As we prepare to celebrate Easter, we want to turn our focus towards the days that led up to Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. We will post a daily reading this week. Read the scripture and the study help below, take some personal notes, pray through and meditate on what you have read, and comment below so we can share with others in our River Church family.
Matthew 27:62-66 NASB
Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’ “Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.” And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.
History is replete with plans that backfire. In fact, every one of us can think of plans that we’ve made only to see them set aside and forgotten or completely backfire on us. Last year a bank in South Africa had a great idea to detour people from breaking into their ATM machines. They installed an automatic pepper spray system equipped with cameras and censors. During the pilot phase of the project three technicians had to be taken to the paramedics after inhaling the irritant. Of course the accidents made the news, and now the crafty minded criminals they hoped to outwit are aware of their scheme.
Today’s reading has a similar twist. First off, the chief priests and Pharisees wanted to make sure that the tomb of Jesus was carefully guarded. Pilate fulfilled their request and instructed the guards to “seal” the stone. The “seal” here was an official security device, so it is more likely an apparatus such as a cord attached to both the stone that blocks the entrance and to the rock face of the tomb, with wax imprinted with the Roman seal anchoring both ends, so that any tampering could be detected (cf. Daniel 6:17). Second, the very fact that so much effort was put into making sure that Jesus’ disciples were not able to steal His body, gives stronger support for the fact that He did indeed resurrect from the tomb. Their plan backfired. It only adds to the cumulative evidence that supports the historical event of Jesus’ resurrection.
“The site of Jesus’ tomb was known to Christians, Jews, and Romans, so it could have been checked by skeptics. In fact, nobody—not even the Roman authorities or Jewish leaders—ever claimed that the tomb still contained Jesus’ body. Instead, they were forced to invent the absurd story that the disciples, despite having no motive or opportunity, had stolen the body.”
(from The Case For Faith by Lee Strobel)
Despite the story that the religious leaders invented, Jesus’ movement continued. After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, the Holy Spirit came to the church on the Day of Pentecost, and His followers went everywhere proclaiming His death and resurrection. As we gather together tomorrow morning to celebrate these most foundational truths of our faith, let us do the same.
May we ever remember that man’s plans may backfire, but God’s plan to build His church, expand His kingdom, and reign as King of kings and Lord of lords is marching triumphantly onward!
