JESUS is God (Matt.17-28)

For the next few chapters, we see the Pharisees plotting and trying to trap Jesus into saying something wrong.  After all their attempts and question-asking, Jesus asks them a question...

(Matthew 22:42-45)  “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.”  43 He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,

44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet”’?

45 If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” 46 No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.

Soon after, Judas, the unbelieving disciple, who agreed to betray Jesus, led the Pharisees to the Garden of Gethsemane where they seized Jesus and took Him to Caiaphas the high priest...

(Matthew 26:59-66)  Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death.  60 They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward, 61 and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’” 62 The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?” 63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.”  64 Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”  65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; 66 what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!”

I just recently learned this from a sermon... in Hebrew and in that culture, when someone says "I am the son of..." it is the same thing as saying "I am the same as my father".  So here Jesus answers the spiritual question - telling the high priest that "I am God."  This of course is a very truthful statement!  And it makes sense that Jesus kept silent to the other silly questions and accusations.  And even though He had said He was able to destroy the temple and build it in three days - I'm thinking that before His death, He wanted His last words and message to clearly be, "I am God!"  The spiritual weight of that answer is huge!  And in the same way, when Jesus stood before Pilate...

(Matthew 27:11)  Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.”

Now Jesus gives an answer to a political question - and again - still very true!!!  Jesus was the rightful King in more ways than one!!!  And when He had been persecuted and hung on the cross...

(Matthew 27:50-54)  ...Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. 54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

This was no ordinary death!  And so, the Pharisees also had fear, but a different kind...

(Matthew 27:62-66)  Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, 63 and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’ 64 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.” 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 grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.

But then...

(Matthew 28:1-6a)  ...after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. 2 And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. 3 And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. 6 He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said.

Another earthquake.  And the angel didn't roll the stone away so Jesus could get out - He was already gone!  It was rolled away so mankind could see the evidence of God's resurrecting power!  The Pharisees paid off the guards so they would lie and say that Jesus' body had been stolen by the disciples;  but Jesus appeared to many people after His resurrection, and with so many witnesses, the good news quickly spread anyway.

(Matthew 28:16-20)  the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Only God could have accomplished this!  Jesus paid for our sins!  Jesus had victory over death!  Words of instruction and encouragement.  Everlasting life!

(Romans 6:8-11)  Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, [f]is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

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