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Matthew 27:62-66
In Matthew 16:21, 17:23, and 20:18-19 Jesus has stated that He would be crucified and then after three days rise again. The chief priests and the Pharisees were aware of this and even though they did not believe in Him, they were concerned that the disciples of Jesus would come in the night and steal the body of Jesus from the tomb and claim that He had risen, possibly causing a larger belief in Him from the people than they had already been dealing with. So they went to Pilate and asked for a guard to be placed at the tomb to secure that this deceiving act could not take place. We learn of Pilate’s reply to them in Matthew 27:65-66 (NKJV)as he states, “65Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” 66So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.”
This is an example of unbelief trying to cover up the way, the truth, and the life that is found only in Christ Jesus.
These same people who have crucified Jesus have also been witness to the many miracles and healings that He had done throughout His earthly ministry. They still yet were trapped by the evil ways of the devil into not believing in Him. How much tougher must it be for us today? But what we have that they did not have is God’s Holy Spirit working within us. Jesus promised to sent a helper – the Spirit of truth to live within us and guide us in the way that God’s plan for our lives leads us (John 14:15-18, 26). When Thomas had trouble believing in the resurrection of Jesus, Jesus, upon Thomas seeing Him and then putting his faith in Him declares in John 20:29, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” The Apostle Paul declares in Galatians 3:26 (NIV), “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,”. The Bible teaches us in Romans 3:21-22 (ESV), “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it – the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” And in Romans 5:1 (NKJV) declaring, “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Our faith, salvation, and relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ is through having faith – believing in Him – that He paid our price for sin so that we may be set free from it through our belief in Him. Believe today and be saved forever – in Christ!
Dear LORD,
We learn in many places throughout Your Word – the Bible, that we must believe through our faith in Christ Jesus and profess Him our Lord and Savior, and we will be saved. The tomb of Jesus was sealed and guarded as to prevent belief; please help us to remove the stone from the tomb of our hearts and open it to believing in our Savior – the Savior of the world – Jesus. Please let it be so LORD. In Jesus name I pray, amen.