Matthew 28 The Resurrection of Jesus and its Implications
Winston Churchill had planned his own funeral to take place in St Paul’s Cathedral. At his direction a bugler, positioned high in the dome of the cathedral blew the sound of ‘The Last Post’, the universal signal that a soldiers day is over. Then there was silence before a dramatic turn. Another bugler, stationed on the other side of the dome played ‘The Reveille’, the wake up call. Churchill wanted this to be his final testimony – death is not the end.
This is why the resurrection of Jesus Christ is vital. It gives meaning to life and death. The final chapter of Matthew’s gospel emphasises this.
1. The Kings Victory Matthew 28:1-10
It is axiomatic that there is no power without life and freedom. My wife’s uncle was the officer in charge of prisoners of war during the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya. Amongst his prisoners was Jomo Kenyatta, the leader of the Mau Mau. He had little influence when isolated from his followers. The secularist dictators, Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot had no power after they died even though their ideas continued for just a short while, during their lives they trid to exterminate all opposition.
This was the reason the Jewish authorities considered it important to remove Jesus from the scene. His power over people would be killed off. Death removes meaning from a person’s life. This is why humanist funerals are so depressing, death for them is a taboo subject. However Matthew chapter 28 reverses this way of thinking. Jesus did rise from the dead and this was attested to by over five hundred witnesses. His disciples gave the rest of their lives to witnessing about him and his resurrection, and eleven of the twelve were killed whilst persisting in affirming the truths about Jesus.
Since Jesus has defeated death, his power remains, and more than that, his authority remains – he rules for evermore. He cannot die again so his authority is permanent.
Communist countries such as Russian and China have sought to destroy the Christian church because it insists that Jesus Christ has ultimate authority – greater than that of the State. But they are not winning. In Moscow 70 per cent of families still have their children dedicated to Jesus Christ. In China the growing churches mean that there are many more Christians than communists.
No-one can defeat Jesus Christ. In Iran there is a remarkable turning back to Christ. People there are seeing through the emptiness, legalism and politicisation of Islam. The resurrection of Jesus gives his people great courage and determination. The angel outside the empty tomb said to Mary Magdalene and Mary the wife of Clopas,
“Do not be afraid, for I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” Matthew 28:5-6
The angel then speaks of the consequence of Jesus’s resurrection.
“The go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead . . .” Matthew 28:7
It is impossible to overstate the significance of the resurrection of Jesus. Everyone needs to know of it.
2. The King’s Enemies Matthew 28:11-15
“They gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, ‘You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep . . . So the soldiers took the money . . .” Matthew 28:12-15
News of the resurrection was brought to the chief priests and elders by the soldiers guarding the tomb. They all felt something must be done to prevent the story getting out. Lies, cover ups and bribery were used. For them the end justified the means. This still happens today with dishonesty, exaggeration, lying, slander and libel being used to undermine the message about Jesus.
This is a reminder that we Christians must ensure that we only use honourable techniques to advance the claims of Jesus. We must not use dishonesty, exaggeration or slander. Our weapon is simply the truth explained attractively.
3. The Kings followers Matthew 28:16-17
Two characteristics demonstrated by the eleven are emphasised by Matthew,
“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him they worshipped him; but some doubted.” Matthew 28:16
Obedience to Jesus is the only sure feature that marks out a Christian. Jesus repeatedly stressed this,
“If you love me you will obey my command.” John 14:15
“If anyone loves me he will obey my teaching.” John 14:23
It is a tragedy that in some peoples’ minds ‘worship’ is equated with ‘singing’. Some churches even have ‘worship leaders’. Yet in the Bible true worship begins when we come to live under the authority of Jesus and commit ourselves to living as he wants every day.
I was asked to lead a Christianity Explored course in a local Roman Catholic church. At the first evening about 30 people came, by the end of the six week course there were around a hundred and fifty present. After the first evening a middle aged lady with a strong Irish accent came up to talk to me.
‘That was a lovely evening.’ she started. ‘I don’t know why everybody is not a Christian.’
I felt chuffed but then she continued,
‘After all, all God wants is one hour a week.’
Today there are many who would call themselves Christians, who go to church, but who live the rest of the week no differently from non-Christians. Their lives do not centre on Jesus, they are not living to worship him.
4. The King’s Authority
In spite of the fact that there always have been those who reject Jesus, he insists,
“All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me.” Matthew 28:18
A secretary was invited by her boss to join him at a mid-week church service. Afterwards she said,
‘I enjoyed the service. Of course I believe in God but I couldn’t make out why everyone is making so much fuss about Jesus.’
The answer lies in who Jesus claims to be, the unique son of God who is one with his heavenly Father. Many say they believe in God but their God is not the one true God who made this universe and entered into it as a human to save us. They refuse to accept the universal authority of Jesus. Notice the extent of Jesus’ claim.
“All authority . . . in heaven and on earth.” Matthew 28:18
This means that his authority must be over all of my life. On January 8th 1956, Jim Elliot together with four other young were killed by local tribesmen when they went to share the gospel with the Huaoran people, a primitive tribe in Ecuador, South America. Just before leaving, Jim had written,
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose.”
C. T. Studd was a brilliant cricketer who played for England in the 1882 Ashes series against Australia. He subsequently went as a missionary to China, as a member of the Cambridge Seven, and later to Africa. He concluded,
“Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
This is true worship. This is what Christ’s eleven disciples came to understand.
C. T. Studd also said,
“If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.”
In November 2018, a young American Christian, John Chau, went to share the gospel with the inhabitants of an isolated island off India. He was killed by local tribesmen. The press criticised him for his ‘misplaced adventure’ but family and friends insist that he went to tell people about Jesus, recognising that even those people owe their allegiance to Jesus.
Jesus does not present himself as just King of the Jews, or even worse as just Head of western religion. His authority has been given to him by his heavenly Father and his dominion is over all areas of earth and over all religious groups. Jesus does not permit anyone to worship anyone or anything other than himself.
In Indonesia a form of Buddhism mixed with animism is widespread. People are concerned about evil spirits and they put out food offerings all over the place to appease these spirits. We witnessed one lady putting out an offering in the middle of a busy roundabout so that people would not be injured there. When my daughter and her husband were there as missionaries they taught that Jesus has authority over these evil spirits that controlled their lives.
Sociologists often ask, ‘Why should Christians go to other parts of the world, or to those in their own countries, who have different cultures and religions.’ They say it upsets the balance of societies. Surely verse 18 answers these critics,
“The Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations. . .” Matthew 28:18
The Kings victory over death gives proof to his claim of authority. All the world is his and so he says, ‘Go out and claim it for me.’ The book of Acts demonstrates that his early disciples understood this. It is a tragedy that many Christians reduce the faith to just small segments of their lives.
5. The King’s Seal
Jesus instructed that those who have become Christians should be sealed by water baptism. This is not optional. Like marriage, becoming a follower of Jesus is a major event in life and needs to be publicly demonstrated. There is no place for private baptisms in the bath at home! Sometimes a formal baptism can be difficult and have far reaching consequences.
a. Indicates individual salvation
A Pakistani lad was raised in a strong and important Moslem family. He was sent to a Christian school to get the best education available. One day he went to bed with a verse of Scripture playing on his mind. When he woke up, without anything conscious happening, he realised that he did believe in Jesus and was therefore a Christian – the whole world seemed different to him . He told his parents who tolerated his decision as they still remained the ultimate authority in the family. But when he came to England for a university education he decided to be baptised. When his parents heard of this they cut him off completely.
Baptism is always seen as a sign that separates. It indicates that we have been accepted into the world-wide community of Christians who acknowledge that the one God has revealed himself in three persons. Notice that the name into which people are baptised is in the singular.
“ . . . baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19
No-one is baptised into a denomination of group but into Christ’s universal church. The word ‘catholic’ simply means ‘universal’. Sects insist that people have to be baptised into their brand of religion.
b. Indicates joining the local church
When 3000 Jews were baptised after Peter’s Pentecost sermon it cannot have ben easy. Doubtless the authorities who had arranged for their leader, Jesus, to be publicly crucified just seven weeks beforehand, were watching and would have had their spies out taking names. Yet when the crowd asked Peter what they should do, he had no hesitation in telling them to make both a private and public commitment to Christ,
“Repent and be baptised every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” Acts 2:38
These three thousand joined the church, ‘they were added to their number’ (Acts 2:41)
6. The King’s Commands
When Jesus gave this great commission to his disciples, baptism had to be followed up.
“ . . . and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:20
This teaching would include the need to ‘go and make disciples’. A recent survey in the United States revealed that, over a six month study period, over 80 per cent of evangelical Christians had not talked to anyone about Jesus or invited anyone to come and listen to the gospel being explained. What a tragedy this is.
The prime ministry of the church is to teach people God’s word and encourage them to live by it. We are not primarily to be priestly, sacramental institutions. Christians in many churches are now perishing from ‘Biblical malnutrition’ because their leaders do not consider Bible teaching to be their priority. Yet here Jesus makes it clear that teaching must be their priority, but this teaching should not be just theological argument but lead people to obey and so live for him.
God’s word to us is found in Scripture. The prophets said this, the apostles confirm this and Jesus stressed this. Paul said,
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Church leaders who fail to feed their members on Scripture will be responsible for their church’s demise.
Obedience is the key feature of Christians. There is a disease going around at present which is saying that God teaches us directly through our feelings. Those who only do what they feel led to do will inevitably become introspective, ineffective Christians. A Christian student stayed in bed one morning. His mother asked him why he wasn’t dressed. His reply was shocking,
“The Lord hasn’t told me to get up yet!”
On this basis people won’t pray, because they don’t feel led to do so. People won’t share the gospel with others as they feel, ‘It is not my gift.’ What rubbish! All Christians have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower us to go out and do what the Lord Jesus has told us to do!
Parents must teach their children to obey what they have been told as this is the best preparation for the Christian life of obedience to Christ. Those who have not been taught to obey will find living the Christian life very tough. We must follow, not our feelings, but all that Christ teaches us in his word.
7. The King’s Presence
This is wonderful,
“And surely I am with you always, tot he very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20
The command to “go and make disciples of all nations” is daunting but note that it is hedged in by two great encouragements.
a. We have God’s authority
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me . . .” Matthew 28:18
We have all been appointed as the King’s ambassadors and therefore act with his authority. This should give us great confidence as we invite people to our hames, home group or church.
b. We have God’s Spirit
“Surely I am with you always.” Matthew 28:20
This power enables us ordinary weak christians to be effective for Christ. How we need to keep reminding ourselves of this fact.
Matthew gives us two great promises that remind us when Christ’s Spirit is especially with us.
a. In Christian fellowship
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20
How many of us first committed ourselves to Christ as a result of our going to a Christian meeting, a Christian camp, a church service, a home group or a Christianity Explored Group. Didn’t you notice a new dimension, something different, a love, and as a result you met Christ?
How do we keep experiencing that presence. Certainly not in a holy huddle, in an isolated Christian group. If we just meet ‘for fellowship’ in our groups we will die because we are too inward looking.
b. As we share the gospel with others
“Therefore go and make disciples . . .and surely I am with you always.” Matthew 28:19-20
A West Indian preacher was expounding this passage using the Authorised Version which says,
“Therefore go and make disciples . . . and lo I am with you always.”
He thumped his Bible and shouted,
“No go, no lo!”
We all need to keep both our involvement in a local church and being outward looking in balance. As we obey and serve our Lord with our time and money we will find that we and our churches will thrive. As I share the gospel I will find that I am increasingly thrilled and rejoicing in my experience of his presence with me..
BVP
