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e e e e e good evening everyone welcome back to free Grace Baptist Church or a fresh welcome if you're new with us this evening can turn in your Bibles with me for a call to worship a continuation of Psalm 147 Psalm 147 we read verses 1 to 11 this morning we'll read from verse 12 through verse 20 this evening Psalm 147 beginning at verse one the word of God praise the Lord for it uh that's verse one verse 12 praise the Lord O Jerusalem praise your God o Zion for he has strengthened the bars of your Gates he has blessed your children within you he makes peace in your borders and fills you with the finest wheat he sends out his command to the Earth his word runs very swiftly he gives snow like wool he scatters the frost like ashes he casts out his hail like morsels who who can stand before his cold he sends out his word and melts them he causes his wind to blow and the waters flow he declares his word to Jacob his statutes and his judgments to Israel he has not dealt thus with any nation and as for his judgments they have not known them praise the Lord amen well let's stand together and sing our first hymn tonight will be hymn 222 222 let's stand and sing together [Music] our for years to Shelter From the storing glass and our etal the of your throne your Sal is your and for the for Earth rece PR from everting you angel in your s are [Music] might with all their Liv and holy stre there my your go [Music] Christ for TR [Music] etal let's go to our God In Prayer let us pray Heavenly Father we Rejoice once again that we can gather together this second time on your Lord's day for the worship of our great God we would ask once again that you would help us by your spirit to hallow your name we pray that we would help uh have help from on high to worship you in spirit and in truth do uh help our minds to be focused in worship help us to rejoice in you uh help us to find all our hope and all our joy in our great God and we thank you for the Gospel of Jesus Christ Our Savior we thank you for what we heard of this morning and uh the preaching with regards to the empty tomb the glory uh of the resurrection and a and a Salvation secured by the Lord Jesus Christ and we do thank you for that blessing salvation for the Perfection of the Life of Christ for his perfect death upon calvary's cross and for that glorious resurrection and the subsequent Ascension and the fact that he now lives to intercede for his people to uh to give strength and Aid to his people here and we pray once again for that tonight that we here gathered in worship would have the aid from on high to to rightly worship we pray that you'd be with any and all Lord God unable to join us or those who are traveling those who are afflicted by illness by sickness by by injury we do pray that you'd be with each and every one of these do help them in in body strengthen them and give them healing and give them strength we pray also Lord for those struggling spiritually that you would tend to their souls tend uh to their Spirits lift them up and uh and cause them to return to the joy of their salvation we do just pray that you would uh strengthen each and every one that is uh currently in those those spiritual rains and storms and we do pray that that you would bring uh clear skies to their souls and we thank Lord God of the the the the reality of sin uh not only here uh amongst us but in the outside world even in our own Hearts we pray Lord God with regards to those of us here that you attend to us help us to uh find and and know forgiveness in Jesus Christ we pray that in our Christian walks that you would help us by your spirit to be Sanctified help us to grow in the gra in the knowledge of Jesus Christ help us to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of grace and we do pray Lord God for uh for those outside of Christ throughout the world that you would bring uh many a soul that you would bring bring many an ear to the preaching of the Gospel uh that you would bring the the good news of Jesus Christ those blessed Tidings of salvation by grace alone that you would bring that message to many throughout the world and uh that by your grace and For Your Glory many would come from Darkness to light to believe on Jesus Christ and to find all of their goodness spiritual goodness in him we do pray Lord that you would once again be with the persecuted church as we prayed for them this morning we pray for them again this evening that you would be near to our brothers and sisters uh in these nations where there is such violence and such persecution against the Church of Christ we ask that you would be with them and uh give them Aid give them strength give them comfort in the midst of uh of such things that we know nothing of we pray that they would remain steadfast in uh in their confession of faith and that they would uh in the midst of these things lean upon you their great God and uh be looking with eyes of faith upon the resurrected and ascended Christ and find much strength and comfort in him we do pray once again for those who rule over us as we uh are are grieved uh much and often by the situation with those uh who do govern we pray that you would cause those who rule over the Nations to uh to rule Injustice those who who uh profer wickedness or those who are are seeking to uphold wickedness in the lands and calling Vice virtue and virtue Vice we pray that you would cast them down and raise up those who would rule in Justice we do pray Lord God uh rejoicing in the fact that we can gather within these four walls in in Freedom and in Liberty to gather for worship we thank you that we can have full Bibles in our hands we pray that you would cause us to reflect with great joy upon these things not taking them for granted but rejoicing that we can now so gather and we we pray for pastor Butler as he comes up here to preach your word once again this uh second time on this year Lord's day give him strength again in the Pulpit uh help him to uh proclaim the uh the rest of this passage in Matthew 28 with uh great conviction with great courage resting joyfully upon you as the one who gives Aid to ministers in the Pulpit to to preach well the things of your revelation to us and we pray that you would continue with us in worship help us uh uh ever and always as we do worship not to be carried off by uh by by tempting thoughts of of other things but that we would be wholly captivated by the worship of the Triune God and that as we sing and pray and read and as uh we engage in the preaching of the word that you would receive all honor and praise we pray in the name of Jesus Christ Our Savior amen uh another hymn then let's stand again as a church singing to God and to one another hymn 429 let's stand and sing 429 bless to my heart to sing my prise of [Music] Mercy [Music] a stranger of to Reser my [Music] I heart for and turn in your Bibles with me to Deuteronomy 27 Deuteronomy chapter 27 we'll read all of that passage as we continue to read consecutively through the Old Testament Deuteronomy 27 beginning at verse one once again the word of God now Moses with the Elders of Israel commanded the people saying keep all the Commandments which I command you today and it shall be on the day when you cross over the Jordan to the land land which the Lord your God is giv you that you shall set up for yourselves large stones and whitewash them whitewash them with lime you shall write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over that you may enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you a land flowing with milk and honey just as the Lord God of your fathers promised you therefore it shall be when you have crossed over the Jordan then that on Mount ebal you shall set up these Stones which I command you today and you shall whitewash them with lime and there you shall build an altar to the Lord your God an altar of stones you shall not use an iron tool on them you shall build with Hol Stones the altar of the Lord your God and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God you shall offer peace offerings and shall eat there and rejoice there uh before the Lord your God and you shall write very plainly on the stones all the words of this law then Moses and the priests the Levites spoke to all Israel saying take heed and listen oh Israel this day you have become the people of the Lord your God therefore you shall obey the voice of the Lord your God and observe his Commandments and his statutes which I command you today and Moses commanded the people on the same day saying these shall stand on Mount jerim to bless the people when you have crossed over the Jordan Simeon Levi Judah issachar Joseph and Benjamin and the shall stand on Mount ebal to curse Reuben Gad Asher zebulun Dan and napali and the Levites shall speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Israel cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image an Abomination to the Lord the work of the hands of the Craftsman and sets it up in secret and all the people shall answer and say Amen cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt and all the people shall say Amen cursed is the one who moves his neighbor's landmark and all the people shall say Amen cursed is the one who makes the blind to wander off the road and all the people shall say Amen cursed is the one who perverts the Justice do the stranger the fatherless and Widow and all the people shall say Amen cursed is the one who lies with his father's wife because he has UNC covered his father's bed and all the people shall say Amen cursed is the one who lies with any kind of animal and all the people shall say Amen cursed is the one who lies with his sister the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother and all the people shall say Amen cursed is the one who lies with his mother-in-law and all the people shall say Amen cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor secretly and all the people shall Say Amen amen cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person and all the people shall say Amen cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them and all the people shall say amen amen well let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for this once again the reading of your scriptures uh we Rejoice that you have revealed yourself to the sons of men and that we can read uh these words God breathed in and infallible to us and uh we see this this condemnation this cursing that all who all who seek to live must obey all the words of the law and we know that uh that that that cursing and condemnation comes because of sin in light of the the fact that man is found dead in Adam and condemned before God with the wrath of God abiding on us for the violation of such law but we Rejoice Lord God that there was one who did obey fully there was one who did obey completely uh perpetually personally and uh always obeyed the things that you have commanded that one the Lord Jesus Christ who came into this world uh assuming our flesh in order that he might perfect the law in order that he might die upon calvary's cross as the curse of the law for his people we thank you that he rose again the third day and might we continue to Rejoice uh in the resurrection as we hear the preaching this evening once again prepare our minds uh steal our minds that we might be able to focus with uh with joy-filled uh Christian Hearts upon the preaching of the word rejoicing in Father Son and Holy Spirit and we pray in the name of Jesus Christ Our Savior amen our final hymn before the preaching then we can stand together at Psalm 122a psalm 122a us to the house of God the Lord oh Jerusalem Jerusalem we are standing in your we are standing in [Music] your all the Lord [Music] price pray for the of Pros for those love you be your walls forever sa in your to in jerus the S of my for my brothers I will for the temple for the Lord house for the Lord [Music] you can turn with me to Matthew chapter 28 as we finish out our study on the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ this morning we considered the empty tomb and the Risen Lord in verses 1 to 10 tonight we'll consider the two responses to the Resurrection The unbelievers who rejected it and lie about it and the Believers who embraced it and lived in light of it so I'll read the chapter and then as I said our Focus will be verses 11 to 20 so beginning in Matthew 28 at verse 1 now after the Sabbath as the first day of the week began to Dawn Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb and behold there was a great earthquake for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the Stone from the door and sat on it his countenance was like lightning and his clothing as white as snow and the guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men but the angel answered and said to the women do not be afraid for I know that you seek Jesus who is crucified he is not here for He Is Risen as he said come see the place where the Lord lay and go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead and indeed he is going before you into Galilee there you will see him behold I have told you so they went out quickly from the tomb with fear in great joy and ran to bring his disciples word and as they went to tell his disciples behold Jesus met them saying Rejoice so they came and held him by the feet and worshiped him then Jesus said said to themo not be afraid go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee and there they will see me now while they were going behold some of the Guard came into the City and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers saying tell them his disciples came at night and stole him away while we slept and if this comes to the governor's ears we will appease him and and make you secure so they took the money and did as they were instructed and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day then the 11 disciples went away into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them when they saw him they worshiped him but some doubted and Jesus came and spoke to them saying all authority has been given to me in heaven and on Earth go therefore and Make Disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo I Am With You Always even to the End of the Age amen well let us pray our gracious God and Holy Father we thank you the that the tomb is empty that our Christ is risen that he sits in throned at your right hand and we give praise to you for so great a Salvation we ask now that you would send forth your Holy Spirit you would guide us as we consider this passage of scripture we would see the lies and the fraud that was that was implemented by these unbelievers at the time of the resurrection and may we receive with Thanksgiving with refreshed energy and vigor this Great Commission given by our Lord to his church we pray for the proclamation of your truth throughout this world we pray that that word would run swiftly and be glorified we pray that many would come out of Darkness into Marvelous Light confessing saving faith in Jesus Christ Our Lord and God if there are are those tonight who are dead in their trespasses and sins with us we pray that you would awaken them we pray that they would hear of Christ that he's all together lovely and chief among 10,000 and may you draw them with chords of love effectually to the Savior King forgive us now for all of our sin and unrighteousness and cleanse Us in the Precious Blood of the lamb and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well as I said this particular section of the chapter deals with the response to the resurrection what do we do in light of a lord who has come who's assumed our Humanity who has lived for us who has died for us and has been raised again for us well with reference to his enemies we see the lie that they propagate but with reference to his Believers with reference to his friends we see the commission given to them so this Mo uh this evening I want to look first at the denial of the Resurrection in verses 11 to 15 it's sort of a an anti-gr commission but then secondly the meeting in Galilee in verses 16- 17 and then finally the Great Commission in verses 18 to 20 note first with reference to the denial of the Resurrection two things here the explanation of the soldiers and then the creation of this false narrative note the explanation of the soldiers in verse 11 we have first The Obedience of the women so the narrative picks up where it left off in verse 10 so Jesus tells the women the two marries do not be afraid go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee and there they will see me so verse 11 now now while they were going so we've got the one class of persons that are doing as Christ has bidden them but then we have these soldiers they are going to make another report to the chief priests and the elders so we see with reference to this that the opening Clause invites the reader to compare two groups hurrying away from the tomb with message to deliver it's RT France so the narrative picks up at that particular point and then notice what it says in terms of their report in verse 11b they reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened and we looked at those things this morning in the previous section of the chapter you can turn back notice in verse two behold there was a great earthquake for an angel of the Lord descended from Heaven this wasn't a natural earthquake it was Supernatural it wasn't simply a phenomena that occurred in that part of the world in that particular season but the fact that we have this explanation in the middle of the verse for an angel of the Lord descended from Heaven underscores the fact that this this earthquake was not like other earthquakes the Lord Jesus at the time of the crucifixion there was an earthquake at the time of the Resurrection there is an earthquake and so this is supernatural phenomena as well this Angel of the Lord descended from Heaven he comes and rolls back the Stone from the door and sat on it remember he's not rolling back the stone so that Jesus can exit from the tomb Jesus had already exited from the tomb what the angel is doing is inviting the women to see for themselves the vacancy in the Tomb notice in verse three his countenance was like lightning and his clothing as white as snow and the guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men so going back to our verse in 11b they reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened the earthquake The Descent and presence of an Angel the rolled back Stone and the empty tomb notice how quick the chief priests are to dismiss this how quick the chief priests are to not pay any attention to this how quick they are to concoct their particular lie and fraud to try to cover this up up they should have pondered what these soldiers were saying they should have pondered the reality involved in this particular situation they show themselves frauds remember back in chapter 27 specifically in verse 42 he saved others himself he cannot save if he is the king of Israel let him come down from the cross and we will believe him now there's an empty tomb demonstrating the reality that he was in fact God's Messiah and yet in light of this overwhelming evidence or at least this report from these soldiers wherein they should have contemplated or considered this they're ready to dismiss it they're ready to get rid of it they're ready to concoct this particular plan to try and cover it up so notice then the creation of the false narrative in verses 12 to 14 now this section is unique to Matthew's gospel as is chapter 27 you can turn there verses 62 to 66 I'll read that chap 27: 62-66 on the next day which followed the day of preparation the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to pilate saying sir we remember while he was still alive how that deceiver said after 3 days I will rise talk about poisoning the well that deceiver no possibility or potentiality that he was in fact God's son that he was in fact the Messiah sent by the Lord to save his people from their sins they're already against him they've already orchestrated the crucifixion they've already engaged in great wretchedness in terms of their treatment or mistreatment of the son of man so they say sir we remember while he was still alive how that deceiver said after 3 days I will rise therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say to the people he has risen from the dead so the last deception will be worse than the first pilate said to them you have a guard go your way make it as secure as you know how so they went and made the tomb secure sealing the stone and setting the guard so these two accounts are only included in Matthew's gospel because Matthew's primary audience is the Jews and he writes to the Jews and he indicates this because it was a particularly Jewish issue notice in verse 15 of chapter 28 so they took the money and did as they were instructed and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day they fabricated the story and encouraged its propagation among the Jews so Matthew indicates that for us there in chapter 27 in terms of their particular plan and here in chapter 28 the execution of that particular plan the irony of the situation is palpable notice the very thing they allegedly fear is what they undertake to promote this deception look back again in 2765 4 therefore command that the tomb be may be made secure until the third day lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say to the people he has risen from the dead the so the last deception will be worse than the first that was the predicate for them getting the guard from Pilot to secure the tomb and now this is exactly the story they're concocting to try and explain the empty tomb as well we need to appreciate the reality that this shows the accuracy of Christ's words in Luke 16:31 he says if they do not hear Moses and the prophets neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead and it is intriguing the assembling together of these various groups in their opposition to and antagonism of the Lord's Messiah it is certainly reminiscent of Psalm 2 it is reminiscent of the Rage of the peoples the nations in Mutiny against God and against his Christ again notice in verse 12 when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together so that's the particular situation now notice the plot they decide to bribe the soldiers we just read or Cam just read cursed as one who receives a bride so we can curse these soldiers for having received the bride but it's ultimately the chief priests and the elders the Sanhedrin of Israel that paid the bribe that come off looking a whole lot worse than these Soldiers the bribe is a is reminiscent of the religious leaders paying Judas to betray Jesus in fact Spurgeon says for money Christ was betrayed and for money the truth about his resurrection was kept back as far as it could be as well this bribe demonstrated the absolute hatred on the part of the chief priests and Elders for our Lord Jesus Christ Christ again they hear of the phenomena according to verse 11 and then in verse 12 when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers what was that large sum of money I don't know but Matthew says it was in fact a large sum of money as well the payoff for the bribe de demonstrated their hatred for the truth see genuine people don't fear truth people that are consistent with their life and being don't try to suppress truth and these men that were the religious leaders of Israel of all persons should have been concerned about the truth and yet they despise the truth they despise the Christ and as a result they pay a great sum of money to these soldiers to concoct a particular lie as well this bribe shows how far they have sunk in terms of their hatred for the son of God Matthew Henry makes this side note in this observation let us never starve a good cause when we see a bad ones so liberally supported if these Chief priests and Elders are going to dig deep into their own coffers and pay these soldiers off to promote deception and a lie Matthew Henry says we ought not to starve a good cause we ought to be there to finance it we ought that ought to be there to propagate it then notice in terms of the narrative verse 13 saying so here's the money they pay off the soldiers this is what you're supposed to report back to pilate refer uh relative to this empty tomb so verse 13 tell them his disciples came at night and stole him away while we slept now on the face of it this has got to be one of the most ridiculous things ever concocted to try to explain away the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead just a couple of observations if their fear is of the disciples having stolen the body of our Lord Jesus Christ consider that they had already abandoned him according to chapter 26 and verse 56 remember they forsook the Lord after the resurrection according to John 20: 19 they are Hol Up in a house for fear of the Jews there is that fear there is that trepidation they've already demonstrated an ability to forsake the Lord Jesus Christ so would these men under the cover of Darkness risk detection by Roman soldiers who had been all too familiar with war and tumult would they be able to roll away go into the very tomb take the clothes fold them lie them at lay them in a neat pile take the body out and dispose of it this is Absolut Ely ludicrous to suggest and yet this is the kind of thing they pay the soldiers to concoct or they pay the soldiers to try to say uh uh uh tell but then notice as well with reference to the soldiers look at verse 13 these soldiers not only look like you know morons but they're derelict in their Duty they take a bribe and then they admit to a capital offense for anybody that's ever served in the military when you're on post you're not supposed to fall asleep that's called dereliction of Duty if it's time uh a time of War they can summarily execute you right on the spot this is a big no no it's not like you know maybe a job where you can steal away for a few minutes and catch a bit of shot eye you're not supposed to do that as a soldier standing guard so notice what they say when they pay the soldiers to concoct the story tell them his disciples came at night and stole him away while we slept again several problems lie on the face of this particular story first they were all asleep at the same time and had they been asleep they wouldn't have heard the disciples kind of penetrate their their cordon and get to the stone and most likely have to use some sort of a lever to roll the stone away as well the evidentiary value of a witness who was admittedly asleep at the scene of the crime is all in void why would we listen to somebody who says I swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God okay sir what was your disposition well I was asleep what other questions can we possibly ask he was asleep how would he know what happened at that particular scene if you don't look at this and see the incredulity or rather the the the the absolute ludicrousness of this this is not serious on the part of these men they are fumbling to try to cover up what is obvious and if they did know that it was the disciples why didn't they pursue the disciples capture them and bring them to pilate for further disposition so this is their story a bad one at that and then notice they promise in verse 14 and if this comes to the governor's ears this is Pontius Pilate we will appease him and make you secure again problems here when pilate found out about the situation wouldn't these religious leaders want the soldiers to be punished wouldn't the religious leaders want them to receive their day in court if they had fumbled the ball so miserably and allowed the disciples to penetrate their cordon and and take the the the the dead body of Jesus out of the Tomb wouldn't they be right there cheering if I was pilate I would notice that discrepancy hey on the one hand you wanted a guard to make sure that the disciples didn't steal the body of Jesus on the other hand they fell asleep they were derelict in their Duty the body of Jesus was stolen by his disciples and now you don't care that they don't get prosecuted so again on the surface it is is an absolutely ludicrous story as well the religious leaders would appease or conciliate Pontius Pilate what do you think that means it probably means they would bribe him it probably means they would dig deep back into those coffers with the money that they had paid the soldiers they would find some more money most likely from the the hapless rubs that wandered into the temple and gave at the time that these wretched reprobates were over they would take that money and grease Pilot's Palm so that pilate would not go after these particular soldiers and then the religious leaders should it get to that would ensure the safety of the soldiers in a criminal hearing Brethren this illustrates something at least by an indirect approach of something with reference to the Jewish Rel uh religious leaders uh uh uh uh friendship and and comraderie with the Roman government against the very people of God themselves this is not a good situation that we find In this passage of scripture when religious leaders can pay off a governor to to cover a capital crime to cover up something that that makes them look bad remember when we go through these gospel records we're not dealing with a few Wayward guys they're not really sure about Jesus these are the men that led the crowds with the Anthem away with him away with him crucify him now that the tomb is empty they're doing everything they can in their power to try to cover it up they are deceptive they are fraudulent they are liars they are wretched human beings that have an axe to grind against Yahweh and against his Christ and then notice the compliance of the soldiers in verse 15 so they took the money and did as they were instructed toes for the Sanhedrin they'll take the money they'll go out they'll propagate the LIE even possibly costing them their own lives yeah we we fell asleep on our on our watch they propagate this but then notice and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day now why do you think that was why do you think such a lie that so obviously faults from the very surface managed to to gain traction among the Jews who would believe this why would they believe this what possibility would there be in a human being to receive this sort of a testimony well first the scientific impossibility of Resurrection we've already got a pred elction against the thought that somebody's raised from the dead right so this plays into it as well the refusal on their part to believe that God would raise One Like Jesus from the dead they had a particular hate for Jesus they had a particular despising for Jesus as well the willful suppression of the facts for the fear of the consequences they had rejected the the one whom God had sent they are basically engaged in a gamble here and they're putting all their money on their horse and their horse is the wrong one their horse is the fraudulent one their horse is the fake but as well why was this reported among the Jews until this day why did it gain traction God's judgment did you hear what cam just read in Deuteronomy CH 27 continuing into Deuteronomy chapter 28 you have an extensive comprehensive list of curses for the Covenant people God bought them he took them out of the land of Egypt he brought them into the land of promise and he gave them his law and he said with reference to his law if you do what you're supposed to do in the land then you will reap blessings and good things but if you go into the land and you live like the Canaanites then you're going to reap curses bad things are going to come upon you so this is the Judgment of God that persons would believe the lie that the soldiers fell asleep and that the disciples managed to penetrate their cord on manag to get to the stone manag to roll the stone away manage to get the body of Jesus out after having folded the clothes and put them on the bench and then take the body away and dispose of it never to be found all at the risk of their own lives all at the risk of their own uh uh status as as Citizens and as as persons in the body politic and as well after they themselves had forsaken Jesus after they had deserted Jesus after they had hidden from the Jews after the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead so why did they do it because they were under the judgment and the curse and the Wrath and fury of God most High Gil says to which judicial blindness and Hardness of Heart were they given up as to believe a lie which had no appearance of Truth in it and this lie the propagation of it still uh uh commonly reported among the Jews until this day it continued into at least the middle of the 2 Century Justin's dialogue with Trio speaks concerning this particular lie he lived in ad 110 to 165 I doubt that you would find Jews today that would sign off on this particular lie or this fraud but it certainly continued after the time of the resurrection and again indicative of the fact that God's judgment was upon these Covenant breaking wretches so that's the sort of anti- Great Commission that's the denial of the Resurrection look quickly with me at verses 16 and 17 we have this arrival at Galilee in verse 16 then the 11 disciples went away into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them when they saw him they worshiped him but some doubted again the significance of Galilee Galilee of the Gentiles Jesus is going to dispatch his Apostles from here so that they may indeed take the gospel to all the nations not just to the Jews not just to that one local body politic but to Every Nation every tribe every every people every Kindred so then we see this worship but then notice that Matthew tells us but some doubt it I mentioned that this morning Brethren if you are fabricating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ you wouldn't put that persons doubt it think think back to the Old Testament let's say that there is no inspiration of the holy spirit that you're setting out to write a story of Israel and and David happens to be one of your Heroes when you get to 2 Samuel 11:1 12 there will be a great Temptation for you not to record David's adultery and murder your your hero did horrible things I've always thought that's one good sign of the divine inspiration of the scripture because that author put in the fact that his hero engaged in adultery and murder well the same thing here if I'm fabricating a a a a narrative if I'm falsifying a record I'm not going to put that people doubted I'm going to put that everybody was on board everybody was a yay and amen everybody F fell right into line I'm not going to put the testimony of women because in the first century the testimony of women didn't matter so if I was going to construct this narrative I wouldn't have had women at the crucifixion or at the burial or at the resurrection action I would have had a couple of Faithful Men well sisters forgive me I'm not trying to offend anybody here but if you're fabricating a story you do it in such a way that you smooth out the narrative whereas the four gospel records even when you compare them they can all be harmonized but there's a couple of melon scratchers in there why is that because they didn't harmonize it for you they didn't smooth it all out for you they reported the facts as they saw them by inspiration of the spirit and they gave us what they knew and so in that we find that even a Matthew isn't afraid to tell us some doubted the verb means doubt but it also means hesitate it may have the idea that they weren't quite sure what to make of this particular scenario remember back in verse 9 and as the women went to tell his disciples behold Jesus met them saying Rejoice so they came and held him by the feet and worshiped him same sort of a thing how do you process this you've seen your lord your master your friend the one you spent three years with you've seen him brutally crucified you've seen him dead you've seen him buried and now you see him Arisen from the grave so there is that hesitation on their part there is this this doubt on their part could as well be distance because Jesus comes to them according to verse 18 to which we now turn so after this meeting in Galilee we then come to the Great Commission and there's two things that I want to look at here we won't spend a lot of time here I know we've looked at this passage in in in many other places and usually uh connected to baptism but two things here notice first The Authority behind the commission Jesus came and spoke to them saying that's Mercy right remember these are the disciples who had forsaken him please please don't forget those sorts of things if if it were me again I probably reveal too much about me here but I would not be so forthright in terms of Mercy I might be tempted just maybe to say why' you guys desert me why didn't you believe my consistent testimony that these things were going to happen why didn't you believe the Old Testament prophecy why didn't you believe psalm 16 why didn't you believe Psalm 22 why didn't you believe Isaiah 53 why didn't you believe all those passages that foretold the death and resurrection of the Messiah but Jesus doesn't do that Jesus is gracious Jesus is merciful Jesus is kind Jesus is good so Jesus comes and he speaks to them in his mercy and then he underscores The Authority behind the Great Commission he says all authority has been given to me in heaven and on Earth as Gil says which is to be understood of him not as God who has the same original and underived power and authority over all creatures and things in Heaven and Earth as the father has but as mediator to whom all things are delivered by the father you can turn to the book of Colossians the book of Colossians where you see a similar emphasis in terms of jesus' absolute power and authority as the mediator of the New Covenant uh Colossians CH 1 verse 15 he is the image of the invisible God the firstborn over all creation for by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth visible and invisible whether Thrones or dominions or principalities or Powers all things were created through him and for him and he is before all things and in him all things consist and he is the head of the body the church who is the beginning the first firstborn from the dead that in all things he may have the preeminence so specifically we find that as mediator as head of the body he is given by the father all authority to oversee to rule this Messianic Kingdom verse 19 indicates that for it pleased the father that in him all the fullness should dwell I don't think that means Divinity 29 teaches the Divinity but I think it means here every Grace Every Blessing every resource that needy Sinners will require are to be found in our Lord Jesus Christ the father equipped him thus turn back to Philippians chapter 2 notice after highlighting the death of our blessed savior verse 9 says therefore God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those in heaven and of those on Earth and of those under the Earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father it's not as God it's as the God man the mediator our Lord Jesus Christ and then Ephesians chapter 1 a similar emphasis in verses 20 to 23 which God worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the Heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come and he put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the church which is his body the fullness of him who fills all in all one other passage you can turn to Revelation 1 Revelation chapter 1 notice John's greetings to the CH seven churches of Asia Minor so 1 14 John to the seven churches which are in Asia grace to you and peace and then he gives this Triune blessing he speaks of the Father the spirit and the son grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come it's a reference to the father and from the seven spirits who are before his throne that doesn't mean there are seven Holy Spirits seven is the number of perfection speaking of that one holy spirit that is perfect and glorious that is uh consubstantial with the father and the son and then he speaks of Jesus Christ and he uses the three-fold office of Jesus Christ to highlight his glory notice verse 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness that's the prophetic Ministry the firstborn from the dead that's the Priestly office and then notice the ruler over the kings of the earth he has all authority in heaven and on Earth and in this particular place in the Book of Revelation this is going to speak great comfort to a people that are battered around in this present evil age you see through the churches in Asia Minor in chapters 2 and three not everything is Rosy not everything is wonderful not everything is glorious the opposition against God's people only increased you see it at the resurrection this denial or narrative created by the Jews what do you think they thought of people that would leave jewry back in or or and go into Christianity there was all kinds of pressure and all kinds of persecution that's the backdrop for the book of Hebrews so in a passage or rather a book that's going to deal with the afflictions that the people of God suffer on Earth guess what John reminds them of that Jesus is the ruler over the kings of the earth I mentioned that was it one more look at Revelation 19 Revelation chapter 19 just verse 16 and he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written king of kings and uh king of kings and Lord of lords so going back to Matthew chapter 28 when it comes to the Great Commission and we'll look at this following section in just a moment we need to realize that the task is the Lord Jesus Christ think about Adam and Eve in the garden Adam was tasked with expanding the garden Sanctuary Adam was tasked with being fruitful and multiplying Eve was his helpmate Eve assisted him in that task we need to understand the Great Commission in that light it's not the church that's going to conquer the world it's Jesus Christ who is going to conquer or not conquer it at least in our lifetimes the world what is our task it's to be a faithful Eve it's to be a faithful helper it's to be obedient to our Sovereign sometimes and this happens in some Arch some some very conservative wings of Christianity there's a lot of blame given to the church for failing when it comes to Conquering the Nations now we may bear some responsibility for being Unix and being wimps and being effeminate and not engaging in the task at hand I'm sure that we are complet it to some degree but it's not the church's job the church's job is to submit herself to our lord Jesus to go where he says to go and to function in the manner he says to function we're to preach we're to make disciples we're to baptize those disciples and then we're to teach those disciples in other words the church ass church is to carry out her job in a manner that is consistent with the commission that follows but we realize that the authority behind the commission it's not the church is it is the Lord Jesus Christ it is his Sovereign power it is his Divine omnipotence it is his glorious Majesty our task is to be faithful to call upon him to supply the spirit so that we can engage in what he has called us to do so the authority behind the commission is Christ's notice the specific focus of the Commission in verses 19 to 20 notice verse 19 go therefore that therefore is an implication of what he says in verse 18 so all authority has been given to me in heaven and on Earth with this authority Jesus says I am delegating you now to go and engage in this particular task now again Brethren I'm not suggesting we have no responsibility I'm not suggesting we have no place for repentance I'm not suggesting we have no place whatsoever for reflection to see if what we're doing is right or not but I am suggesting that when we say it's the church's responsibility and we bypass the king of kings and Lord of lords we've got a problem we want to make sure that we understand the relationship that the last Adam is tasked specifically with bringing the Nations to himself he uses the instrumentality of the church in preaching and teaching and baptizing but it is his task it is his project it is his glorious work to engage and I think that produces Comfort it produces encouragement it produces a willingness on the part of the people of God to participate in that plan when we understand the pecking order when we understand the authority structure when we understand our position as a servant to our Blessed Redeemer and to realize that all of it is ultimately in his hands I think it frees us up in a way to do this with great joy and with great Thanksgiving so this delegated act uh this delegated Authority given to the disciples and then notice what they're supposed to do they must go not stay but they must go you'll see that in what he says to all the nations I can all come to you put a post on Facebook tell them you're a Believer you're sitting there in Jerusalem tell all the nations from everywhere to come to you and you'll be more than happy to share it with them the truth of the Gospel now remember Brethren he's talking to the apostles he's talking in essence to the corporate Church it may not be the case for each and every well it's not the case for each and every human being to go to foreign Mission fields to preach the gospel if God has called you if God has qu uh qualified you if God has caused the church to recognize you then that's your portion and your lot with reference to this specific structure we've got the apostles as representatives of the corporate Church in terms of their task in this Pres age so the disciples must go it's a participle but has an imperatival Force so this translation go there that sounds like a command that's a good way to interpret the particular passage now what are they supposed to do when they go well have coffee with everybody tell them interesting stories make them laugh entertain them invite them into your churches have the best rock concerts and Shred on the guitar and impress them that's not what they're supposed to do in their going they're supposed to make disciples notice what he says go therefore and make disciples John brus says to disciple a person to Christ is to bring him into the relation of pupil the teacher taking his yoke of authoritative instruction Matthew 11:29 accepting what he says as true because he says it and submitting to his requirements as right because he makes them well how does the church make disciples does the church make disciples with military might does the church make disciples by way of coercion does the church make disciples by going into public places strapped with C4 on their vest saying you convert or I'm going to send you to the other side that's not how they make disciples they preach the gospel they tell of the life and the death and the resurrection of Jesus they tell of his benefits When You by Grace believe on him they tell of his glory and his majesty and his Excellence they tell of his forgiveness and of his righteousness and P to you and received by faith alone the making of disciples is not esoteric it's not mysterious it's not some secret it's telling Sinners to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and then notice the scope Make Disciples of all the nations I've already mentioned going all the way back to Genesis chapter n in the Oracle of Noah where japheth will find refuge in the tents of Shem we see this Gentile inclusion in the Covenant Promises of God from the outset that the Jews missed this showed their Hardness of Heart shows their their incorrigible Spirit shows their unwillingness to be led by their gracious God and Lord and so all nations are the object with reference to this commission so the disciples must go the disciples must make disciples but then notice the disciples must baptize them they baptized the disciples made in the Nations to which they go they don't just indiscriminately baptize entire nations they don't take water and sprinkle it upon all the Polish people Vis Roman Catholicism and welcome them into the Christian Church no the obvious rendering of the text is baptize those disciples made through the proclamation of justification by faith alone which underscores the nature of baptism it is for disciples it is for those who by God's grace are saved it is for those who conf confess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who believe in their hearts that that God has raised him from the dead that that confess it with their mouths according to Paul in Romans chapter 10 and again notice the specific order go therefore make disciples baptize them you don't baptize and then make the disciples there's a specific order here ped baptism is faulty here it is a baptism and then a making of disciples whereas what we see is the making of disciples and then baptizing them why because it is the badge of New Covenant membership what does it mean to be a covenant or a New Covenant member well it means to be one whose sins are forgiven it means to be one who has the law of God written on his heart it means to be one who knows the Lord in a saving way and as a result of being a New Covenant member you get the sign associated with New Covenant membership it's a wonderful and and dare I say very simple thing and when you turn to the book of Acts that is precisely the pattern that you see conspicuously all throughout once you see it you canot see it they believe and they were baptized they were uh believed and they were baptized they believed and they were baptized why because Jesus said so in the Great Commission and then notice they are to be baptized into the name of the Triune God this is a glorious testimony the to the triun of our God which shouldn't surprise us in Matthew's gospel he's already given us a glimpse of the Triune God at the River Jordan at the baptism of Jesus when Jesus goes down into the water the spirit alights upon him as a dove and we hear the voice of approbation from the father this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased if you want to learn of the Trinity go to the River Jordan but notice here in verse 19 go therefore and Make Disciples of all the nations baptizing them notice in the name singular the name singular a reference to the substance or Essence of the Divine being God is one in essence God is one in substance but then notice in that one name of God there is distinction of persons a trinity of persons in that one God baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit that's what I would call the first leg of the Great Commission make disciples and baptize them but notice Brethren it's not just about getting Sinners saved it's getting Sinners saved and taught it's getting Sinners saved and Sanctified it's getting Sinners saved and growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in all of our earnestness for soul winning we must not be against Soul maturity and that's what we see in the Great Commission it's not either or it's both and make disciples baptize those disciples and then teach those disciples that's what he says teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you in other words have church services have Bible studies encourage one another in the local cont in the local church not only in formal preaching and teaching but by way of encouragement read your Bibles at home read your Bibles as families listen to good stuff on Sermon Audio read good books see Brethren the goal is to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and when I say that it's it it it shouldn't need to be said should it why is it that at times it's like pulling teeth to get the people of God to act like the people of God when you met your significant other boy or girl depending on whether you're a boy or girl you wanted to learn everything about them what did you do on dates you know sit in the corner there and sit now that's probably what they're doing now she's on her phone he's on his phone they text each other occasionally just to make sure they're still somewhat engaged but don't don't you want to find out about those things you love don't you want to investigate that which you love don't you want to know more of him who you love why is it that Christians have to be hanged to pick up a book once in a while to to read through the Bible to attend services in the church it shouldn't be that you have to be browbeaten to show up at church there needs to be that davidic spirit that we just sang I I was glad when they said unto me let us let us go to the house of the Lord why because I get to meet my god there I get to learn about my God I I get to grow in the grace and knowledge of my My Savior we shouldn't have to Harang people we shouldn't have to threaten people we shouldn't have to coers people great are the works of the Lord they are studied by all who Delight in them what greater work than Sovereign Grace what greater thing than than Redemption through Precious Blood what greater thing than the than the power of the Holy Spirit effectually calling us un unto Jesus what what greater subject matter what greater investigation so so when we find this particular passage Jesus says it so matter of factly that we would almost expect it to be the case in each and every church but lo and behold we have thought it better in our generation to entertain people to have rock bands to have puppet shows to have whatever it is people are having instead of faithful proclamation of God's holy word teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and then notice how the commission ends with an assurance provided for the commission and lo I Am With You Always even to the End of the Age Matthew's gospel could be sort of nicknamed The Gospel of Emmanuel or God With Us notice in chapter 1 verse 21 she will bring forth a son and you shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people people from their sins what does Emmanuel mean Emmanuel I'm sorry uh keep reading so all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying behold the Virgin shall be with child and bear a son and they shall call his name Emmanuel which is translated God With Us turn to Matthew 18 Matthew chap 18 in the context of church discipline Matthew 18 specifically at verse 19 again and I say to you that if two of you agree on Earth concerning anything that they ask it will be done for them by my Father in heaven for where two or three are gathered together in my name I am there in the midst of them Jesus is Emmanuel in his Incarnation Jesus is Emmanuel in church life Jesus is Emmanuel in the Great Commission and lo I Am With You Always even to the End of the Age Osborne says the Great Commission is thus framed by the omnipotence verse 8 and the omn omnipresence verse 20 b of Christ well in conclusion we ought to appreciate the competing interpretation of the Resurrection now it may not be in our day that this lie or this fraud is perpetrated but there's still lies and still fraudulent interpretations of the Resurrection I mentioned the Muslims and the Swoon Theory James Cameron I think a a Hollywood director ctor did a a documentary on the Lost Tomb of Jesus guess what he promoted there worship of the Divine King no he promoted the Swoon Theory the co the thought or concept that Jesus didn't really die on the cross so when he went into the tomb he healed and then he came back out thus no Resurrection persons have been denying the resurrection since the resurrection occurred Brethren it is imperative that we understand it that we know it that we embrace it and that we confess it we preach Christ and him crucified but we don't leave him in the Tomb we preach the resurrection from the dead knowing that our hope is built on nothing less than jesus' blood and righteousness and God raised him for our justification secondly if you look at the text carefully in terms of the Great Commission you'll see the word all four times the authority of Christ is the foundation of the commission all authority the entirety of the earth is the arena of the commission all the nations the totality of the word of Christ is involved in the commission teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and the presence of Christ all the days is the power behind the commission the four alls of the Great Commission let us as the people of God as the Church of the Lord Lord Jesus Christ embrace it let us receive it happily and let us engage in it joyfully for the glory of God most high for the Salvation of needy Sinners and for the edification the instruction and the teaching of God's people so that they can be what God has intended for them to be mature Believers in Christ not tossed to and fro by every wind of Doctrine but those who are stable those who are are solid those who are functioning properly as individuals as family members in their Church in their workplace in society at large you see brethren we are to shine as lights in a crooked and perverse generation we're to hold forth the word of Truth there is to be something unique about us not that we live away from everybody else not that we carry ourselves with some elitist ideals but rather that we know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and may God give us wisdom may he give us courage courage and may he give us constant boldness to set forth Christ in all of his offices as Prophet priest and King and to tell Sinners needy Sinners to come to Jesus and they will be saved well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for this section of Holy Scripture and the the two ways that men have responded to the resurrection either denying it and lying about it or receiving it and embracing it and living in light of it help us to be in the latter camp and help us to be faithful to you Lord Jesus Christ as you are in the business of saving from every tribe and tongue and people and Nation help us to be a faithful help meet and help us to glorify and honor you and may this church exist for many many many generations as a place where Sinners are saved and where they are taught to obey all that the Lord Jesus has commanded bless our children bless our grandchildren bless the subsequent ages and may you indeed bring them forth for by the word of your truth and may they know the joy of being found in Jesus Christ the lord go with us now watch over us in this coming week grant us health and strength and Grace to glorify and to honor you and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation e e e