The Significance of Jesus’ Burial

Matthew 27:55-66

Last Sunday we sang that profound African American spiritual, “Were You There?” Its haunting questions invite us to witness the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. One of my favorite renditions of that hymn is by Jubilant Sykes, who often sang at Grace Community Church in California. Sadly, his life was taken earlier this year, but he is literally now jubilant in the presence of the Lord in heaven. Jubilant Sykes always started this hymn singing in a soft, intimate whisper leading the church to lean-in emotionally and spiritually to reflect on Christ’s suffering and death. His powerful baritone voice made you feel the passion as he rumbled the refrain, “Tremble, tremble, tremble”. Were you there when they crucified my Lord? As the song progresses and the orchestra comes in, Jubilant’s voice rises to a thunder as he reaches the final verse, “Were you there when He rose up from the grave?” and instead of trembling, he shouts, “sometimes I feel like shouting Glory, GLORY! GLORY!”

Were you there? In two weeks, we will celebrate again the glory of Christ’s resurrection as we come to Matthew 28. But before we get there, we have one more place to stop, reflect, and ask, “Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?”

Matthew 27 has taken us on the journey through the last hours of Christ’s life More →