How can Matthew 28:2 inspire confidence in God's promises in your life? Setting the stage Matthew 28:2: “Suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and sat on it.” God shakes the impossible • The empty tomb opens with a “great earthquake,” a literal, history-shaking event. • Earthquakes in Scripture often mark decisive divine action—Sinai (Exodus 19:18), the crucifixion (Matthew 27:51), Paul’s prison break (Acts 16:26). God does not whisper when fulfilling His word; He shakes the very ground. • Every promise God makes is backed by the same power that moved the earth that morning. A messenger guarantees the message • “An angel of the Lord descended from heaven.” Heaven intervenes; the resurrection is not rumor or myth but heaven’s verified act. • Angels are “ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). If God dispatches messengers to confirm Christ’s victory, He will certainly keep every lesser promise to His children. Stones that stand in the way • The stone sealed by Rome symbolized finality, human authority, and immovable obstacles. • The angel “rolled away the stone”—not to let Jesus out but to let witnesses in. • Obstacles to God’s promises in your life—addiction, fear, guilt, opposition—are no heavier to Him than that stone. The posture of victory • The angel “sat on it.” Sitting conveys rest and triumph, as when Christ “sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). • Your confidence rests in a finished work; Jesus is risen, promises secured. Confidence for today 1. God’s power is literal, not symbolic—He shakes earth and stones (Ephesians 1:19-20). 2. God’s timing is perfect—dawn of the third day exactly as foretold (Matthew 16:21). 3. God’s promises are irreversible—no seal or guard can restrain Him (Isaiah 14:27). 4. God’s victory is shared—“Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19). 5. God’s messengers still reassure—Scripture itself now carries the angel’s certifying role (2 Peter 1:19). Cementing our hope with Scripture • Romans 8:11 — “And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” • 2 Corinthians 1:20 — “For all the promises of God are ‘Yes’ in Christ.” • Isaiah 55:11 — “So My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty.” Matthew 28:2 stands as a living reminder: the God who shook the earth, commissioned an angel, and rolled away a stone is the same God holding every promise you cling to today. |
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