1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,480 Amen. Let's hear the Word of God 2 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:11,880 reading today from Matthew chapter 27, verse 57 right 3 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:16,800 through to chapter 28, verse 8. Let's hear the Word of God 4 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:25,000 reading of course from the King James Bible, Matthew chapter 27 5 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:32,560 verse 57. When the even was come there 6 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:39,360 came a rich man of Armothea named Joseph who also himself 7 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:44,720 was Jesus disciple. He went to Pilate and begged the 8 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:49,400 body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body 9 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:55,520 to be delivered, And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped 10 00:00:55,520 --> 00:01:01,440 it in a clean linen cloth and LED it in his own new tomb, 11 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:04,400 which he had hewn out in the rock. 12 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:09,360 And he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and 13 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:14,680 departed. And there was Mary Magdalene and 14 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:19,800 the other Mary sitting over against the sepulchre. 15 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:26,120 Now the next day that followed, the day of the preparation, the 16 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:30,560 chief priests and Pharisees came together on the pilot, saying, 17 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:36,320 Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet 18 00:01:36,320 --> 00:01:40,200 alive, after three days I will rise again. 19 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:44,280 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the 20 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:49,080 3rd day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away, and 21 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:52,160 say unto the people, He has risen from the dead. 22 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:55,440 So the last error shall be worse than the first. 23 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:02,960 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch, Go your way. 24 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:08,039 Make it as sure as you can. So they went and made the 25 00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:13,560 sepulchre shore, sealing the stone and setting a watch. 26 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:19,880 In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first 27 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:25,120 day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to 28 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,800 see the sepulchre. And behold, there was a great 29 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:32,640 earthquake. For the Angel of the Lord 30 00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:36,920 descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from 31 00:02:36,920 --> 00:02:41,000 the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like 32 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:45,000 lightning, and his raiment white as snow. 33 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,800 And for fear of him, the keepers did shake, and became as dead 34 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,080 man. And the Angel answered and said 35 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:58,760 unto the woman, Fear not, for I know that you seek Jesus, which 36 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:04,240 was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen 37 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:08,160 as he said. Come, see the place where the 38 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:13,840 Lord lay, and go quickly, and tell his disciples that he has 39 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:17,680 risen from the dead. And behold, he goeth before you 40 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:23,280 into Galilee. There shall you see him, LO, I 41 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,560 have told you. And they departed quickly from 42 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:32,360 the sepulchre with fear and great joy, and did run to bring 43 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,240 His disciples. Word Amen. 44 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:38,240 We know God will stamp with His own approval and blessing this 45 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:41,840 reading of His own precious and infallible Word. 46 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:51,400 Amen. Now my text today, this Easter 47 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:56,920 Sunday morning, is found in Matthew chapter 28 and the verse 48 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,800 2. And behold, there was a great 49 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:04,160 earthquake, for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and 50 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:08,160 came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it. 51 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:15,080 Now beloved, this is Easter Sunday and today, like in other 52 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,800 Lords days, millions of professing Christians around the 53 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:23,440 world are celebrating and praising God for the empty tomb 54 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:26,880 of the Lord Jesus. Together we rejoice. 55 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:31,480 On the third day after his horrible death by crucifixion, 56 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:37,600 Jesus Christ literally, bodily and tangibly rose up from the 57 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:39,160 dead. Now let me be clear. 58 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:44,440 He didn't rise merely spiritually as some teach or as 59 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:50,840 some allege, but He arose physically, bodily, and tangibly 60 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:53,920 in the very same body that He was put to death in. 61 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:58,080 And after His bodily resurrection, He appeared to 62 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:01,520 many of His dear followers, beginning with the woman. 63 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:07,600 And then forty days after, He ascended up into heaven from 64 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,160 Galilee. And he lives now in the power of 65 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:14,360 an endless life as the king of glory on our behalf. 66 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:16,640 Now, I want you to ponder this scene. 67 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:20,560 Think of this with me. It's very early in the morning, 68 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:25,680 just before the dawn of the first day of the week. 69 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:29,160 Darkness is just beginning to lift. 70 00:05:33,280 --> 00:05:36,880 Two faithful women are making their way to the garden tomb of 71 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:41,440 Joseph of Armathea. Their hearts were heavy, their 72 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:45,640 hopes seemed buried. They had seen their Lord 73 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:49,160 crucified and put to death. They had watched that most 74 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:53,840 horrible form of execution. And as they walked, one question 75 00:05:53,840 --> 00:05:56,520 filled their mind. In fact, it troubled them. 76 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:00,800 In the Gospel of Mark chapter 16 and verse 3, we read and they 77 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:03,560 said among themselves, Who shall roll us away? 78 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:05,640 The stone from the door of the sepulchre. 79 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:12,640 Notice in Mark 16, verse 4, the description of the stone for it 80 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:16,920 was very great, about two tonne in weight. 81 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:22,480 These women asked a very practical question, a very 82 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:29,480 pressing question, a deeply painful question, and they found 83 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:33,200 no answer. Now when they arrived at the 84 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:37,160 garden tomb, for they knew and observed, for the body of Jesus 85 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:41,200 Christ had been LED, they discovered that their question 86 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:45,280 had already been answered. For the Bible tells us. 87 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:49,160 For the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came 88 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:53,960 and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it. 89 00:06:54,720 --> 00:07:00,760 So this morning I want to answer a very profound question, and 90 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:04,240 the question is this Who moved the stone? 91 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:10,440 You see today, many atheists and agnostics and even some 92 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:15,800 professing Christians asked the question, is that what really 93 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:18,560 happened on the first Easter morning? 94 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:24,600 Did the Lord Jesus physically, literally, tangibly, bodily rise 95 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:29,200 from the dead? What happened to the body of 96 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:32,520 Jesus? Are there not other possible and 97 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:36,840 possible explanations for the empty tomb? 98 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:41,760 Now to answer the gain Sayers, the Christ rejecters, and the 99 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:45,720 truth deniers. This morning I answer this. 100 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:52,480 There is no other possible or plausible explanation for the 101 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:54,600 empty tomb. Why? 102 00:07:56,040 --> 00:08:00,040 The evidence for the doctrine of the bodily resurrection of the 103 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:03,480 Lord Jesus from the dead is overwhelming. 104 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:08,640 It is very persuasive. You see, the doctrine of the 105 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:13,280 bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus is the truth, the whole 106 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,120 truth, and nothing but the truth. 107 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:21,840 Paul emphatically stated this in First Corinthians chapter 15. 108 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:27,080 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how you 109 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:31,040 say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead. 110 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:36,080 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not 111 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:40,039 risen? And if Christ be not risen, then 112 00:08:40,039 --> 00:08:44,080 is our preaching vain? And your faith is also vain? 113 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:49,440 Yeah, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we 114 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:53,760 have testified of God that He raised up Christ whom He raised 115 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,880 not up. If so be that the dead rise not. 116 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:01,280 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised? 117 00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:06,560 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is being ye are yet 118 00:09:06,560 --> 00:09:11,320 in your sins, then also which are fallen asleep in Christ are 119 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:14,400 perished. If in this life only we have 120 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,760 hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable. 121 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:23,480 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first 122 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:30,800 fruits of them that slept. See today, this Easter someday. 123 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:34,120 I'm aware that many non Christians are sceptical. 124 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:39,720 They're asking for evidence. And the evidence I present to 125 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:45,480 them to every atheist agnostic. Is this the evidence of the 126 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:49,000 empty tomb? And this is not a question for 127 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:52,800 the university professor. This is not a question for the 128 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:56,000 scholars to split hairs over. No. 129 00:09:56,000 --> 00:10:00,920 This is a doctrine that lies at the heart of the gospel. 130 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:05,720 This doctrine is the keystone of the whole Christian faith. 131 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:09,080 And the key facts are indisputable. 132 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:14,200 You see, according to the Bible, the Lord Jesus died at 3:00 PM 133 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:18,320 on the day of the Jewish Passover, exactly when the 134 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,520 Passover lambs would have been slain in the temple. 135 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:25,760 And because even was approaching and the next day was a high 136 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:30,880 Sabbath, Joseph of Armathea requested from Pilot the body of 137 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:34,240 Jesus. Once Pilot ascertained that 138 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:39,000 Christ was dead, he gave Joseph of Armathea and Nicodemus 139 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,960 permission to get the body of Jesus down from the cross. 140 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:45,960 They wrapped the body in a linen cloth and placed it in Joseph's 141 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:49,280 own new tomb, human, out of solid rock. 142 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:52,720 And they did it before 6:00 PM that evening, because that's 143 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:55,640 when the High Sabbath would have started. 144 00:10:56,040 --> 00:11:00,000 And Christ rested in the tomb for three days and three nights. 145 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:04,760 And at the behest of the Jewish authorities, a Roman so guard 146 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:08,000 was placed in the tomb. The stone was sealed. 147 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:12,760 And then on the third day, miraculously, wonderfully, 148 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:19,600 powerfully, Christ arose bodily from the dead just after sunset 149 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:24,720 on the Saturday, as the first day of the week began to dawn. 150 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:30,880 And early Sunday morning, these two women, when they came to the 151 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:35,560 tomb with the question, who will move the stone for us, they 152 00:11:35,560 --> 00:11:41,120 discovered the stone was already rolled away and the tomb was 153 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:44,120 empty. Something happened to those two 154 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:46,840 women as they witnessed that scene. 155 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:50,800 And we're today, just for a few minutes, going to ponder that 156 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:53,840 question. Who moved the stone? 157 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:58,240 What really happened to the body of the Lord Jesus? 158 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:00,480 Three things very quickly. Bear with me. 159 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:03,360 The problem that the woman faced. 160 00:12:05,560 --> 00:12:13,080 You see, the stone was no small obstacle, it was real and 161 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:16,560 visible. Mark chapter 16 verse 4. 162 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,680 For it was very great, approximately about two tonne. 163 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:24,240 It stood like an immovable barrier. 164 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:29,040 It stood between the woman and the body of the Lord Jesus. 165 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:34,040 It stood between their access to Him and their devotion toward 166 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:37,000 Him, of putting more spaces on the body. 167 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:40,680 It stood between their love and their loyalty to Him. 168 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:45,880 You see, it was a pressing problem they couldn't solve 169 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,880 themselves. They had prepared their spaces, 170 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:52,360 but they had no strength to move the stone. 171 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,520 They had love, but they had no leverage. 172 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:02,440 They had a desire to see the body, but they had no means of 173 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:08,880 delivering access to the body. Now, is that not like many today 174 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:13,320 in Northern Ireland? How many today have very great 175 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:18,760 problems in their lives? Problems like a great stone, 176 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:22,160 problems that are a huge obstacle? 177 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:26,320 What about the stones of sin that are unrepented of? 178 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:31,640 What about the stubborn refusal to admit that you're a vile, 179 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:34,440 guilty, hell deserving Sinner before God? 180 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:39,960 What about the stone of guilt for some sin that concerns us? 181 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:45,720 A sin that's unparted, a sin that's not under the blood, A 182 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:50,200 sin that eats away at you, that that consumes you. 183 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:54,400 Some past deed of thought, of word or of deed. 184 00:13:55,640 --> 00:14:01,120 What about the stone of fear? Many are full of fear this 185 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:04,800 morning. Fear of the present, fear of the 186 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:07,800 future. What about the stones of 187 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:12,480 challenges and circumstances and situations that we can't change 188 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:17,760 in and of ourselves? You see many this morning are 189 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:22,440 devoted to Christ. They love the Lord Jesus, but 190 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:26,400 they even though they're devoted to Christ, they are sadly 191 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:30,560 defeated in their lives. It appears that they're stuck. 192 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:33,880 They have neither late nervation. 193 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:37,080 Now think of this. These women came with spaces, 194 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:43,320 two women committed to do a task to anoint the body of Jesus, but 195 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:47,920 they're confronted with a huge stone that they could not move. 196 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:53,080 So I asked simply, is that a picture of your life right now? 197 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:58,680 You see, this stone was more than just a physical object. 198 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:02,520 I believe it was a picture spiritually. 199 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:10,000 A picture of sin sealing men and women away from a relationship 200 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:14,080 with God. A picture of death that seals a 201 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:16,320 tomb that declares the end of hope. 202 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:21,640 A picture of despair shutting out expectation. 203 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:26,240 Whenever the Lord Jesus died in the cross, he cried. 204 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:30,200 It is finished, meaning the work of securing eternal redemption 205 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:35,760 was complete when Joseph put that big stone over the tomb 206 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:43,000 that sealed the tomb that shot in the body that was then sealed 207 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:46,520 by the Romans. Whatever the seal was, it said 208 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:52,880 to everyone, Christ is over. And yet the word of God 209 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:57,400 proclaims a wonderful message. Psalm 100 and 1822. 210 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:01,600 The stone which the builders refused rejected has become the 211 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:06,360 head of the corner. Men rejected that stone, but God 212 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:12,520 exalted Christ. Man sealed that stone in, but 213 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:18,640 God sent his Angel to open it, not to let Christ out, but to 214 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:23,080 let the woman in. Now the religion of the world 215 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:27,640 cannot deal with the stone of sin in our lives, can't deal 216 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:31,520 with the stone of guilt, can't deal with the stone of fear, 217 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:34,160 can't deal with the stone of despair. 218 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:40,400 Human effort cannot shift it. Time will not erode it. 219 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:47,360 And if that stone is to be moved, then only God can move 220 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:51,040 it. So I ask again, here's the 221 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:55,720 problem that the woman faced. A stone separated them between 222 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:59,000 them and Christ. Is that true of you this 223 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:02,640 morning? Do you need God to move the 224 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:07,000 stone of sin and guilt and fear and despair in your life? 225 00:17:07,079 --> 00:17:11,359 Only He can do it and of course you have to want Him to do it. 226 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:15,280 You have to ask them who'll take this away for us? 227 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:19,599 Who will move the stone for us? The problem that the woman 228 00:17:19,599 --> 00:17:26,760 faced, have you faith in Him as your trust in Christ? 229 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:33,080 The second thing I want you to discover is this the proof that 230 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:38,560 the woman find we read in verse 2 and behold there was a great 231 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:42,800 earthquake for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven and 232 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:47,720 came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it. 233 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:54,200 You see that move stone was proof that the tomb was empty, 234 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:59,200 that the Lord Jesus was written physically, bodily, literally, 235 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:05,000 tangibly from the dead. Today, again, many ask, what 236 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,800 really happened to the body of the Lord Jesus? 237 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:11,920 See, that's a good question, isn't it? 238 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:18,440 But the stone rollback was wonderful proof that the Lord 239 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:25,680 Jesus was truly and really dead and yet truly and readily bodily 240 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:28,880 risen again. They they think with me of the 241 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:31,920 Garden Tomb. At the behest of the Jewish 242 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:34,520 authorities, the enemies sealed the tomb. 243 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:39,320 The soldiers guarded it. The big stone was meant forever. 244 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,960 The big stone spoke of a finality. 245 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:47,400 Christ is finished, it is all over. 246 00:18:48,120 --> 00:18:55,560 And yet God sent 2 angels. One of them we read Roll back 247 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:58,600 the stone. As I've said, not to let Christ 248 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:02,880 out, He's already risen, but to let the woman in, to let the 249 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:07,120 disciples in, to witness this tremendous event. 250 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:12,280 God used the ruled backstone as a testimony. 251 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:18,240 I believed the doctrine of the bodily resurrection of the Lord 252 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:20,960 Jesus. This is not a feeble folks. 253 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:24,040 This is not the stuff of fairies tales. 254 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:30,360 No, this is factual. It is founded on solid and 255 00:19:30,360 --> 00:19:34,240 concrete evidence. You see today many atheists, 256 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:36,680 agnostics, know what they tell us. 257 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:41,120 I don't believe that. They go even further. 258 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:46,680 I won't believe it. Who knows what really happened? 259 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,600 I don't really care about the evidence. 260 00:19:51,120 --> 00:19:56,840 Well, I care about the evidence. I know the facts. 261 00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:59,040 Listen to this. A man by the name of Frank 262 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:02,040 Morrison think he lived in the early 1900s. 263 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:05,120 He was a sceptic. Exactly what I'm saying. 264 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:07,440 I don't believe it. I won't believe it. 265 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:10,040 I don't care what really happened to the body. 266 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:16,320 Well, he set out to write a book to disprove the doctrine of the 267 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:21,120 resurrection of the Lord Jesus. For nine months he examined the 268 00:20:21,120 --> 00:20:24,320 evidence. He carefully studied the gospel 269 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:27,320 records. He weighed up all the facts of 270 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:30,640 the death, burial, empty tomb of the Lord Jesus. 271 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:35,840 He literally followed the evidence and as he followed it 272 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:41,600 and followed it honestly, the evidence didn't lead him away 273 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:43,920 from Christ. Guess what? 274 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:48,680 It led him to Christ. And the Abuki intended to write 275 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:52,840 against the resurrection became a a defence of the resurrection. 276 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:57,800 It came to see that the stone was not moved by men, but only 277 00:20:57,800 --> 00:21:01,040 by God himself who sent his Angel. 278 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:04,720 And you see, here's the problem today far too many professing 279 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:08,520 sceptics, professing atheists and agnostics, you know what 280 00:21:08,520 --> 00:21:12,120 they do, They refuse to examine the evidence. 281 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:17,000 So today I want to throw in a challenge to them, all the hard 282 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:22,280 boiled atheists and Carrie Duff and beyond all the philosophical 283 00:21:22,360 --> 00:21:27,480 minded agnostic. You bring your best explanation. 284 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:31,960 You tell us in the Christian community what you think 285 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:34,560 happened. You present your alternative 286 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:41,200 explanation because I want to tell you if you look at the 287 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:45,640 evidence seriously, you'll find the proof that the woman find. 288 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:51,800 And what was that proof? An Angel rolled back the stone. 289 00:21:54,360 --> 00:21:56,280 See. What are the atheists and 290 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:59,400 agnostic and deniers of Bible believing Christianity? 291 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:02,160 What are their best explanations? 292 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:05,600 What's their alternative to what happened to the body other than 293 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:12,240 what we read in the Bible? Let me suggest very quickly what 294 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:18,280 about the temporary tomb theory? Joseph of Armathea moved Jesus 295 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:23,360 body to a different tomb. Joseph of Armathea was a wealthy 296 00:22:23,360 --> 00:22:26,160 man according to John 1938 to 42. 297 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:30,440 He was very courageous in asking Pilate for the body of Jesus. 298 00:22:31,360 --> 00:22:33,560 Pilate ascertained that Christ was dead. 299 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:37,960 Joseph of Armathea Nicodemus took the body down from the 300 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:41,240 cross, wrapped it in linen, and placed it in his own new tomb. 301 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:48,160 Matthew chapter 2760 says he laid it in his own new tomb, 302 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:51,920 which he'd tune out in the rock, and he rolled a great stone to 303 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:53,920 the door of the sepulchre and departed. 304 00:22:53,920 --> 00:23:03,080 We've already read that Matthew 27 and in the verse 60 now in 305 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:07,800 John 1942, because the Sabbath day approached. 306 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:11,840 Remember, it was a High Sabbath. It was the Passover time. 307 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:15,480 The Lord Jesus died at 3:00 PM that day. 308 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,440 The Sabbath day would begin at sunset, at 6:00 PM, according to 309 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:21,640 the Jewish time. Jewish people would not work 310 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:25,920 after the Sabbath day. And this temporary tomb theory 311 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:32,240 says that sometime Joseph of Armathea returned and removed 312 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:36,840 the body to a different tomb. The first tomb was only 313 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:38,440 temporary. That's why it's called the 314 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:43,400 temporary tomb theory. John 20 and two, remember when 315 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:47,480 the woman Mary Magdalene ran to Peter and John, she said they 316 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:50,840 have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not 317 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:53,840 where they have laid him. Now we're going to ask the 318 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:57,080 question, when did Joseph of Armathea do this? 319 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:01,680 Why did Joseph of Armathea do it? 320 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:05,080 You see, it doesn't really hold up when you think about it. 321 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:08,200 In court it would be knocked down. 322 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:12,360 In court it would be said it doesn't really hold water. 323 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:16,560 Why? Because if Joseph of Armathea 324 00:24:17,120 --> 00:24:22,560 came at the end of the weekly Sabbath day, not before, the 325 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:28,760 time would be 6:00 PM be dark. It would be the Saturday night. 326 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:35,920 Are we to suppose he removed the body by lamplight between sunset 327 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:39,400 and sunrise? I really suppose that he and a 328 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:45,760 few others carried a heavy body of Jesus grown and aged 33, 329 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:50,080 carry at some distance and put it in a a different and do it 330 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:55,240 all in the dark. He certainly couldn't move the 331 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:59,040 body without pilot's permission, without pilot's knowledge. 332 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:03,440 We get asked the question, what about the guards? 333 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:07,160 What about the Roman seal that needed to be broken? 334 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,160 What about permission to remove the body? 335 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:13,960 As I've said, it involved Pontius Pilate. 336 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:17,440 And then of course, you would have to have time to remove the 337 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:20,600 grave clothes and leave them behind and, and we're really 338 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:23,120 suggesting them carrying a naked body in the dark. 339 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:28,960 And if he got permission of the guards, then why was the guards 340 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:30,920 still at the tomb when the woman came? 341 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:37,080 And if Joseph of Armathea took the body and would say when he 342 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:41,680 didn't come between sunset and sunrise, he came in sunrise, he 343 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:45,520 came near the dawn, then he would have met the two women and 344 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:48,560 route to the Garden Tomb. And there's no record of that 345 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:50,720 meeting. There's no sign of both groups 346 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:51,920 at the tomb. So. 347 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:56,680 So we'll ask the question then. Did he carry it out in daylight? 348 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:00,440 Surely there was no great urgency. 349 00:26:01,120 --> 00:26:04,960 Joseph of Armathea was delighted to ask for the body of Jesus 350 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:08,000 from Pilate. He placed it in his own new 351 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:11,520 tomb. I'm sure he was proud of that. 352 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:15,160 Where's the body of Jesus? He's in my new tomb. 353 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:21,560 So why would he want to move it? So we asked when we asked, why 354 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:24,040 would he want to move it? You see, it doesn't really hold 355 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:26,760 water very quickly. Listen to me. 356 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,200 Secondly, here's another alternative explanation from the 357 00:26:29,360 --> 00:26:31,840 atheist agnostics. And those are deniers of Bible 358 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:33,760 believing Christianity this morning. 359 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:41,120 And that is the legal theory. The ruling authorities moved the 360 00:26:41,120 --> 00:26:43,600 body. Is that true? 361 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:47,080 Who gave the order? Was it punch it? 362 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:50,760 Pilot? Had Pilot any real interest in 363 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:55,320 the dead body of the Lord Jesus? No, it wasn't the Roman 364 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:57,280 authorities, it was the Jewish authorities. 365 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:01,240 All right, well, remember what we read in Matthew chapter 28, 366 00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:03,360 verse 11. Listen to the word of God. 367 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:07,840 Now when they were going, that's the woman, the disciples. 368 00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:11,920 Behold some of the watch. The watch means the guards came 369 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:14,760 into the city and showed unto the chief priests all the things 370 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:17,800 that were done, And when they were assembled with the elders 371 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:21,120 and the taken council notice this, they gave large money unto 372 00:27:21,120 --> 00:27:24,880 the soldiers, saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night and 373 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:32,960 stole him away while we slept. So why add this if the Jewish 374 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:38,720 authorities legally removed the body of Jesus from the tomb? 375 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:43,960 They had said to the guards, when this comes to the 376 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:46,160 governor's ears, we'll persuade him. 377 00:27:47,120 --> 00:27:50,240 We read here in verse 15 that was commonly reported among the 378 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,840 Jews that the disciples came and stole the body. 379 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:55,480 You see, it's all connected. So we ask this question about 380 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:58,040 the Jewish authorities. Why pay this money if you've 381 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:05,040 already got the body of Jesus? And why say this message if they 382 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:07,360 moved the body? And here's another thing. 383 00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:10,400 Seven weeks later, when Jerusalem was an uproar, the 384 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:13,480 disciples were preaching the doctrine of the literal, bodily 385 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:15,840 resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead. 386 00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:18,840 Christ has risen. Indeed was the proclamation. 387 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:25,760 If they had the body, then all they had to do was produce the 388 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:28,160 body. Wasn't that the simple answer? 389 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:32,600 Jesus has risen from the dead. Hold on, wait a wee minute. 390 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:34,840 Right, boys? More. 391 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:37,920 You bring the body out here, we'll put it in the streets of 392 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:39,720 Jerusalem just before the temple. 393 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:42,560 Let everybody see Jesus is really dead. 394 00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:44,000 Ha ha. We've got the body. 395 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,280 Didn't happen because they never had the body. 396 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:52,520 You see this legal theory that the ruling authorities moved the 397 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:54,680 body, whether it was Romans or Jewish. 398 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:59,920 Again, it doesn't hold water. Here's the third alternative 399 00:28:59,920 --> 00:29:04,120 explanation, the Swin theory. What does that mean? 400 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:08,640 It means that Jesus didn't really die on the cross. 401 00:29:09,360 --> 00:29:13,920 It was first proclaimed by a German atheist, Carl Frederick 402 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:18,480 Bahat. I hope I pronounced it right. 403 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:22,560 I probably haven't. He preached and proclaimed Jesus 404 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:25,800 didn't really die. He faked his death. 405 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:29,720 He only fainted on the cross. He was wounded that badly. 406 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:33,080 He lost consciousness. He he sort of passed out. 407 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:36,080 Then he was put into the cold tomb for three days. 408 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:40,480 And the coldness of the tomb somehow revived him and he 409 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:43,560 awoke. Remember, he's wrapped in grave 410 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:49,360 clothes with these spaces. He took off the grue grave 411 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:51,280 clothes. And he did all this in a dark 412 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:57,360 tomb, no light, haven't got a torch, no electricity. 413 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:04,480 So a wounded man and then he moved the stone from the inside. 414 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:07,320 Now for those of you who know the land of Israel, and I've 415 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:10,520 been there and I've been in the garden tomb and I saw the big 416 00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:12,640 stone. I saw the channel that the stone 417 00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:14,080 would have rolled up and down on. 418 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:17,960 And they used a wedge, of course, to help to keep the 419 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:21,000 stone in place. And that stone wedge would had 420 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:22,840 to have been moved from the outside. 421 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:26,720 No way a man could have moved it from the inside. 422 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:36,720 Also think today the Roman soldiers knew how to put people 423 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,640 to death. They knew how to kill. 424 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:42,920 They were masters at it. They crucified thousands of 425 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:46,240 people and when they said Jesus was dead, he was really dead. 426 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:50,160 And if you want more proof, the centurion took a spear, thrusted 427 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:54,000 into the sight of Christ and blood, blood and water came out. 428 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:57,360 And whenever the soldiers examined the body, they didn't 429 00:30:57,360 --> 00:30:59,040 break the legs of Christ. Why? 430 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:03,600 Because they said John 19 verse 33, he is already dead. 431 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:09,720 These experts when they examined his body, he he wasn't fainting. 432 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:14,560 He was certainly wasn't faking. No, he was factually dead. 433 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:20,680 Who moved the stone? They're arguing through the 434 00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:26,680 swing theory that a weak, wounded man revived a few days 435 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:30,360 after faking death. It's ludicrous. 436 00:31:30,840 --> 00:31:32,640 It's from the lips of an atheist. 437 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:35,480 Here's the 4th alternative, which is very popular. 438 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:38,640 The woman went to the wrong tomb. 439 00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:39,920 Oh dear. Help us. 440 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:42,840 The wrong tomb theory. The woman's getting complained. 441 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:44,960 Sorry, ladies. It was dark. 442 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:49,240 It was light was dim. They they were confused. 443 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:50,960 They were hallucinating. That we bet. 444 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:53,840 But the evidence in the book is here. 445 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:56,680 They followed the Lord Jesus from Galilee. 446 00:31:56,680 --> 00:32:00,200 They ministered unto Him. Look 2355 to 56. 447 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:03,480 They beheld the sepulchre. They knew exactly where Joseph 448 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:06,440 Armatheatom was. They knew where the body was 449 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:08,520 laid. They returned and prepared 450 00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:11,320 spaces. Having rested on the Sabbath day 451 00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:15,200 and upon the first day of the week, these devote followers of 452 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:21,920 Jesus, Mary Magdalene and and Mary of Siloam and others, they 453 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:26,120 came to the right town. I'll tell you another line of 454 00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:30,320 evidence. Mary said to Peter, They've 455 00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:35,880 taken away my Lord, and I know not where they've laid him, that 456 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:38,920 those male disciples, Peter and John, when they came running to 457 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:40,960 the tomb, did they also come to the wrong tomb? 458 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:45,320 The answer is no. See, it doesn't hold up. 459 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:48,400 Here's the 5th explanation very quickly. 460 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:52,720 The disciples stole the body. This is very popular among the 461 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:56,360 atheists and the Christ deniers and the agnostics. 462 00:32:57,680 --> 00:32:59,760 It's called the stolen body theory. 463 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:04,720 Now, now, listen to this. The disciples had to plot to 464 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:06,560 steal the body. This is what you would have to 465 00:33:06,560 --> 00:33:09,720 believe. The disciples overcome their 466 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:13,800 natural fear, risking their lives even at the point of death 467 00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:16,560 to steal the body. Remember, they'd left him at the 468 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:18,600 cross. They had abandoned him. 469 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:21,400 The disciples, remember, had power. 470 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:26,280 This is the third thing we're saying to overpower the guards, 471 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:31,120 all 20 of them. They then broke the Roman seal 472 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:37,320 upon pain of death, take the body out again, removing it from 473 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:40,240 the grave clothes, leaving the grave clothes to make it look 474 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:46,000 real, moving A2 tonne stone tipping around these yards even 475 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:48,520 if they'd given them something for them to go to sleep, and 476 00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:51,120 then doing it without making any noise. 477 00:33:52,480 --> 00:33:55,160 Here's the fourth thing the disciples preached the 478 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:59,160 resurrection after Christ arose from the dead. 479 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:02,720 I really believe they're preaching and teaching was based 480 00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:06,120 on a lie. Why would they want to mount a 481 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:11,040 mass of deception? When the Lord Jesus died, their 482 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:12,760 hopes were dashed. They were devastated. 483 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:15,199 They were defeated. We had hoped he had been the one 484 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:19,679 to save Israel. Here's another line of evidence. 485 00:34:20,719 --> 00:34:24,320 Bring it into the courtroom. The fifth thing the disciples 486 00:34:24,320 --> 00:34:32,040 endured great suffering and martyrdom for a lie to pretend 487 00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:36,760 that he had conquered death. They were lionhearted witnesses 488 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:39,600 for the resurrection. Are we to suppose they were 489 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:43,960 willing to die for a lie? Thomas was absolutely convinced. 490 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:46,480 My Lord and my God, Peter was changed. 491 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:49,120 He preached the resurrection at Pentecost. 492 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:51,840 You see, let me bring this to a conclusion. 493 00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:55,800 These five suggested alternative explanations. 494 00:34:56,000 --> 00:34:59,440 These are the best of the atheist and the agnostic and the 495 00:34:59,440 --> 00:35:06,040 Christ deniers can come up with. They come up with us temporary 496 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:11,000 tomb theory, this legal theory, this swing theory, this wrong 497 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:13,920 tomb theory, the stolen body theory. 498 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:16,440 But not one of them holds up in court. 499 00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:20,560 Not one of them holds up to the facts of sound evidence and 500 00:35:20,560 --> 00:35:24,240 analysis. There's so much evidence I'm 501 00:35:24,240 --> 00:35:28,120 going to ask them not to date. I'm asking them this morning to 502 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:34,160 stop denying, to seriously examine the evidence, to take it 503 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:38,000 as seriously as they would any court case in a court of law, 504 00:35:38,840 --> 00:35:42,280 and then to stand in the basis of evidence and say it's either 505 00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:47,120 true or false. If I can help, please don't be 506 00:35:47,120 --> 00:35:51,960 afraid to e-mail, send a text, contact Mark here on the sign 507 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:56,280 desk. Let me finish this morning not 508 00:35:56,280 --> 00:36:00,200 only the problem that the woman faced and the proof that they 509 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:06,000 find the empty tomb against these 5 alternative explanations 510 00:36:06,240 --> 00:36:10,240 of the atheist and the agnostic. Let's think as we close the 511 00:36:10,240 --> 00:36:12,920 proclamation that the woman felt. 512 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:17,640 If you go back to our text, it says at the end, the last four 513 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:20,760 verse 4 words of verse 2 and sat upon it. 514 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:28,880 The Angel sat upon the stone. The Angel rested on the thing 515 00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:34,040 that was sealed. Why did the Angel set on the 516 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:37,680 stone? I believe it was to send it a 517 00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:44,320 message, make a proclamation, the work was finished and the 518 00:36:44,480 --> 00:36:48,480 victory was complete. Remember, the stone wasn't moved 519 00:36:48,880 --> 00:36:52,400 to let the Lord Jesus out. He was already risen. 520 00:36:53,200 --> 00:36:57,560 It was moved to let the woman in, to let the disciples in, to 521 00:36:57,560 --> 00:37:01,600 let the witnesses in, to see. Remember what the Angel said. 522 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:04,480 He is not here for His risen, as he said, Come see the place 523 00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:11,440 where the Lord lay. What's heaven declaring a 524 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:13,360 proclamation that the woman felt? 525 00:37:13,360 --> 00:37:16,760 And what was that proclamation? Listen to me as we finish. 526 00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:23,160 Death is defeated, He is risen. The woman asked the question, 527 00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:27,560 Who will roll the stone? And the stone is gone. 528 00:37:28,360 --> 00:37:31,840 The big concern, it was already handled. 529 00:37:33,120 --> 00:37:35,160 Are you here this morning and you're fearful? 530 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:38,080 Are you worried about the future? 531 00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:43,880 Are you upset with things as they are, your circumstances and 532 00:37:43,880 --> 00:37:48,200 your situation in life? Let me tell you, God's already 533 00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:51,440 there. God is in the present. 534 00:37:53,320 --> 00:37:56,080 And if you're worried about things are going to happen, 535 00:37:56,560 --> 00:37:59,440 God's already at work. He's an absolute sovereign 536 00:37:59,440 --> 00:38:02,800 control. And if this God who moved the 537 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:07,560 stone from the tomb to let the woman in, he can move the stones 538 00:38:07,560 --> 00:38:13,360 in your life, whether it's sin, guilt, fear, despair, whatever 539 00:38:13,360 --> 00:38:17,440 your circumstances are, there's the proclamation that the woman 540 00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:21,880 felt death is defeated. Victory is complete. 541 00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:26,520 Enter into the victory of Christ and experience resurrection 542 00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:29,720 power and glory in your life. Even now. 543 00:38:30,360 --> 00:38:35,240 Claim it by faith and rejoice and give thanks to God. 544 00:38:36,440 --> 00:38:38,440 May the Lord take this word this morning. 545 00:38:38,800 --> 00:38:41,640 You've been so patient. Thank you for coming. 546 00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:45,440 Thank you for listening and may the Lord bless us and use it for 547 00:38:45,440 --> 00:38:46,200 His glory.