Culver Community Church

Pastor Chris Sweeney

Sermon Notes

June 30, 2019

Matthew 28:11-20 This Is Not The End!

{vs. 11} So the women, after pausing to worship and hug Jesus continue toward the city to find the disciples.  Notice they are still on the way, so the religious leaders get the first report - - - even before the disciples!  As the ladies are off looking for those disciples, Matthew draws our attention back to the soldiers who were posted at the now empty tomb.  If you recall, the last time we saw them, an angel of the Lord had come blazing down out of the heavens, causing a great earthquake, rolling the stone away from the tomb, breaking the seal and sitting down on it right in front of them!  That’s when they more than just fainted – they shook in some sort of fit (stroke, coma or unknown?) and fell to the ground like dead men!  When these guards finally came to, and assessed the situation – seeing the seal broken, the stone rolled away and worst of all - - - the body gone – well, they realize they were in big trouble!  They put their heads together and try to work out what to do!  For them to fail in an assignment like this meant a painful death.  They quickly realize that they cannot go to their commander – he wouldn’t believe the truth (to be honest it’s a remarkable, unbelievable story!) – they weren’t sure they believed what happened!  More than that, their commander would have sent them off to be interrogated (that meant a scourging for each of them) and summary executions.  Now that was a bad option in their minds – but what else could they do?  Someone comes up with a new idea – look these are miraculous, spiritual happenings and it was those religious leaders who went to Pilate and had us posted here - - - let’s go and tell them, it can’t be as bad as going back to headquarters!  So “some of the guards” – not the entire group go to the temple.

When they get to the Sanhedrin, the leaders and elders gather and then they tell them “everything that had happened.”  Why not?  At this point, what could they lose?  In their minds, they are as good as dead men so let’s tell it like it happened and hope that they will know what this is all about.  Now, take a moment to understand this – these rulers have just received the first (even before the disciples) eye-witness account of what took place that morning – clearly miraculous happenings and instead of jumping for joy because Jesus is alive, they freak out!  It’s not even IF, these soldiers were credible and they saw it first hand - - - they had nothing to gain and everything to lose by telling this story!  However, long ago they had chosen sides, making themselves adversaries to Jesus.  They had opposed Him at every turn and if He was truly the Son of God, then that would mean all that He said must be true and they were the ones being used by the Devil!  They would have to be wrong!

We have to understand, they could not be wrong – they were the religious experts - - - this was a matter of pride!  This was a matter of sin – that’s what Jesus kept accusing them of having, they had made excuses and come up with ways of explaining away their sinful nature using sacrifice and God’s own Word.  If Jesus is right, they were recalling all the things that Jesus had said about them, He called them blind guides (Matthew 23:16); fools (Matthew 23:27); whited sepulchers, basically hypocrites (Matthew 23:27); snakes and the brood of vipers (Matthew 23:33); hypocrites (Luke 11:44)!  Waking up one morning and finding out that Jesus is, as He said the I Am who was before Abraham would have turned their whole world upside down and it was just easier to stay in the dark, to ignore the evidence and keep everything just as it is.  So after hearing the soldiers’ tale, they excuse themselves and come up with a way to deal with this new information (Angels, earthquakes and a risen Jesus).

{vs. 12-15} This is the first of many, many attempts to explain away the simple fact that Jesus rose, just as He said, that the tomb is empty and that Jesus is God and Messiah!  To this day, men continue to come up with stories to deny the truth, stories that don’t match the facts and don’t make sense.  God made sure to provide enough evidence to make this the best attested event in History.  But people will believe anything, if it lets them think that Jesus is not alive – because to them the alternative is unacceptable.  If He lives, as we know He does, that makes Him Lord and God.  Which means that every one of us is responsible to live accordingly, responsible for our rebellion and sin and it means that we will one day stand before Him to give an answer for our lives.  That is why so many through history, believe the lies and ignore the truth - - - just like those religious leaders who heard first hand, but chose to spin a lie and bribe the guards to spread it!

This is foolish on it’s face, the disciples were in hiding – they did not believe there would be a resurrection and if they had stolen the body they would have had to get past the crack Roman guard, risking death!  The idea that the guards slept was also malarkey – these men, the elite body guards of Rome had a way of protecting themselves from ‘sleepy coworkers’ (who could get them all killed) – they would take a lit piece of wood from the fire and light the skirt of anyone caught falling asleep!  If that doesn’t keep you on your toes - - - nothing will!  So, we are to believe that these ten fishermen and one tax collector came by night, snuck past (like ninjas) or that they somehow drugged the soldiers, waited for them to hallucinate and fall asleep, only to move the several-ton bolder (quietly) to unwrap the body of their beloved friend and rabbi,  all so that they could perpetrate a lie and start a new religion!  For what reason? – so that the Jewish leaders and Rome could persecute and eventually martyr each of them!  Everyone wanted Jesus dead except for the disciples and women and they had no expectation or means to pull off such an illusion!

{vs. 16-17} At last, the disciples go to Galilee!  There was a lot of time and visits in the meantime – but they did (finally) make it!  All of the followers and disciples come together for this giant meeting.  The majority recognize and worship Jesus (again only God receives worship) – but there are some (minority) who have doubts.  We don’t know if these were faith-killing doubts, just lingering questions or something in between – probably some of each.  In every gathering, right here this morning – there are those who believe and some with doubts!  For those of us who have faith with doubt – Lord help our unbelief!  But for those of us whose doubt, strangles out the Word, making the soil of our hearts bad – Lord break up our hard hearts and give us new soft hearts ready to believe!  Two reactions are seen as we come to the conclusion of Matthew’s book – the soldiers and religious leaders tried to cover up what happened while the followers embraced the truth as it changed their lives – going out to spread the word!  This still happens today – many try to ignore, reason away or passionately hate the truth - - - but God will not be ignored!  He came to seek the lost, to redeem the rebellious and it cost a terrible, unimaginable price! 

{vs. 18-20} This is the very end of the gospel, but not the story – notice the always?  Jesus is still with His disciples – until the very end – always and forever!  This is where Matthew and the Holy Spirit tell us the why and give us the way to apply all of this to our own lives. 

First, we see what seems like an odd comment about authority.  Why is this here?  For one, this commission that follows is given in light of that authority of Jesus.  Let me put it this way – because I’m in charge of everything, I am commanding you to do this in My world and to those who belong to Me (even if they don’t acknowledge my ownership).  Next, we see that this is an authoritative command, not a suggestion or request (pretty please).  It is the same idea as if a military officer reminded a private of his rank before he gave them an order.  Since He has this authority (that’s why authority is followed by therefore), He can send whomever He wills to do whatever He pleases.  This kind of absolute power would be corrupting and unthinkable for anyone but Christ!  Notice that He uses it not as a tyrant but with grace and mercy and for our benefit!

Now we get to the command, a short easy to understand order – go [as you are going] and make disciples.  Jesus did not say ‘get your act together and then go’ – no, He sends this imperfect bunch of fishermen out into the world (as is!)  This is not to stay at home and affect the Jews (or those close to home) but go to all nations (all people groups, tribes or the whole human family)!  So part one is go and part two is make disciples (Jesus disciples, not our own!)  Which means to teach, instruct, cause someone to follow the precepts and instructions.  If you take this in the simplest terms Jesus is telling the disciples to reproduce, or make more of themselves!  Notice Jesus doesn’t just say share the gospel and save souls (that’s just a part of it all) – the end goal is to have people who are obedient followers.  This flies in the face of the just get saved and live however you want mentality that pervades the ‘church’ today!

Included here is and baptize them (not the main command but a secondary one) – baptism is the sign that they agree to change their lives, to follow God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!  Baptism was the first century altar call (and has remained so through the centuries), it is the point of conversion, the signing of the contract - - - and not just for Christians, it was cultural for Jewish converts and others.  It is a symbol of the washing away of sins, the death of an old life and the entrance into a new one!  It is a sign and command, but not a condition for salvation – a matter of obedience, just like everything else He teaches!

Finally, Jesus gives a beautiful promise – “I will be with you always.”  By His Spirit He is with us and He is at the right hand of the Father!  This group of misfits and we today could never even begin to pull off a task this big without Jesus’ power, gifts and authority!  It is only because He lives and because He lives in us that we can do what He commands.  As Christians, we are to follow Him (learn and obey all that He taught) and by our example and words bring others along to do the same.  This is the way it has happened since the very beginning – so many have tried to snuff out this story, to kill Christianity - - - but by God’s authority, we march on into the Kingdom of God, following the King!

For those of us who embrace the truth (Truth), it changes everything!  We are no longer living for ourselves in the shadow of sin and death.  Life is not just a cosmic set of coincidences – God created, He loves and He saves!  This is not just to win some game or to collect trophies either – we are brought into the family of God, in relationship - - - working for His Kingdom and His glory (because we return the love He poured out on us.  Like the angel, now I have told you – what will you do having heard the greatest story ever told?