relationships (Matthew 27:62-66) Cannot Manipulate or Control

(Matthew 27:62-66)

62 Now on the next day, that is, the day which is after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, 63 and they said, “Sir, we remember that when that deceiver was still alive, He said, ‘After three days I am rising.’ 64 Therefore, give orders for the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise, His disciples may come and steal Him, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.” 66 And they went and made the tomb secure with the guard, sealing the stone.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

The spiritual leaders had plenty of proof that Jesus was dead.  They had made sure of that...

(John 19:31-37)  Now then, since it was the day of preparation, to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews requested of Pilate that their legs be broken, and the bodies be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man, and of the other who was crucified with Him; 33 but after they came to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 Yet one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “Not a bone of Him shall be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look at Him whom they pierced.”

Because blood and water came out, Jesus had to be dead.  This can be explained medically.  After a person dies and the heart stops, the blood will begin to settle and clot.  The heavier red blood cells sink, while the clear, yellowish watery liquid component (serum or plasma) separates.

Now here, of course, the spiritual leaders are concerned about the disciples stealing the body from the grave, and then just saying that He had risen.  The Pharisees certainly did not want that to happen.  So, not only did they seal up that rock in front of the tomb, they had stationed there one or two Roman guards.  Here it mentions one.  Later there were more.  The soldiers could have decided to add guards, or there could have been a changing of the guards.  Either way, Roman soldiers were no joke. So, there was no way for anyone to get through all of that.  No way for any human, that is!. 

Well, when people's most important relationship in the world is with themselves, they will have to lie (to others as well as to themselves) and do whatever they can to manipulate and control the circumstances they find themselves in.  The biggest lie one can tell themselves is that there is no God, or they do not need God, and/or that they can control the Lord God.

One of the things that many people don't understand about Christianity, is that it isn't at all about controlling or manipulating.  And the one thing that many people don't realize about the Lord, is that because He loves us, He will not force anyone to love Him back, and even when someone decides to love Him back, He will never force anyone to be obedient.  Because Christianity is all about having a personal relationship with the Lord, we will obey - not because we have to - but because we want to!  And we can know that, because we are in a relationship with the Lord, whatever He asks of us, as we are willing and as we ask Him, the Lord helps us!  This is why He went to the cross!  Because He desires to do life WITH us.