dead but alive; be convinced in your own heart that this is true.
- Go Quickly and Tell his disciples. Go! Don’t keep this to yourself; this needs to be told; this needs to be Proclaimed; this needs to be shouted from the housetops so to speak; Go tell it, And do it quickly- make haste; this is important; this is a priority; more important than anything else in your life right now; Do this First!
Notice vs 8- And they departed (How?) Quickly! with fear and Great Joy; and did RUN to bring his disciples word.
Also, it’s interesting to note that it was as they went in obedience to the angel’s assignment that they met the Lord Personally and were blessed by him.
I think this Angel’s Easter Message is just as timely for us today as it was for those ladies then:
God wants to assure your heart that you need not be Afraid- He knows you and your circumstances-you are not forgotten and alone
God wants you and I to remember that Jesus is not DEAD, he really is ALIVE! And because he is Alive, Redemption is provided; you really can be saved from Sin, Satan, and Hell.
Your relationship with God can be restored today.
Your final resurrection to eternal life can be secured by your trust in him.
Finally- you and I should take this message everywhere we go. It should be a priority for us to tell others about our Risen Savior and Living Lord.
For, just as he came the first time, he is coming back again and we must be ready and watching!
Even so come quickly Lord Jesus!