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 one 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 one. 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 was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come see the place where the Lord lay, and go quickly and tell his disciples that he has 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 and 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 to them, do 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 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 eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw him, they worshipped 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.
Opening Prayer
Our gracious God and Holy Father, we thank you that the tomb is empty, that our Christ is risen, that he sits enthroned 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, that you would guide us as we consider this passage of Scripture, that we would see the lies and the fraud 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 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 altogether lovely and chief among 10,000. And may you draw them with cords 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,
Introduction
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 has 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 evening, I want to look first at the denial of the resurrection in verses 11 to 15. It's sort of an anti-Great Commission. But then secondly, the meeting in Galilee in verses 16 and 17. And then finally, the Great Commission in verses 18 to 20.
Denial of the Resurrection
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.
The Soldiers' Report
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 Marys, do not be afraid, go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.
So verse 11, 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 a message to deliver. It's R.T. 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. Now we looked at those things this morning in the previous section of the chapter.
You can turn back. Notice in verse 2, 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 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 3, 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. 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
Creation of the False Narrative
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.
Chapter 27, verses 62 to 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 three 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 three 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 2764. 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." That was the predicate for them getting the guard from Pilate 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, Curse it is one who receives a bribe. So we can curse these soldiers for having received the bribe. 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 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.
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 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, this observation, let us never starve a good cause when we see a bad one 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 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 relative to this empty tomb.
So verse 13, tell them his disciples came at night and stole him away while we slept. Now,
The Absurdity of the Lie
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 and verse 19, they are holed 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 take the body out and dispose of it? This is absolutely 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 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 of war, they can summarily execute you right on the spot. This is a big no-no.
It's not like maybe a job where you can steal away for a few minutes and catch a bit of shut-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 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 null and 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 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 their 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 take 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 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 hapless rubes that wandered into the temple and gave at the time that these wretched reprobates were over things.
They would take that money and grease Pilate'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 religious leaders friendship and camaraderie 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 cover a capital crime, to cover up something 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
Why the Lie Gained Traction
notice the compliance of the soldiers in verse 15. So they took the money and did as they were instructed. Toadies 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 fell asleep 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 false, from the very surface, managed 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 predilection 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 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 chapter 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 cordon, managed to get to the stone, managed to roll the stone away, managed 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 status as citizens and 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 commonly reported among the Jews until this day, it continued into at least the middle of the second century.
Justin's dialogue with Trifo 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.
The Meeting in Galilee
Look quickly with me at verses 16 and 17. We have this arrival at Galilee in verse 16. Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw him, they worshipped 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 tongue, 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 were fabricating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, you wouldn't put that persons doubt it.
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 David happens to be one of your heroes. When you get to 2 Samuel 11 and 12, there will be a great temptation for you not to record David's adultery and murder.
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 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 yea and amen. Everybody fell right in the 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. I would have had a couple of faithful men. 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 nine, 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've 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 doubt on their part. Could as well be distance because Jesus comes to them according to verse 18, to which we now turn. So
The Great Commission
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 many other places and usually connected to baptism, but two things here.
Authority Behind the Commission
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 don't forget those sorts of things.
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'd you guys desert me? Why didn't you believe my consistent testimony that these things were gonna 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 underrived 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.
Colossians chapter 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 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. 2.9 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 behead 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 chapter 1. Revelation chapter 1. Notice John's greetings to the seven churches of Asia Minor.
So 1-4, 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 consubstantial with the Father and the Son. And then he speaks of Jesus Christ, and he uses the threefold 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 gonna 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 two 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 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 gonna 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 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 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 eunuchs, and being wimps, and being effeminate, and not engaging in the task at hand. I'm sure that we are complicit 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 as 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 is not the Church's. 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.
Specific Focus of the Commission
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 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. And it 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 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 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 present age. So the disciples must go.
It's a participle, but has an imperatival force. So this translation, go therefore, that sounds like a command, that's a good way to interpret the particular passage. Now,
Making Disciples and Baptizing
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 Bratis says to disciple a person to Christ is to bring him into the relation of pupil to 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 vests, 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 imputed 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 9 and 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 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 baptize 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-a-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 confess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who believe in their hearts that God has raised them from the dead, 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. Paedo-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 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 can't not see it. They believed and they were baptized.
They 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 to the triunity 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,
Teaching to Observe All Things
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 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 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 a girl, you wanted to learn everything about them.
What did you do on dates? You know, sit in the corner there and sit. 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 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 whom you love? Why is it that Christians have to be harangued to pick up a book once in a while, 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 was glad when they said unto me, 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 get to grow in the grace and knowledge of my Savior. We shouldn't have to harangue people. We shouldn't have to threaten people. We shouldn't have to coerce 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 redemption through precious blood?
What greater thing than the power of the Holy Spirit effectually calling us unto Jesus? What greater subject matter? What greater investigation? 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
Assurance of Christ's Presence
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 one, verse 21, she will bring forth a son and you shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sins.
What does Emmanuel mean? Emmanuel, I'm sorry, 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 Immanuel, which is translated God with us." Turn to Matthew 18. Matthew chapter 18, in the context of church discipline.
Matthew chapter 18, specifically at verse 19. Again, 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 Immanuel in his incarnation.
Jesus is Immanuel in church life. Jesus is Immanuel 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 omnipresence, verse 20b, of Christ.
Well,
Application
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 are still lies and still fraudulent interpretations of the resurrection. I mentioned the Muslims and the swoon theory. James Cameron, I think a Hollywood director, did 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 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. Though 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 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 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, 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.
Closing Prayer
Our Father in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for this section of Holy Scripture and 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 helpmeet 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 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.