I think you've got a Bible, it would be a great help to me and I hope to you and we can get a bit open before you. It's on page 835 from Matthew 28 in the Church Bibles.
Matthew 28 on page 835. You may have come across the true story from Russia before the end of the Cold War and the Communism.
There's a Baptist pastor who's travelling on a train and reading his New Testament. And he stood up to take a walk on the train and he left the New Testament on his table.
While he was away, a train guard came along, read what it was, opened up the window of the train and threw it out the window.
A month later, a farmer came to see the Baptist pastor and he asked the pastor to lead him to become a Christian. The pastor gladly did so.
When he finished praying, the farmer reached into his pocket and pulled out the pastor's New Testament and said, you'll never believe it.
I was working in the fields on my farm a month ago by the railway track and as a train went past, this hit me in the head.
And I want to say to you that as you read the accounts of the resurrection in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, I hope that you'll find the same thing happens to you.
That you'll get hit on the head.
Because what we find in these fascinating passages right at the centre of the Christian faith is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
That Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.
The early Christians in the book of Acts, those in the immediate years after the death of the Lord Jesus, called the gospel the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
It was the resurrection of Jesus that created the earthly church and gave it life and gave it fire.
Now I want us to look at Matthew chapter 28 because in this chapter what Matthew teaches you is very, very simple.
Matthew teaches you this.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ changes everything.
It turns everything upside down.
It acts as a huge reversal in the world.
And Matthew shows us that by showing us that everyone this resurrection touches in this chapter, their lives are turned upside down.
The resurrection shatters for all time and for all people the matter of business as usual.
When Jesus stacked out of the grave, it was one small stack for man, but one giant leap for mankind.
It changes everything.
And Matthew's interest is not in the mechanics of the actual resurrection.
But Matthew wants you and I to experience the massive impact that it had.
And it happened in four parties.
So first of all, the women.
Look at verse 1.
It says, now after the Sabbath, towards the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
They don't know that a guard has been posted.
They do not know how they're going to roll the stone away to get access to the body.
But they are in for a huge surprise.
They discover, don't they, guards lying on the ground and trembling.
The stone is rolled away.
And even worse than that, there is an angel sitting on the stone.
And he's no ordinary messenger boy.
But this is an angel who's come from the presence of God.
So look at verses 5 and 6 and 7.
But the angel said to the woman, do not be afraid.
For I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
He's not here for he is risen.
As he said.
Come see the place where he lay.
Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he's risen from the dead.
And behold, he's going before you to Galilee.
There you will see him.
See, I told you.
The angel is clear.
That the stone has been rolled away.
Not to let Jesus out.
But to let the woman see him.
We're not left against what it means.
The angel explains to you exactly what it means.
He says, can you see it?
Jesus.
Who was crucified.
It's now risen.
He says it twice.
He says to them, you're at the right tomb.
You've gone to the wrong address.
You're at the right tomb.
He was dead.
He is no longer dead.
See where he lay.
He's now risen from the dead.
It's not a reincarnation.
Jesus has risen from the dead.
And it is impossible for you and I to capture in those very simple words
the enormous transformation that's taken place.
For the first time
in all of history
the iron grip of death
has been broken
from the inside out.
Somebody has gone through death
to show that he is stronger.
The angel is saying
Jesus has defeated death.
I read of a Muslim student in Africa
who became a Christian
and when his friends asked him
why
why have you done this
this is what he said.
He said about it's like this
suppose you are going down a road
and the road forks in two different directions
and you don't know which way to go.
And there at the fork
in the road
were two men
one dead
one alive.
Who would you ask for directions?
As the women race
off to tell the disciples
their imaginations
are running wild
on ahead of them
and they meet the risen Jesus
verse 9
He met them
and he said
verse 9
behold Jesus met them
and said greetings
and they came up
and took hold of his feet
and worshipped him.
Then Jesus said to them
do not be afraid
go and tell my brothers
to go to Galilee
and there they will see me.
It is
the most
natural
greeting
in verse 9
I don't think greetings
is a great translation
it's the most natural
hi
if you were in Wales
it would be
Shammai
if you were in Australia
it would be
G'day
if you were in France
it would be
Salud
it's the most natural
greeting
and just notice
the women
fall at his feet
and
there's a really
interesting detail
that's got the
authenticity
marked all over it
they take hold
of his feet
and they worship him
it's not a vision
it's not a
hallucination
it's not an apparition
it is a bodily
and physical resurrection
they grab hold
of his feet
they feel
his
hairy toes
it's that physical
it's not merely
a resurrection
back to this life
because
do you remember
when Lazarus
came out of the tomb
they didn't
worship Lazarus
did they
they didn't
fall at his feet
but no
this is a risen
Jesus
physically raised
from the dead
with feet
you can hold
and Jesus
encourages the women
not to fear
and he gives them
the same job
doesn't he
but the angel
gave them to go
he says
go and tell
the other disciples
and because of that
their world
is turned upside down
you back to chapter 27
and you back to chapter 27
and what are the women
like there
they are powerless
to change the course
of events
can you see that
there's this point
isn't it
and verse 55
in Matthew chapter 27
in the other column
it just says
there were also
many women there
looking on from a distance
who'd followed Jesus
from Galilee
ministering to him
and then if you look
at verse 61
it's the same picture again
he's been buried
in the tomb
and Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary
were there
sitting opposite the tomb
they are helpless
bystanders
they are the most
powerless of people
aren't they
weeping
and they go
on resurrection
morning
to anoint
a dead body
their hopes
have been shattered
the bottoms
formed out
of their world
but by now
by verse 10
of chapter 28
they are centre stage
in God's purposes
their hopes
had literally
been shattered
but now
they're raised to life
their fears
and their tears
have been transformed
into confidence
and joy
and now
these women
are centre stage
in getting the good news
of the gospel out
they are the first
witnesses
to the risen Christ
in a culture
where a woman
couldn't even give
evidence
in a court of law
because
she didn't count
but in the world
of Jesus
women count
and in the world
of Jesus
they are the first
witnesses
to the resurrection
it is a complete
reversal
from helpless
bystanders
to centre stage
in God's purposes
the resurrection
changes everything
lives are turned
upside down
because of the resurrection
because Jesus
has risen from the dead
second group
it changes everything
for is the guards
and I think you've got to
have real
real sympathy
for the guards
on that day
when they turned up
to work
it was a routine
exercise
the guards
were told
your job
for today
is to guard
a dead body
it's a great job
isn't it
what a great job
it's a massive rock
put in front
of the entrance
they seal it
with whatever
they could find
and they are
aren't they
the picture
of human authority
and power
the guards
are the winners
they are the ones
with the weapons
and the capability
they are in command
they are in control
verse 2
behold there was
a great earthquake
for an angel
of the Lord
descended from heaven
and came
and rolled back
the stone
and sat on it
his appearance
was like lightning
and his clothing
white as snow
angels are
really popular
if you go to a bookshop
you'll find lots of books
on angels
if you go to a waitrose
and you cross over the road
there's that kind of
new age place
and they're massively
into angels
as I looked in the window
yesterday
there are angel seminars
you can go into London
but what you find
is that these new angels
what they have in common
is that they will always
give you what you want
Sophie Burnham
in you know that little book
of when you don't know
the little book of angels
you know those little books
that you can get
little books of angels
and she says this
angels always bring us
a calm and peaceful serenity
that descends sweetly upon you
their message is always
don't worry
things are working out
perfectly
you're going to like this
well can you see verse 2
this angel comes
and he brings a splintering
earthquake
he tosses the stone
to one side
and then when he comes
he rests on it
it's a lovely picture
isn't it
here's the symbol
of the closed door
of death
the security
of the sepulchre
and the only respect
he pays for it
is to sit on it
I'm going to wait
this afternoon
I've seen my two
older brothers
the one is 8 years
older than me
the other one is 12
years older than me
and we would have
fought
it was quite unfair
even when I was a
little boy
but how did you know
when the fight between
your siblings was over
think back
how did you know
that you'd lost
when your siblings
fought with you
it's very simple
isn't it
they sat on you
and can you see
that's what the angel
does
it's the only respect
he pays for death
he sits on it
it's a wonderful word
and I want you to see
what is mind-boggling
really
look at verse 2
there is an earthquake
there's an earth
trembling
and then can you see
in verse 4
the guards
the symbol of authority
they tremble
it's the same root word
there's an earthquake
in verse 2
and an earthquake
in verse 4
and they're having
their own earthquake
as they see the angel
and the angel
comes to announce
that Jesus is risen
and the rocks quake
and those whose job
it was
to keep Jesus
from rising
they quake
all they had to do
was keep a dead man
dead
and with all their power
and with all their skill
they couldn't do it
and instead
Matthew says
can you see it
verse 4
it's so brilliantly written
they become like
dead men
their world
is turned upside down
and so what is the message
of the resurrection
the living and the powerful ones
become like dead men
because the dead man
has been raised from the dead
the living and the powerful ones
become like dead men
because the dead man is alive
the resurrection
is about a complete reversal
in the values of our world
because what we think of
as
human power
as great human power
is ultimately
utterly powerless
death itself
so powerful
is now transformed into life
we don't have time to look at it
but verses 11 to 15
there's this remarkable contrast
between the joy
and the obedience of the women
and the way that the guards
reluctantly
go to the chief priests
and tell them what's happened
and the response of the priests
is to do whatever they can
to cover it up
and it's a wonderful little
vignette really
it tells us the resurrection
faces you
with a fundamental choice
either to be like the women
this morning
and fall at Jesus' feet
and worship him
or
you can pretend
for the rest of your life
that you are in control
and you've got the power
and one is the way of deception
and death
and the other is the way of life
the resurrection
turns everything
upside down
not only for the women
and for the guards
but thirdly
and most importantly
for Jesus himself
chapter 27
he is dead and buried
chapter 28
he is alive and kicking
and twice the angel says
that Jesus has been raised
the divine passive
the will of God
was not to leave him
in the grave
but Matthew wants
to take you far deeper
than that
so I want you to look
at verse 18
and I want you to see
how Jesus speaks
after he is raised
from the dead
Jesus says
in verse 18
Jesus came and said
that all authority
in heaven and on earth
has been given to me
it's been given to me
now I think it's
we're all so familiar
with that statement
it's very difficult
for you and I
to understand the scope
of what Jesus is saying
the word authority
is not just naked power
but it's the right to decide
it's the freedom to act
God's own authority
is now Jesus' authority
because God has given it
to him
and Jesus says
my authority is unrestricted
it is unqualified
it is unconditional
and it is an authority
which extends
from the farthest reaches
of outer space
to the smallest
subatomic particle
of matter
Jesus' authority
draws under its canopy
all men
and all women
who have ever lived
and Jesus' authority
does not diminish
over time
it doesn't weaken
with different circumstances
in our lives
do you see what he says
he says
all authority
in heaven and on earth
has been given to me
over angels
over archangels
over demons
over principalities
over might
and over thrones
over the natural world
and over the supernatural world
he now has
the ability
he now has
the freedom
and he now has
the right
and that is very
very important
for you and I
if we are followers
of the Lord Jesus Christ
because there is
no area
and there is
no people
and there is
no culture
and there is
no single being
in all of the universe
who lies
outside the authority
of Jesus Christ
Jesus could not
assert with any
more clarity
is absolute
faultless
consummate
sovereign
dominion
and rule
and command
over all things
there is
nowhere
there is
no one
who is outside
of Jesus' authority
you can shake
your fist today
you can say
I don't believe
you can say
I don't want to believe
it doesn't make
the blindest bit
of difference
and so here is
the man
standing before
his friends
who three or
four days
earlier
was crucified
was risen
from the dead
and he said
all authority
is mine
and I think
that's the key
point
in the whole
of the chapter
all authority
is mine
Jesus says
Jesus happily
receives their
worship
can you see that
verse 9
they worship
him
verse 17
they worship
him
Jesus accepts
that
he is
God
and Jesus
is conscious
that
in the resurrection
there is a new
beginning
there is a new
moment
and that new
moment is marked
by his universal
lordship
and if there's
any doubt
about that
he includes
himself
in the single
name of God
doesn't he
called the
father
son
and holy
spirit
it's name
of God
not names
and this is how
God will be
known from now
on
and so I think
when we come to
this point
we come to the
very heart
of the gospel
and so if you
haven't noticed
how the
Christians
in the book
of Acts
in the immediate
months and years
after the Lord
Jesus
how they preached
this is how they
preached
they said
you rejected
Jesus
as worthless
and irrelevant
but God
has raised
him from
the dead
and enthroned
him in heaven
where he is
Lord and
Christ
let me show you
that in a couple
of cases
because I think
it's so important
let me show you
in Acts chapter 2
ok just click
over with me
to Acts chapter 2
I'll do the page
and what I get
in Acts chapter 2
and it's on page
910
Acts chapter 2
page 910
and this is what
Peter is saying
Peter says
that the congregation
he says
man of Israel
hear this
Jesus of Nazareth
he was a man
attested to you
by God of mighty
works and wonders
and signs that God
did through him
in your midst
you know this
this Jesus
delivered up
according to the
definite plan
and foreknowledge
of God
you crucified
and you killed him
by the hands
of lawless man
God
raised him up
losing the pangs
of death
because it was not
possible of him
to be held by it
he speaks about
how
the resurrection
of Jesus
Jesus coming back
to life
it fulfills
all that had gone
before in the Bible
but you see
what he's saying
he's saying
Jesus was nothing
more than a common
criminal to you
but God's assessment
is very different
and the proof
is the resurrection
so verse 32
and verse 33
this Jesus
raised up
and of that
we are all witnesses
being therefore
exalted at the right
hand of God
and having received
from the Father
the promise of the
Holy Spirit
he has poured
out this
that you yourselves
are seeing
and hearing
and then he comes
to the conclusion
verse 36
let all the house
of Israel
know therefore
for certain
that God
has made him
both Lord
and Christ
this Jesus
whom you
crucified
it's a very
interesting sermon
he does not
say
he does not
say
let all the house
of Israel
know
that Jesus
Christ
is risen
from the dead
and you can
have eternal
life
and you can
get to heaven
and be happy
forever
and you can
get out of
going to hell
and the key
significance of
the resurrection
is that God
has made
Jesus
Lord
and Christ
and I would
say that
it's a very
different gospel
from maybe
sometimes the way
that I preach
the gospel
and certainly
different from
lots of the way
churches preach
the gospel
so the message
is often this
God loves you
very very
very much
and you are
very very
important
and God
wants the
very very
best for you
and that is
true
or you may
hear it
that Jesus
died
an atoning
death
for your
sins
please
come to
Jesus
again that's
true
but I want
you to see
this morning
that isn't
the way
that the
New Testament
preachers
the gospel
they said
to you
listen up
your view
of Jesus
is exactly
the opposite
of God's
and the
proof is
the resurrection
what you
think is
wrong
what you've
done
is wrong
the one
who you
crucified
this morning
now rules
heaven and
earth
we can pick
a half a dozen
other sermons
in that
let me just
pick one more
for you to show
you
Acts chapter 4
verse 2
the priests
are desperately
annoyed
because
verse 2
they were
greatly annoyed
they were mad
because they were
teaching the people
and proclaiming
in Jesus
the resurrection
from the dead
now you go down
to the sermon
in verse 8
and he says
this Peter
filled with the
Holy Spirit
said to them
rulers of the
people and
elders
if we are
being examined
today
concerning a
good deed
we've done
to a cripple
by what means
does this man
be healed
let it be
known to all
of you
and to all
the people
of Israel
that by the
name of
Jesus Christ
of Nazareth
whom you
crucified
you see
that again
it's so
direct
you crucify
him
whom God
has raised
from the
dead
by him
this man
is standing
before you
well
the goodly
end of
verse 11
this
this Jesus
is the stone
who is
rejected by
you
the builders
which has
become the
cornerstone
and there is
salvation in
no one else
for there is
no other name
under heaven
given among
men by which
we must be
saved
so he says
to you this
morning
if you've
rejected Jesus
you've missed
everything
Jesus Christ
is God's
key to
absolutely
everything
and the
proof of
that is
the resurrection
and so
Matthew 28
the point
is this
the resurrection
is a great
reversal
and it's not
just that Jesus
is alive
and stronger
than death
though that is
true wonderful
and we praise
God for that
the key significance
in Matthew 28
is that Jesus
has been given
all authority
on earth to him
he is now
Lord and Christ
and that is the
great reversal
for Jesus
so the reversal
for women
the guards
and Jesus
and then finally
the great reversal
for the disciples
do you remember
where you left
them at the cross
they are scattered
aren't they
and they fled
with their tails
between their legs
Peter has denied
him
Judas has betrayed
him
and the rest of
them are in
hiding
and they gather
again to the
mountain of
Galilee
and the point
of verse 16
to 20
of Matthew 28
is that Jesus
wants to spell
out to his
disciples
to his church
what is the
meaning of the
resurrection
and here is the
message of the
resurrection
if you are a
follower of Jesus
it is not just
life after death
it is not just
our resurrection
but in Matthew's
gospel
the point of the
resurrection
is that Jesus
transforms
transfers
his mission
to his church
that Jesus
mission
becomes
our
mission
as his
people
and that is
why there is
such an emphasis
on Galilee
in this chapter
it was in Galilee
where Jesus
first launched
his mission
and that is
where he is
going to launch
the next stage
of his ministry
when his
disciples
his people
his church
will be the
main players
and so Jesus
continues
to rescue
people
but in a
different way
he says
all authority
in heaven
and on earth
has been
given to me
so when you
hear those words
all authority
in heaven
and on earth
has been
given to me
the big question
is what are
you going to
do with it
and the answer
is he doesn't
say what he's
going to do
with it at all
does he
look at verse
18
all authority
has been
given to me
therefore
you go
and make
disciples
and the
results
and the
consequence
of Jesus
authority
is spelled
out by
what his
church
does on
earth
and you
will know
in verses
19 to
20
that there
are four
commands
in English
there's
go
make
disciples
baptise
teach
but in
the Greek
only one
of them
is a
command
it's
the
command
to
make
disciples
and the
other
three
the going
the baptising
the teaching
they are
all to
serve
the purpose
of making
disciples
and Jesus
complete
authority
over heaven
and earth
is exercised
through his
church
as they
make
disciples
and you
want to
see Jesus
in action
you want
to see
what Jesus
authority
looks like
you see it
most closely
when his
church
make
disciples
the whole
idea of
making
disciples
is not a
bright idea
cooked up by
the navigators
in the
70s
it comes
directly
from
who
Jesus
is
the word
disciple
is a
precious
word
isn't it
what does
the word
disciple
mean
it's
really
simple
a
disciple
means
primarily
a
learner
and when
you become
a Jesus
you become
a lifelong
learner
and you
never reach
a stage
when you've
arrived
you never
reach a
stage
as a
Christian
where you've
got nothing
to learn
following
Jesus
ought to
make you
more
curious
as a
human
being
and the
second
part of
Jesus
being a
disciple
first of
all
it's
being a
learner
and then
secondly
it's
being a
follower
and that
describes
our
personal
attachment
to the
Lord
Jesus
we're not
learning for
the sake
of learning
and the
life of a
disciple
is to be
different
from every
kind of
life
because
our
allegiance
is to
Jesus
that we
love him
and we
want to
know him
and his
ways
it's not
primarily an
intellectual
assignment
opening
up our
kind of
minds
but it
is opening
up of
every
area of
life
as he
hope
opens up
his life
to us
and
Jesus
does not
command us
to be
disciples
but to
make
disciples
of all
nations
and that's
terribly
important
there's
lots of
confusion
about what
the role
of the
church
is and
what the
work
of the
church
is
what is
our
central
purpose
our
central
purpose
is
as
disciple
of
Christ
is to
make
disciples
of the
nations
it's
to do
this
it's
to call
on you
if you
are not
a follower
and a
learner of
the Lord
Jesus
Christ
it is
to call
on you
to change
your
allegiance
today
to call
on him
and to
recognise
that the
one that
you thought
was irrelevant
to your
life
is Lord
and Christ
he is
boss
and it's
to call
on you
to recognise
that Jesus
Christ
whom you
thought
well
it's nice
to go to
church
on Easter
Sunday
morning
and maybe
learn about
him
he is
the one
who has
all
authority
in heaven
on earth
Jesus
doesn't spell
out for his
church how
we are to
do that
but he does
tell us
three things
that it
will involve
going
and so
for us
as a church
if we are
going to
follow this
mandate
of Jesus
we are
going to
constantly
have to be
stirring
ourselves
up from
our comfort
zone
and it
will be
a bother
to us
as a church
family
and if we
make it a
priority in our
lives to see
people make
disciples it
will mean
that we
will have
to give
ourselves
secondly it
will mean
baptising
which is the
way people
come to
identify with
the local
body of
Christ
how they
enter the
church
you cannot
be a
disciple of
Jesus Christ
outside the
church
it's absolute
madness to
think you can
do that
in fact it's
impossible to
do that
and Jesus
is very
clearly saying
here that
discipleship is
a church
activity
and you
are not a
disciple unless
you are bound
up with other
disciples
and thirdly it
will involve
teaching you to
observe all
that I
commanded you
and so it's
not the aim
that you'll be
kind of a
master of
biblical theology
but that our
lives will be
recognisably
different by who
we follow and
what we know
as a
comprehensiveness
is in all
things we
have to teach
and the key
to those all
things all
those things
are to lead
to that main
mission that
Jesus left
for us of
making disciples
of the
nations
and the book
finishes with
this enormous
encouragement
isn't it
an enormous
encouragement from
the risen Jesus
whom belongs
all authority
that when we
go along with
his mission
he says I
will be with
you till the
end of the
age
gospel of
Matthew
so beautifully
written it
begins with
Emmanuel
God with
us
and it
finishes with
the risen
Christ saying
I am with
you to the
end of the
age
and Jesus
is not saying
I'm about to
head up my
way to heaven
leaving you
to do all
the work
Jesus says
to us as a
church family
I am deeply
invested
I am promising
my personal
companionship
with you
every day
so it
doesn't matter
what circumstances
you are in
as a disciple
of Jesus
it doesn't
matter whether
you feel it
or not
he is with
you
and his
presence is
not intermittent
in success
or in failure
in joy
or in sorrow
in youth
or in old
age
he will never
leave the
disciple of
Christ
alone
and so
in conclusion
the question
for us
as a church
is how
are we
on board
with his
mission
because the
resurrection
of Jesus
Christ
changes
everything
and if you
are somebody
who has
stumbled in
here this
morning
as a
visitor
we want
to say
you are
very
welcome
but have
you realised
as we
have to
realise
that it
was my
sin
I
crucified
Jesus
Christ
I
thought
he was
irrelevant
I
thought
he didn't
matter
I
thought
he was
a footnote
in history
but God
has
raised him
from the
dead
and he
is Lord
and Christ
and so
bend your
stubborn
knee
and bow
before him
because Jesus
Christ has
all authority
in heaven
and on earth
and one
day you
will meet
him
and one
day I
will meet
him
and on
that day
his authority
will be
clearly seen
and on
that day
you may
bow your
knee then
but it
will be
too late
and so
the message
of resurrection
Sunday is
praise the
Lord
he is risen
indeed
but make
sure you
submit to
him
and make
sure you
bow before
him
and if you
do so he
will never
leave you
and he
will never
forsake you
let's pray
Thank you.