Beyond the tomb

METHODIST CHURCH NIGERIA

DIOCESE OF OSOGBO

PASSION WEEK – HOLY SATURDAY, 11^TH APRIL, 2020.

GOD’S WORD TO GOD’S PEOPLE.

THEME: Beyond the tomb.

             “Ju isa oku lo”

TEXT: Matthew 27:64; Eph. 4:10; Col. 2:15

“Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, “He has risen from the dead.” So the last deception will be worse than the first.”

“He (Jesus) who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.”

“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”

The Bible states clearly that, “…it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgement…” (Heb. 9:27) It then means that death or grave is not the end or final destination of every human being. The same thing was true about Jesus Christ, his journey never ended at death on the cross, neither did it end in the grave or tomb. Having won the physical battle on the cross, Jesus Christ move into the Spiritual world to fight the last battle and gain complete victory for the whole world. The Jewish leaders who knew little or nothing about spiritual matters and the mission of Jesus Christ on earth, thought they have seen his end on the cross. They therefore tried all their possible best never to allow him resurrect.

They went back to Pontius Pilate on Saturday, contrary to their tradition which forbid walking a long distance on the Sabbath day, to ask him to put enough security at the tomb of Jesus Christ in order to prevent him from resurrecting on the third day as he had promised.

In contrast to the loving care demonstrated by Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus and others who are Jesus friends, it is surprised to see the plottings and maneuvering of the Jewish leaders who were spiritually blind. The disciples perhaps had forgotten that Jesus promised to rise from the dead on the third day, because they all ran to hide at their own homes (Jn. 20:2,10) instead of hanging around to witness his resurrection. But Jesus’ enemies never forgot this crucial promise made by him. Thus they sought for Pilate’s permission to set a strong guards at the tomb. More than the guards was the Roman seal put on the stone with which the tomb was covered only to prevent unauthorized entrance into the tomb. The seal made it impossible for anyone, friend or foe, to gain access to Jesus’ body in the tomb talkless of stealing (Matt. 27:62-66).

No one knew what happened to the body of Jesus in the tomb on Saturday except God, but Paul the Apostle in his letter to the Ephesians (4:7-10) and the Colossians (2:15) seems to suggest the picture of a warrior involved in spiritual battle with powers and principalities. The picture here is that of a Military conqueror who descended into the spiritual world to set his people free from sin, and satan who has now been taken captive by Jesus. Paul made it clear that even death itself is a defeated foe. Surely, when Jesus Christ came to earth as the Saviour, he experienced great deal of humiliation (Phil. 2:5-11), but when he descended into the spiritual realm, he gained victory for all his followers, and when he later ascended into heaven, he experienced the very highest exaltation possible on earth and in heaven. Beyond his tomb, Christ fought the devil and all his agents, he released all their captives in freedom, disarmed all principalities and powers, and made public show of them (Ps. 68:18; Col. 2:15).

It is my pleasure therefore to inform you, my fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters in Christ, that it is not yet over until it is over. Jesus Christ is the only hope of the world for healing, peace, deliverance, freedom, salvation, rest, and victory from any pandemic like Coronavirus. This is because, he is the only leader who went into sheol, fought a spiritual battle and came out triumphantly. You only need to surrender your life to him forsake your sinful ways, accept him as your Lord and Saviour, and you will be saved forever. Are you a born again child of God, know that Jesus Christ has won an everlasting victory for you. Hold on unto him and he will not let you down.

This Holy Saturday, the battle continues, even in the tomb Jesus Christ is still fighting for us, he wanted total victory for as many as believe him to be the Saviour of the world. I urge you therefore to cast all your problems, pains, sorrow and life challenges on him and believe that Jesus will silence all your enemies and hold all your captors in captivity.

Expect something great beyond the tomb of Jesus Christ and fear not, for it is not over yet. Your morrow shall come with unspeakable joy. Amen.

 

Rt. Rev. A.K.O. Ogunrinde, JP, FICT.

Bishop, Diocese of Osogbo.

Chairman OS-CAN.