Journey Through Matthew: Hope Restored

We also looked at God breaking his silence with the people in the form of an earthquake, the temple veil being ripped from top to bottom, and the dead rising from the grave.

And even through all of that the people still did not want to listen to what God had to say.

Even through all of that God still had not gotten their full attention.

We see people going to and fro trying to cover up what they had done by doing what they can to try and keep Jesus in the tomb.

We see others just going on with their everyday life, like nothing had happened.

We see still others—namely his disciples— who we struggling just to make it to the next day.

Not knowing which way they were going to turn or what they were going to do next.

For them, there was no hope.

Life

This Jesus they had put their hope in was dead and now they were left with nothing.

Or, at least that is what they thought.

They were unaware that this feeling of hopelessness that they currently had, would soon be replaced with the ultimate hope.

The hope that would be found, not in a dead leader, but the hope that is found in a risen Savior!

Which is exactly what we will be looking at this morning.

However, with this hope, there also comes a bit of responsibility.

Jesus wasn’t just going to show up and say “I’m here!”

No, Jesus was going to give them a task, a role, a job to complete.

Which is what we find today.

We are going to make our way through the chapter, but our focus will be the last 5 verses of the chapter.

So, if you have found in your Bibles, I’d invite you to stand with me as I read, verses 16-20.

Again, we will be in . Matthew writes this . . .

Scripture Focus

Matthew 28:16–20 NIV - Anglicised

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The Resurrection (vs 1-10)

So, now that was the end of the chapter, but let’s back up and see how we got there.

Now, remember they had taken Jesus’ body and wrapped it up and laid it in this tomb.

And they had rolled this heavy stone in front of it to keep the wild animals out.

And just as an extra security measure, they had placed a seal on the rock and also some guards out front, just to make sure Jesus don’t come out.

However, his body had not been fully prepared for its final burial.

So, this is where we pick up . . .

Matthew 28:1 NIV - Anglicised

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

And they were not going just to have a look.

We also know from the other Gospel accounts, that these women had went with their oils and spices to prepare Jesus’ body for his final burial.

And we also know from that something strange was going on . . . .

Luke 24:1–3 NIV - Anglicised

1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

Luke 24:

Now, remember, that this heavy stone had been rolled in front of the tomb and these women had a problem of how they were going to get this thing out of their way.

So, when they arrived, they not only found the stone moved out of the way, but they also found the tomb empty.

But, how did that all happen?

Well Matthew tells us . . . .

Matthew 28:2–4 NIV - Anglicised

2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

Matthew 28:2-

Which I would say would be a reasonable reaction.

Remember there had already been one earthquake, where the dead rose.

Now there was a second one, where the angel of the Lord rolled the stone back and sat on top of it.

These guards were scared to death.

But the angel didn’t care about these guards, He had a message for these women.

And that message was this . . .

Matthew 28:5–7 NIV - Anglicised

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

Matthew 28:5-

Well, remember earlier when I mentioned that when Jesus died, these disciples were left with nothing.

Well, that is not 100% the case.

They may have thought that Jesus was gone, but they were not left with nothing.

They were actually left with a great deal.

They were left with all of the teaching and all of the leadership Jesus provided them.

And now, all of these things were going to be called to their remembrance.

All of those teachings that initially didn’t make much sense, was now going to make perfect sense to them.

First though, for the women at the tomb . . .

Matthew 28:6 NIV - Anglicised

6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.

Matthew 28:5 NIV - Anglicised

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

Just like Jesus said, He has risen from the dead.

Matthew 28:

Nobody came and stole his body.

He didn’t just wake up because they really didn’t kill him.

No, the Angel of the Lord declares the truth, Jesus has risen from the dead.

And here is the empty tomb the proof of it.

And I am sure these women were in a state of shock, but the Angel has no time for that.

He gives them a job to do . . .

Matthew 28:7 NIV - Anglicised

7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

So, their job is to go and tell the others but also to tell them to get to Galilee, where Jesus had already told them he would meet them after the resurrection.

So, again Jesus’ teaching coming back to mind.

Which brings up the first important point.

We are told we should study our Bible and we should pray.

And part of that is so we can build a stronger relationship with the Lord.

But also it is so the Lord can teach us things.

And We may not even realize what we are being taught at the time, but if we are faithful, when we need it, it will come back to us.

Things we have learned sometimes years earlier, will come back to us.

Because the Holy Spirit has planted it in our soul and brought it out when needed.

Which is one of the greatest aspects of being a child of God.

God is with us ALL the time.

And God provides for us what we need, exactly when we need it.

But we can only have it, if we belong to Him.

That is the only way.

We have to accept it and we have to accept the teaching that He provides us.

We need to really, really think about our relationship with Jesus and how strong it really is.

But the women, fulfill their duty . . .

Matthew 28:8 NIV - Anglicised

8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

Matthew 28:8

And in other Gospel accounts, we see the disciples really didn’t believe the women.

Thought they were a little on the crazy side.

So, Jesus does something about this . . .

Matthew 28:9 NIV - Anglicised

9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him.

Matthew 28:9

And the only thing I can imagine is that they were all overwhelmed, perplexed, confused, excited, scared.

Every single emotion that they could experience.

But Jesus didn’t come just to hang out.

He came with a message and came with a mission . . .

Matthew 28:10 NIV - Anglicised

10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

The Cover Up (vs 11-15)

So, again tells them to go to Galilee.

But now our guards have a problem.

They have a dead man who has rose from the grave and has disappeared from the tomb.

But they are not going to take the fall for this.

This was the Jews problem and they were going to give it back to them . . .

Matthew 28:11 NIV - Anglicised

11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.

Matthew 28:

So, the Jews now had a big problem.

Here is Jesus, who told them who He was.

Who told them that he would rise from the Grave.

Who told them that he was their hope.

And #1 they had lied to the people.

#2, they had killed him.

#3, they had even went as far as put guards and a seal on the grave to keep him in.

And now, he is gone.

So, instead of admitting their sin and their mistakes.

Instead of repenting and following Jesus and calling others to follow Jesus.

They do what we try to do too many times with our own sins.

We try to cover it up.

Sweep it under the rug.

Act like it never happened.

Try to forget about it.

Deny it.

Do whatever we can to get away from it.

And their plan was to pay off the guards and lie about it.

Matthew 28:12–14 NIV - Anglicised

12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”

Matthew 28:12-

Right back to the body-snatcher story that would have been impossible to actually carry out.

But it’s the best they’ve got so they are sticking with it.

Even though it makes no sense.

And the guards, all they cared about was not being killed by Pilate so they went right along with it.

Matthew 28:15 NIV - Anglicised

15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

Matthew

And the reason the story got out anyway is that these guards talked.

You can’t witness the Angel of the Lord and not talk about it.

They took the money, gave Pilate the “official story” but to their family and friends they told them what really happened.

So, in the end the Jews really just looked more foolish.

The Great Commission (vs 16-20)

But Jesus and the disciples really were not concerned with the Jews and their lies at this point.

Jesus has already defeated death, hell, and the grave.

Jesus has already done the work of the Cross.

Jesus has already opened the door for all humanity to have a true and lasting relationship with God the Father through Him.

It was in fact Finished.

The real job was now getting the word out.

So . . .

Matthew 28:16–17 NIV - Anglicised

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.

Matthew 28:16

Sure, they doubted because none of them had ever witnessed anything like this before.

But here is the task they were given . . .

Matthew 28:18–20 NIV - Anglicised

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

And Jesus command here contains three distinct things

#1 Jesus has been given all authority over all things, meaning that He is in charge of everything and if He is with us, who can stand against us?

#2 We are told to go and make disciples first and then baptize those disciples.

Making disciples is more than just telling them Jesus loves them.

It is more than just sharing the gospel message.

Making disciples means that we teach people, help people, love people, develop people into Christians.

And #3, He promises that he is with us always, even to the very end of the age.

Jesus is not going anywhere, he is not leaving us.

Altar Call

But there are two things we need to ask here.

#1Do we believe it or are we like those who doubted?

#2, if we do, are we living it?

Are we making disciples?

Are we even a disciple?

All very valid questions.

And questions that only we have the answer to.

So, our altar call is simple.

Are you a Christian?

Are you helping make other Christians?

If the answer is no to either of those questions, you can come and do something about that, if you are willing.