Matthew 28

I think you've got a Bible, it would be a great help to me and I hope to you and we can get a bit open before you. It's on page 835 from Matthew 28 in the Church Bibles.

Matthew 28 on page 835. You may have come across the true story from Russia before the end of the Cold War and the Communism.

There's a Baptist pastor who's travelling on a train and reading his New Testament. And he stood up to take a walk on the train and he left the New Testament on his table.

While he was away, a train guard came along, read what it was, opened up the window of the train and threw it out the window.

A month later, a farmer came to see the Baptist pastor and he asked the pastor to lead him to become a Christian. The pastor gladly did so.

When he finished praying, the farmer reached into his pocket and pulled out the pastor's New Testament and said, you'll never believe it.

I was working in the fields on my farm a month ago by the railway track and as a train went past, this hit me in the head.

And I want to say to you that as you read the accounts of the resurrection in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, I hope that you'll find the same thing happens to you.

That you'll get hit on the head.

Because what we find in these fascinating passages right at the centre of the Christian faith is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

That Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.

The early Christians in the book of Acts, those in the immediate years after the death of the Lord Jesus, called the gospel the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

It was the resurrection of Jesus that created the earthly church and gave it life and gave it fire.

Now I want us to look at Matthew chapter 28 because in this chapter what Matthew teaches you is very, very simple.

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

Matthew teaches you this.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ changes everything.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ changes everything.

It turns everything upside down.

It acts as a huge reversal in the world.

And Matthew shows us that by showing us that everyone this resurrection touches in this chapter, their lives are turned upside down.

The resurrection shatters for all time and for all people the matter of business as usual.

When Jesus stacked out of the grave, it was one small stack for man, but one giant leap for mankind.

It changes everything.

And Matthew's interest is not in the mechanics of the actual resurrection.

But Matthew wants you and I to experience the massive impact that it had.

And it happened in four parties.

So first of all, the women.

Look at verse 1.

It says, now after the Sabbath, towards the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

They don't know that a guard has been posted.

They do not know how they're going to roll the stone away to get access to the body.

But they are in for a huge surprise.

They discover, don't they, guards lying on the ground and trembling.

The stone is rolled away.

And even worse than that, there is an angel sitting on the stone.

And he's no ordinary messenger boy.

But this is an angel who's come from the presence of God.

So look at verses 5 and 6 and 7.

But the angel said to the woman, do not be afraid.

For I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

He's not here for he is risen.

As he said.

Come see the place where he lay.

Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he's risen from the dead.

And behold, he's going before you to Galilee.

There you will see him.

See, I told you.

The angel is clear.

That the stone has been rolled away.

Not to let Jesus out.

But to let the woman see him.

We're not left against what it means.

The angel explains to you exactly what it means.

He says, can you see it?

Jesus.

Who was crucified.

It's now risen.

He says it twice.

He says to them, you're at the right tomb.

You've gone to the wrong address.

You're at the right tomb.

He was dead.

He is no longer dead.

See where he lay.

He's now risen from the dead.

It's not a reincarnation.

Jesus has risen from the dead.

And it is impossible for you and I to capture in those very simple words

the enormous transformation that's taken place.

For the first time

in all of history

the iron grip of death

has been broken

from the inside out.

Somebody has gone through death

to show that he is stronger.

The angel is saying

Jesus has defeated death.

I read of a Muslim student in Africa

who became a Christian

and when his friends asked him

why

why have you done this

this is what he said.

He said about it's like this

suppose you are going down a road

and the road forks in two different directions

and you don't know which way to go.

And there at the fork

in the road

were two men

one dead

one alive.

Who would you ask for directions?

As the women race

off to tell the disciples

their imaginations

are running wild

on ahead of them

and they meet the risen Jesus

verse 9

He met them

and he said

verse 9

behold Jesus met them

and said greetings

and they came up

and took hold of his feet

and worshipped him.

Then Jesus said to them

do not be afraid

go and tell my brothers

to go to Galilee

and there they will see me.

It is

the most

natural

greeting

in verse 9

I don't think greetings

is a great translation

it's the most natural

hi

if you were in Wales

it would be

Shammai

if you were in Australia

it would be

G'day

if you were in France

it would be

Salud

it's the most natural

greeting

and just notice

the women

fall at his feet

and

there's a really

interesting detail

that's got the

authenticity

marked all over it

they take hold

of his feet

and they worship him

it's not a vision

it's not a

hallucination

it's not an apparition

it is a bodily

and physical resurrection

they grab hold

of his feet

they feel

his

hairy toes

it's that physical

it's not merely

a resurrection

back to this life

because

do you remember

when Lazarus

came out of the tomb

they didn't

worship Lazarus

did they

they didn't

fall at his feet

but no

this is a risen

Jesus

physically raised

from the dead

with feet

you can hold

and Jesus

encourages the women

not to fear

and he gives them

the same job

doesn't he

but the angel

gave them to go

he says

go and tell

the other disciples

and because of that

their world

is turned upside down

you back to chapter 27

and you back to chapter 27

and what are the women

like there

they are powerless

to change the course

of events

can you see that

there's this point

isn't it

and verse 55

in Matthew chapter 27

Matthew 27 · chapter mention

in the other column

it just says

there were also

many women there

looking on from a distance

who'd followed Jesus

from Galilee

ministering to him

and then if you look

at verse 61

it's the same picture again

he's been buried

in the tomb

and Mary Magdalene

and the other Mary

were there

sitting opposite the tomb

they are helpless

bystanders

they are the most

powerless of people

aren't they

weeping

and they go

on resurrection

morning

to anoint

a dead body

their hopes

have been shattered

the bottoms

formed out

of their world

but by now

by verse 10

of chapter 28

they are centre stage

in God's purposes

their hopes

had literally

been shattered

but now

they're raised to life

their fears

and their tears

have been transformed

into confidence

and joy

and now

these women

are centre stage

in getting the good news

of the gospel out

they are the first

witnesses

to the risen Christ

in a culture

where a woman

couldn't even give

evidence

in a court of law

because

she didn't count

but in the world

of Jesus

women count

and in the world

of Jesus

they are the first

witnesses

to the resurrection

it is a complete

reversal

from helpless

bystanders

bystanders

to centre stage

in God's purposes

the resurrection

changes everything

lives are turned

upside down

because of the resurrection

because Jesus

has risen from the dead

second group

it changes everything

for is the guards

and I think you've got to

have real

real sympathy

for the guards

on that day

when they turned up

to work

it was a routine

exercise

the guards

were told

your job

for today

is to guard

a dead body

it's a great job

isn't it

what a great job

it's a massive rock

put in front

of the entrance

they seal it

with whatever

they could find

and they are

aren't they

the picture

of human authority

and power

the guards

are the winners

they are the ones

with the weapons

and the capability

they are in command

they are in control

verse 2

behold there was

a great earthquake

for an angel

of the Lord

descended from heaven

and came

and rolled back

the stone

and sat on it

his appearance

was like lightning

and his clothing

white as snow

angels are

really popular

if you go to a bookshop

you'll find lots of books

on angels

if you go to a waitrose

and you cross over the road

there's that kind of

new age place

and they're massively

into angels

as I looked in the window

yesterday

there are angel seminars

you can go into London

but what you find

is that these new angels

what they have in common

is that they will always

give you what you want

Sophie Burnham

in you know that little book

of when you don't know

the little book of angels

you know those little books

that you can get

little books of angels

and she says this

angels always bring us

a calm and peaceful serenity

that descends sweetly upon you

their message is always

don't worry

things are working out

perfectly

you're going to like this

well can you see verse 2

this angel comes

and he brings a splintering

earthquake

he tosses the stone

to one side

and then when he comes

he rests on it

it's a lovely picture

isn't it

here's the symbol

of the closed door

of death

the security

of the sepulchre

and the only respect

he pays for it

is to sit on it

I'm going to wait

this afternoon

I've seen my two

older brothers

the one is 8 years

older than me

the other one is 12

years older than me

and we would have

fought

it was quite unfair

even when I was a

little boy

but how did you know

when the fight between

your siblings was over

think back

how did you know

that you'd lost

when your siblings

fought with you

it's very simple

isn't it

they sat on you

they sat on you

and can you see

that's what the angel

does

it's the only respect

he pays for death

he sits on it

it's a wonderful word

and I want you to see

what is mind-boggling

really

look at verse 2

there is an earthquake

there's an earth

trembling

and then can you see

in verse 4

the guards

the symbol of authority

they tremble

it's the same root word

there's an earthquake

in verse 2

and an earthquake

in verse 4

and they're having

their own earthquake

as they see the angel

and the angel

comes to announce

that Jesus is risen

and the rocks quake

and those whose job

it was

to keep Jesus

from rising

they quake

all they had to do

was keep a dead man

dead

and with all their power

and with all their skill

they couldn't do it

and instead

Matthew says

can you see it

verse 4

it's so brilliantly written

they become like

dead men

their world

is turned upside down

and so what is the message

of the resurrection

the living and the powerful ones

become like dead men

because the dead man

has been raised from the dead

the living and the powerful ones

become like dead men

because the dead man is alive

the resurrection

is about a complete reversal

in the values of our world

because what we think of

as

human power

as great human power

is ultimately

utterly powerless

death itself

so powerful

is now transformed into life

we don't have time to look at it

but verses 11 to 15

there's this remarkable contrast

between the joy

and the obedience of the women

and the way that the guards

reluctantly

go to the chief priests

and tell them what's happened

and the response of the priests

is to do whatever they can

to cover it up

and it's a wonderful little

vignette really

it tells us the resurrection

faces you

with a fundamental choice

either to be like the women

this morning

and fall at Jesus' feet

and worship him

or

you can pretend

for the rest of your life

that you are in control

and you've got the power

and one is the way of deception

and death

and the other is the way of life

the resurrection

turns everything

upside down

not only for the women

and for the guards

but thirdly

and most importantly

for Jesus himself

chapter 27

he is dead and buried

chapter 28

he is alive and kicking

and twice the angel says

that Jesus has been raised

the divine passive

the will of God

was not to leave him

in the grave

but Matthew wants

to take you far deeper

than that

so I want you to look

at verse 18

and I want you to see

how Jesus speaks

after he is raised

from the dead

Jesus says

in verse 18

Jesus came and said

that all authority

in heaven and on earth

has been given to me

it's been given to me

now I think it's

we're all so familiar

with that statement

it's very difficult

for you and I

to understand the scope

of what Jesus is saying

the word authority

is not just naked power

but it's the right to decide

it's the freedom to act

God's own authority

is now Jesus' authority

because God has given it

to him

and Jesus says

my authority is unrestricted

it is unqualified

it is unconditional

and it is an authority

which extends

from the farthest reaches

of outer space

to the smallest

subatomic particle

of matter

Jesus' authority

draws under its canopy

all men

and all women

who have ever lived

and Jesus' authority

does not diminish

over time

it doesn't weaken

with different circumstances

in our lives

do you see what he says

he says

all authority

in heaven and on earth

has been given to me

over angels

over archangels

over demons

over principalities

over might

and over thrones

over the natural world

and over the supernatural world

he now has

the ability

he now has

the freedom

and he now has

the right

and that is very

very important

for you and I

if we are followers

of the Lord Jesus Christ

because there is

no area

and there is

no people

and there is

no culture

and there is

no single being

in all of the universe

who lies

outside the authority

of Jesus Christ

Jesus could not

assert with any

more clarity

is absolute

faultless

consummate

sovereign

dominion

and rule

and command

over all things

there is

nowhere

there is

no one

who is outside

of Jesus' authority

you can shake

your fist today

you can say

I don't believe

you can say

I don't want to believe

it doesn't make

the blindest bit

of difference

and so here is

the man

standing before

his friends

who three or

four days

earlier

was crucified

was risen

from the dead

and he said

all authority

is mine

and I think

that's the key

point

in the whole

of the chapter

all authority

is mine

Jesus says

Jesus happily

receives their

worship

can you see that

verse 9

they worship

him

verse 17

they worship

him

Jesus accepts

that

he is

God

and Jesus

is conscious

that

in the resurrection

there is a new

beginning

there is a new

moment

and that new

moment is marked

by his universal

lordship

and if there's

any doubt

about that

he includes

himself

in the single

name of God

doesn't he

called the

father

son

and holy

spirit

it's name

of God

not names

and this is how

God will be

known from now

on

and so I think

when we come to

this point

we come to the

very heart

of the gospel

and so if you

haven't noticed

how the

Christians

in the book

of Acts

in the immediate

months and years

after the Lord

Jesus

how they preached

this is how they

preached

they said

you rejected

Jesus

as worthless

and irrelevant

but God

has raised

him from

the dead

and enthroned

him in heaven

where he is

Lord and

Christ

let me show you

that in a couple

of cases

because I think

it's so important

let me show you

in Acts chapter 2

Acts 2 · chapter mention

ok just click

over with me

to Acts chapter 2

Acts 2 · chapter mention

I'll do the page

and what I get

in Acts chapter 2

Acts 2 · chapter mention

and it's on page

910

Acts chapter 2

Acts 2 · chapter mention

page 910

and this is what

Peter is saying

Peter says

that the congregation

he says

man of Israel

hear this

Jesus of Nazareth

he was a man

attested to you

by God of mighty

works and wonders

and signs that God

did through him

in your midst

you know this

this Jesus

delivered up

according to the

definite plan

and foreknowledge

of God

you crucified

and you killed him

by the hands

of lawless man

God

raised him up

losing the pangs

of death

because it was not

possible of him

to be held by it

he speaks about

how

the resurrection

of Jesus

Jesus coming back

to life

it fulfills

all that had gone

before in the Bible

but you see

what he's saying

he's saying

Jesus was nothing

more than a common

criminal to you

but God's assessment

is very different

and the proof

is the resurrection

so verse 32

and verse 33

this Jesus

raised up

and of that

we are all witnesses

being therefore

exalted at the right

hand of God

and having received

from the Father

the promise of the

Holy Spirit

he has poured

out this

that you yourselves

are seeing

and hearing

and then he comes

to the conclusion

verse 36

let all the house

of Israel

know therefore

for certain

that God

has made him

both Lord

and Christ

this Jesus

whom you

crucified

it's a very

interesting sermon

he does not

say

he does not

say

let all the house

of Israel

know

that Jesus

Christ

is risen

from the dead

and you can

have eternal

life

and you can

get to heaven

and be happy

forever

and you can

get out of

going to hell

and the key

significance of

the resurrection

is that God

has made

Jesus

Lord

and Christ

and I would

say that

it's a very

different gospel

from maybe

sometimes the way

that I preach

the gospel

and certainly

different from

lots of the way

churches preach

the gospel

so the message

is often this

God loves you

very very

very much

and you are

very very

important

and God

wants the

very very

best for you

and that is

true

or you may

hear it

that Jesus

died

an atoning

death

for your

sins

please

come to

Jesus

again that's

true

but I want

you to see

this morning

that isn't

the way

that the

New Testament

preachers

the gospel

they said

to you

listen up

your view

of Jesus

is exactly

the opposite

of God's

and the

proof is

the resurrection

what you

think is

wrong

what you've

done

is wrong

the one

who you

crucified

this morning

now rules

heaven and

earth

we can pick

a half a dozen

other sermons

in that

let me just

pick one more

for you to show

you

Acts chapter 4

Acts 4:2

verse 2

the priests

are desperately

annoyed

because

verse 2

they were

greatly annoyed

they were mad

because they were

teaching the people

and proclaiming

in Jesus

the resurrection

from the dead

now you go down

to the sermon

in verse 8

and he says

this Peter

filled with the

Holy Spirit

said to them

rulers of the

people and

elders

if we are

being examined

today

concerning a

good deed

we've done

to a cripple

by what means

does this man

be healed

let it be

known to all

of you

and to all

the people

of Israel

that by the

name of

Jesus Christ

of Nazareth

whom you

crucified

you see

that again

it's so

direct

you crucify

him

whom God

has raised

from the

dead

by him

this man

is standing

before you

well

the goodly

end of

verse 11

this

this Jesus

is the stone

who is

rejected by

you

the builders

which has

become the

cornerstone

and there is

salvation in

no one else

for there is

no other name

under heaven

given among

men by which

we must be

saved

so he says

to you this

morning

if you've

rejected Jesus

you've missed

everything

Jesus Christ

is God's

key to

absolutely

everything

and the

proof of

that is

the resurrection

and so

Matthew 28

the point

is this

the resurrection

is a great

reversal

and it's not

just that Jesus

is alive

and stronger

than death

though that is

true wonderful

and we praise

God for that

the key significance

in Matthew 28

is that Jesus

has been given

all authority

on earth to him

he is now

Lord and Christ

and that is the

great reversal

for Jesus

so the reversal

for women

the guards

and Jesus

and then finally

the great reversal

for the disciples

do you remember

where you left

them at the cross

they are scattered

aren't they

and they fled

with their tails

between their legs

Peter has denied

him

Judas has betrayed

him

and the rest of

them are in

hiding

and they gather

again to the

mountain of

Galilee

and the point

of verse 16

to 20

of Matthew 28

is that Jesus

wants to spell

out to his

disciples

to his church

what is the

meaning of the

resurrection

and here is the

message of the

resurrection

if you are a

follower of Jesus

it is not just

life after death

it is not just

our resurrection

but in Matthew's

gospel

the point of the

resurrection

is that Jesus

transforms

transfers

his mission

to his church

that Jesus

mission

becomes

our

mission

as his

people

and that is

why there is

such an emphasis

on Galilee

in this chapter

it was in Galilee

where Jesus

first launched

his mission

and that is

where he is

going to launch

the next stage

of his ministry

when his

disciples

his people

his church

will be the

main players

and so Jesus

continues

to rescue

people

but in a

different way

he says

all authority

in heaven

and on earth

has been

given to me

so when you

hear those words

all authority

in heaven

and on earth

has been

given to me

the big question

is what are

you going to

do with it

and the answer

is he doesn't

say what he's

going to do

with it at all

does he

look at verse

18

all authority

has been

given to me

therefore

you go

and make

disciples

and the

results

and the

consequence

of Jesus

authority

is spelled

out by

what his

church

does on

earth

and you

will know

in verses

19 to

20

that there

are four

commands

in English

there's

go

make

disciples

baptise

teach

but in

the Greek

only one

of them

is a

command

it's

the

command

to

make

disciples

and the

other

three

the going

the baptising

the teaching

they are

all to

serve

the purpose

of making

disciples

and Jesus

complete

authority

over heaven

and earth

is exercised

through his

church

as they

make

disciples

and you

want to

see Jesus

in action

you want

to see

what Jesus

authority

looks like

you see it

most closely

when his

church

make

disciples

the whole

idea of

making

disciples

is not a

bright idea

cooked up by

the navigators

in the

70s

it comes

directly

from

who

Jesus

is

the word

disciple

is a

precious

word

isn't it

what does

the word

disciple

mean

it's

really

really

simple

a

disciple

means

primarily

a

learner

and when

you become

a Jesus

you become

a lifelong

learner

and you

never reach

a stage

when you've

arrived

you never

reach a

stage

as a

Christian

where you've

got nothing

to learn

following

Jesus

ought to

make you

more

curious

as a

human

being

and the

second

part of

Jesus

being a

disciple

first of

all

it's

being a

learner

and then

secondly

it's

being a

follower

and that

describes

our

personal

attachment

to the

Lord

Jesus

we're not

learning for

the sake

of learning

and the

life of a

disciple

is to be

different

from every

kind of

life

because

our

allegiance

is to

Jesus

that we

love him

and we

want to

know him

and his

ways

it's not

primarily an

intellectual

assignment

opening

up our

kind of

minds

but it

is opening

up of

every

area of

life

as he

hope

opens up

his life

to us

and

Jesus

does not

command us

to be

disciples

but to

make

disciples

of all

nations

and that's

terribly

important

there's

lots of

confusion

about what

the role

of the

church

is and

what the

work

of the

church

is

what is

our

central

purpose

our

central

purpose

is

as

disciple

of

Christ

is to

make

disciples

of the

nations

it's

to do

this

it's

to call

on you

if you

are not

a follower

and a

learner of

the Lord

Jesus

Christ

it is

to call

on you

to change

your

allegiance

today

to call

on him

and to

recognise

that the

one that

you thought

was irrelevant

to your

life

is Lord

and Christ

he is

boss

and it's

to call

on you

to recognise

that Jesus

Christ

whom you

thought

well

it's nice

to go to

church

on Easter

Sunday

morning

and maybe

learn about

him

he is

the one

who has

all

authority

in heaven

on earth

Jesus

doesn't spell

out for his

church how

we are to

do that

but he does

tell us

three things

that it

will involve

going

and so

for us

as a church

if we are

going to

follow this

mandate

of Jesus

we are

going to

constantly

have to be

stirring

ourselves

up from

our comfort

zone

and it

will be

a bother

to us

as a church

family

and if we

make it a

priority in our

lives to see

people make

disciples it

will mean

that we

will have

to give

ourselves

secondly it

will mean

baptising

which is the

way people

come to

identify with

the local

body of

Christ

how they

enter the

church

you cannot

be a

disciple of

Jesus Christ

outside the

church

it's absolute

madness to

think you can

do that

in fact it's

impossible to

do that

and Jesus

is very

clearly saying

here that

discipleship is

a church

activity

and you

are not a

disciple unless

you are bound

up with other

disciples

and thirdly it

will involve

teaching you to

observe all

that I

commanded you

and so it's

not the aim

that you'll be

kind of a

master of

biblical theology

but that our

lives will be

recognisably

different by who

we follow and

what we know

as a

comprehensiveness

is in all

things we

have to teach

and the key

to those all

things all

those things

are to lead

to that main

mission that

Jesus left

for us of

making disciples

of the

nations

and the book

finishes with

this enormous

encouragement

isn't it

an enormous

encouragement from

the risen Jesus

whom belongs

all authority

that when we

go along with

his mission

he says I

will be with

you till the

end of the

age

gospel of

Matthew

so beautifully

written it

begins with

Emmanuel

God with

us

and it

finishes with

the risen

Christ saying

I am with

you to the

end of the

age

and Jesus

is not saying

I'm about to

head up my

way to heaven

leaving you

to do all

the work

Jesus says

to us as a

church family

I am deeply

invested

I am promising

my personal

companionship

with you

every day

so it

doesn't matter

what circumstances

you are in

as a disciple

of Jesus

it doesn't

matter whether

you feel it

or not

he is with

you

and his

presence is

not intermittent

in success

or in failure

in joy

or in sorrow

in youth

or in old

age

he will never

leave the

disciple of

Christ

alone

and so

in conclusion

the question

for us

as a church

is how

are we

on board

with his

mission

because the

resurrection

of Jesus

Christ

changes

everything

and if you

are somebody

who has

stumbled in

here this

morning

as a

visitor

we want

to say

you are

very

very

welcome

but have

you realised

as we

have to

realise

that it

was my

sin

I

crucified

Jesus

Christ

I

thought

he was

irrelevant

I

thought

he didn't

matter

I

thought

he was

a footnote

in history

but God

has

raised him

from the

dead

and he

is Lord

and Christ

and so

bend your

stubborn

knee

and bow

before him

because Jesus

Christ has

all authority

in heaven

and on earth

and one

day you

will meet

him

and one

day I

will meet

him

and on

that day

his authority

will be

clearly seen

and on

that day

you may

bow your

knee then

but it

will be

too late

and so

the message

of resurrection

Sunday is

praise the

Lord

he is risen

he is risen

indeed

but make

sure you

submit to

him

and make

sure you

bow before

him

and if you

do so he

will never

leave you

and he

will never

forsake you

let's pray

Thank you.