← Back to sermon library

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. 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, 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. 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 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 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, 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 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. 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 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. 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. 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, 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, 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 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, 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. 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.