Lesson Four • Graves Opened
Pastor Keaton Washburn
I have a confession to make. I am not much of a movie person. If I am at home, I do not mind a movie every now and then, but I am not a fan of going to the theaters. The combination of sitting still for so long, not being able to lounge on a couch (unless you are at the fancy theater), and paying so much for food and drink, tends to keep me away. However, I do love a good movie preview. Growing up, I remember the anticipation I felt when I saw a great preview of a movie I wanted to see. It left me on the edge of my seat. Like a good movie preview (short, action-packed, and attention-grabbing), the third miracle of the cross that we are looking at draws you in, leaving you wanting more and looking forward to seeing the whole story.
The Gospel writer Matthew tells us in chapter 27, verses 52 and 53, following the death of Jesus Christ, “The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.” Just picture this for a moment. Many in Jerusalem, having just witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus, turned around and a group of people who had been clearly dead, just wandered in. Can you imagine the reactions of those that saw this? There would be disbelief, fear, excitement, and awe, to name a few.
The timing of this miracle is especially interesting. Matthew tells us that this happened at the time of Jesus’ death. It is His death, as Donald Senior puts it, that “triggers the resurrection of the saints.” This is a reminder that Jesus died to save others, not Himself. Additionally, like a movie preview, this miracle is also a picture of what is to come for believers. Paul talks about this in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16, “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”Jesus’ death is the hope of eternal life for Christians today. This life is not all there is. Paul concludes this section with these words in verse 18, “Therefore encourage one another with these words.”