This is Matthew chapter 28, Matthew chapter 28.
So Matthew's Gospel chapter 28.
And we're going to read the last few verses.
Matthew 28 starting at verse 16.
Let's hear God's word together.
Starting at verse 16.
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.
Then 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,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.
Well, let's pray.
Our Father, as we have just read your word,
it is so familiar to us.
We can say the verses perhaps by heart,
or at least we know the main points of what we've just read.
They're etched in our memory.
And yet they are so crucial to us today
that it can just wash over us
and it can soon be forgotten.
And so we pray that what is known to us,
what we hear and what we know to be true,
that by your Spirit you would drive this home to our hearts.
and you would work in us,
not just individually,
but corporately as your family here today.
And do a great work
that would lead to people coming to faith in this town
and will lead to people coming to faith
in other parts of the world.
So we ask,
pour out your Spirit upon us today.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
Well, over the month of April,
we've been looking at the Easter account.
We jumped from chapter 13 to the end of Matthew
and we'll be going back again next week
to pick up where we left off.
And in particular,
we've been looking at the trial,
death and resurrection of Jesus.
But the Easter account is not over
when the resurrection happens.
There's one more vital piece of the story.
You remember last week
that we looked at the women
being the first eyewitnesses
of the risen Jesus.
We pick it up in verse 9,
chapter 28.
The angels had told them to go
and they met Jesus
and Jesus said,
Greetings.
And they came to him,
clasped his feet
and worshipped him.
Then Jesus said to the women,
Do not be afraid.
Go and tell my brothers,
that's the disciples,
to go to Galilee,
which was about a three-day walk
north of Jerusalem
and there they will see me.
So, back down to verse 16,
the eleven disciples
went to Galilee,
to the mountain
where Jesus had told them to go.
And what follows in these verses
are the words of the risen Jesus
and they have huge significance
for each one of us today.
Three things Jesus tells us.
Submit to my authority,
obey my command
and trust my promise.
Submit, obey and trust.
So first,
submit to the authority
of the risen Jesus.
Look at verse 18.
Jesus came to them
and said,
All authority
in heaven and on earth
has been given to me.
Now that's an extraordinary statement
for someone to say.
Jesus claims
to have a universal authority
over all things
and all people.
In heaven
and on earth.
nothing and no one
he says
is outside my rule
or my control.
Now you go and say that
to somebody tomorrow
and see what kind of response
you get.
You see,
it's one thing
to claim supreme authority
but how on earth
do you prove it?
Well,
three things I think
will help us see
the authority
of Jesus.
First,
it's received
from the Father.
Did you see what he says
in verse 18?
This authority
has been given
to me.
Jesus receives
his authority
from God the Father.
And for us to understand
what this means
we need to go
to Acts 2
where this is explained.
So just jump forward
to Acts 2.
Matthew,
Mark,
Luke,
John
and then Acts.
So in Acts 2
this is about
six weeks
after the events
that Matthew
records.
So it's about
six weeks later.
And Peter,
one of the disciples
who's listened
to Jesus
on the mountain
is preaching
about the death
and resurrection
of Jesus.
And this is what
he says.
We pick it up
in verse 32.
God has raised
this Jesus
to life
and we are all
witnesses
to it.
Exalted
to the right hand
of God.
So to be exalted
to the right hand
of God
is to be given
the position
of authority
and power.
Verse 36.
Therefore,
let all Israel,
this is his audience
at the time,
let all Israel
be assured of this.
God has made
this Jesus
whom you crucified
both Lord
and Christ.
God declares
that the crucified
Jesus
is now
the risen
Lord
and Messiah.
This is not
an opinion poll.
It's not a case
of hands up here
who thinks
Jesus has authority.
No,
Jesus has been
given authority.
He is declared
to be the God
King
who rules
over all things
and all people.
So he receives
it from the Father
and it is
proved
by the resurrection.
So again,
look at verse 32.
God
has raised
this Jesus
to life
and we are
witnesses of it.
Jesus
had submitted
himself to death
on the cross
trusting
that the Father
would raise him
from the dead
and that's what
God the Father
did.
He raised
Jesus
and people
like the disciples
saw him,
heard him,
ate with him,
touched him.
This was the
physical,
bodily
resurrection
of Jesus.
He was dead
and he is now
raised
never to die
again.
So the resurrection
proves
the authority
that he has
received.
So if you were
to ask Jesus,
Jesus,
how do you
have all authority?
Well,
because I was
raised by the
Father
to rule
over all people
and all
powers.
Without the
resurrection,
Jesus is just
another crackpot.
But he was
seen to be
raised
and he now
has
all
authority.
So it was
received from
the Father,
proved by the
resurrection
and then third,
declared
on the mountain.
Let's go back
to Matthew
chapter 28.
Back at
verse 16.
The disciples,
Jesus says,
I want you,
I'm going to
meet you
up the
mountain.
Why go up
a mountain?
Now we've
already learned
this from
Matthew,
remember back
in chapter 5,
that mountains
have huge
significance
in the
Bible.
And Jesus
is taking
us back
once again
to a
significant
event
back at
Mount Sinai
in Exodus
in the Old
Testament
where God
had rescued
his people
from slavery
and God
called Moses
up the
mountain
to speak
to him.
And this
is what
God said.
Here it is
on the screen.
Out of all
the nations
you will be
my treasured
possession.
Although the
whole earth
is mine
you will be
for me
a kingdom
of priests
and a
holy nation.
Because I've
saved you,
God says,
you will be
my treasured
possession.
You will be
a kingdom
of priests.
You are to
represent God
to the people.
You are a
holy nation.
You are to
reflect God
to the people.
But now
what do we
see at the
end of
Matthew
chapter 28?
Jesus once
again
gathers
his disciples,
his treasured
possession
on the
mountain.
He speaks
with a
divine
authority.
Be my
people.
Represent
me.
Reflect
me in
the world
into which
I am going
to send
you.
Jesus
comes
as the
risen
king
who has
saved us
from sin
and death
and has
given us
new life.
You see,
this is not
a democracy
where we go
to the ballot
box and we
vote whether
Jesus has
authority or
not.
This is about
sovereignty.
It means
he does
rule whether
we accept
it or
reject it.
he rules
over my
life and
he rules
over your
life.
He rules
over your
work,
over your
free time,
over your
money,
every second
of every
day.
He rules
it.
Your life
belongs to
him.
So what
is our
response
to the
one with
absolute
power and
supreme
authority?
What's our
response?
well the
only right
response is
to submit
to him,
to bow in
joyful submission
to the
God King
who submitted
himself to
death for
you and
for me.
In
thankfulness
I surrender
my life to
the one who
gave me
life.
So first
we submit
to the
authority of
the risen
Jesus.
Second,
we obey
the command
of the
risen
Jesus.
You see,
if Jesus
has all
authority,
then he
has the
right to
command
things.
I don't
have any
right to
command
anybody.
But what
do we see
verse 19?
Jesus says,
therefore,
because I
have this
authority,
therefore go
and make
disciples of
all nations,
baptizing them
in the name
of the
Father and
of the
Son and
of the
Holy Spirit
and teaching
them to
obey everything
I have
commanded you.
The command
is not
difficult,
is it?
It's crystal
clear and as
I went
through this,
my main
thing I kept
telling myself
was,
don't make it
complicated.
Don't mess
up what is
already simple
and clear.
So let's
look at what
these commands
are.
There's three
main ones.
First,
make disciples.
This is the
primary and
central command
of this text,
making
disciples.
That's our
purpose.
If you're
wondering what
your purpose
is, that's
what disciples
do.
We make
more
disciples.
A disciple
is someone
who simply
follows Jesus
and therefore
calls others
to follow
Jesus.
Remember what
Jesus said
to his
disciples when
he first
called them,
come follow
me and I
will what?
I will make
you fishers
of people.
That's the
king's desire
and that's
what the
king's people
should desire.
Make
disciples.
But how
do we make
a disciple?
How does
that happen?
Well,
first we
announce
the gospel.
Look at
verse 19
because you're
saying,
well, where
does it say
that?
Well, we're
told to
baptise
people.
And what's
baptism?
Baptism is a
response
to the
gospel.
Verse 20,
we're to
teach
people.
Who are we
teaching?
Those who
have believed
the gospel.
Therefore,
the implication
is we
first need
to announce
the gospel.
Disciples
are ambassadors.
We started
with that
in 2 Corinthians
5.
We're ambassadors
bringing an
announcement
from the
king.
What are
you if you're
a Christian?
You're an
ambassador.
We announce
the good news
that Jesus
is king
and that he's
going to be
king forever.
God's king
who has
come to
redeem
broken lives
and restore
this disordered
world.
We declare
that God
through Jesus
has crushed
evil,
defeated
death,
so that we
could enter
into his
eternal kingdom.
And one day
this risen
king is going
to come back
in power
and glory
and he's
going to put
everything
right.
this is what
God has
achieved
and will
achieve
through his
son.
You see
Christianity
is never
anything
we do
for God.
Christianity
is always
about what
God has
done
for us.
So we
simply
announce
this good
news
about Jesus.
We
announce
the gospel
and we
baptise
verse 19.
We baptise
them in the
name of the
Father and
the Son and
the Spirit
because baptism
is a public
declaration
of an
internal
reality.
It's saying
that I've
now turned
from living
my own
way and
living under
my own
authority and
submitting to
my life
but now I've
turned and I
trust in
Jesus the
King and I
submit to
his authority
and I
obey
his
commands.
So as I
go under
the water
in baptism
I am
declaring that
Jesus died
for me
and as I
come out of
the water
I am
declaring
Jesus was
raised for
me.
It's an
outward
expression
of my
trust
in Jesus.
So let
me ask
you
how will
people know
if you're
a follower
of Jesus
and that
you're a
disciple
through our
baptism?
If you're a
Christian
how will
people know
you're a
Christian?
Through
baptism
because baptism
marks out
those who
are his
disciples.
It identifies
who follows
Jesus.
So if you're a
Christian here
today and
you say
yes I'm a
disciple
I follow
Jesus.
well have
you been
baptized?
And what
possible answer
are you going
to give
to that
question?
We're
baptized in
response
to what
Jesus has
done for
us.
To declare
to identify
to hold
our cards
up high
to say
yes I'm
a follower
of Jesus.
So why
don't you
talk to me
afterwards?
If you
say you're
a disciple
and you're
not yet
baptized
come talk
to me.
I'd love
to talk
to you
about that.
Third
we teach
we baptize
we teach
and let's
get this
clear we
don't teach
people to
obey who
are not
disciples.
We're not
going out
there and
saying listen
you're to
do this
and you're
to do
that.
No we
announce to
unbelievers
what Jesus
has done
and when
people have
received when
people believe
in Jesus
then we
live a life
of obedience
and we
want to
learn more
about Jesus
and that's
what we're
doing right
now.
We're a
gathering of
disciples who
are learning
what it means
to obey and
follow Jesus.
what are
his commands?
We read
them in
his word.
How am I
going to
follow them
and put
them into
practice?
We learn
together and
that's what we
do in our
home groups.
We're
together
studying
God's
word to
learn about
all the
things that
he commands
us to do
as his
people and
how we
should live
as a
Christian in
the world.
That's why
we make it
a priority
to gather
together as
his people.
So we
announce the
good news,
we baptise
people as a
sign of their
faith and
we teach them
the word of
God of what
it means to
follow Jesus.
It's really
not complicated
is it?
It's really
simple.
But that's
not all.
We make
disciples of
who?
of all
nations.
Verse 19.
Therefore go
and make
disciples of
all nations.
Nations
here is not
the political
divisions and
the geographical
borders and
lines that we
see in our
maps today.
It's the
different people
groups of the
world of
which there's
well there's
more than
15,000
different people
groups.
In other
words there's
no tribe or
language or
people that
are excluded
from hearing
about the
good news of
Christ.
In particular
the people
groups that
don't have
any or
very few
disciples in
them.
So we
heard if you
were listening
to Leticia
the Berber
is that right?
The Berber
people and
the people
from
Kabul.
Yeah?
So these
are all
people groups.
Or we
think of
the people
group in
Azad
Kashmir
where we
pray for
Mickey.
That land
sandwiched
between India
and Pakistan.
There's about
five million
people living
there and
four hundred
disciples.
people of
every tribe
and every
language and
every people
group gathering
together to
be his
disciples to
be with him
in his
eternal
kingdom.
A people
from all
over the
world from
Karigaline
and beyond
who will
follow him
and worship
him.
That's
God's
desire.
That's his
plan.
And how
do we do
it?
How do we
make disciples
of all
nations?
As
we go.
That's the
meaning of
verse 19.
It's better
to think of
it like this.
As you
go,
make
disciples
of all
nations.
In other
words,
it's not an
activity to
add to the
list when
we have
time.
It's what
we do
as we go
about our
lives.
Our
priority
as a
disciple
is to
make
more
disciples.
Now that
should change
everything.
Our
priority in
life is not
to get a
job and
earn a
good salary,
as important
as that is,
but as
we work
and as
we earn
our salaries
to make
disciples.
That's
what we
do.
Our
purpose is
not to
give our
children the
very best
possible
education
that we
can give
them,
but as
we raise
our
children
to make
them
disciples.
Our
goal in
life is
not to
get married
and live
a comfortable
life,
but wherever
we live
and whatever
our status
in life
may be,
to make
disciples.
Our
aim each
week is
not to
get healthier
and fitter,
but as we
eat our
salads and
as we
go to
the gym,
make
disciples.
You see,
unless we're
making
disciples,
we're not
a disciple.
Or let
me put it
another way,
we cannot
be disciples
and not
make
disciples.
Yes,
we can
pray for
people to
go,
yes,
we can
support
people
financially,
those things
are vital
and crucial,
we can
open up
our homes
to people,
we can
agree and
say,
yes,
the nations,
the unreached
people groups
of the world,
they must
be reached.
But unless
we are
personally
involved,
unless we
are intentionally,
each one of
us,
introducing
people to
Jesus and
helping others
to follow
Jesus,
we're not
a disciple
because that's
what a
disciple is.
making
disciples is
not for
the gifted
few,
but for
the privilege
of every
single one
of us.
So what's
our response
to the one
with all
authority,
the risen
Jesus who
commands us
to go and
make disciples?
What are you
going to say
to that command
today?
yes,
I will
obey.
We will
gladly and
willingly
prioritise
my life
around this
one command.
where you
say,
how do I
do that?
How could I
be involved
in making
disciples?
Well,
have you
heard of
the rock?
Have you
heard of
rooted?
Have you
heard of
polo?
They're all
things that
happen and
they would
all love to
have other
people help
out.
that's
one way.
It might
work for
you,
but that
is one
way to
think about.
That each
one of us
can be
involved in
picking up
our Bibles
with another
person in
the life of
the church,
meeting with
them to
read it and
to pray
together as
we encourage
each other to
obey everything
and to teach
each other
God's word.
that's
making a
disciple,
gathering
around his
word and
encouraging
others in
that word.
What
better or
greater offering
of thanks
can we give
to God
than to
make
another
person a
disciple?
That would
be the
greatest
offering that
we could
ever give.
love.
It's what
God is
doing and
it's what
he's calling
us to do.
So we
obey the
command of
Jesus.
Third,
we trust the
promise of the
risen Jesus.
Thankfully,
this command to
go is not
something we're
to do alone.
look at the
end of verse
20.
And surely
I am with
you always
to the very
end of the
age.
Now,
there's two
promises here
given for
our encouragement.
Here's the
first promise.
I am with
you always.
Remember who
Jesus is
talking to,
first of all,
in verse 17.
Do you see
who he's
talking to?
When they
saw him,
they worshipped
him,
but some
doubted.
Now,
isn't that
interesting?
The disciples
that he's
calling to
go into
world mission
some
worshipped,
some
doubted.
Or again,
the translation
is more,
they believe,
but they
don't believe.
There's a
mixture of
trusting and
doubting.
Yes,
yes,
we can do
this.
No,
I can't do
this.
Yes,
I want to
follow.
I'm not
sure I can
follow.
Sound a bit
like me.
Sounds a bit
like you.
Isn't that
us?
Worshippers
and doubters,
yes,
no.
We struggle,
don't we?
That's why
these words
are so
comforting.
He says,
I will be
with you
always.
The promise
that he
will be
with us
in the
task of
making
disciples.
That doesn't
mean he's
physically
with us,
holding us
by the
hand,
but he's
present in
every one
of us
by the
power of
his Holy
Spirit.
That means
the one
with all
authority
goes with
us
with his
authority.
The God
King who
rules over
all things
in heaven
and on
earth
is present
with me.
There is no
situation or
circumstance
of which he
doesn't have
control of.
There is no
power or
person over
which he
does not
reign.
there is no
barrier or
obstacle which
he cannot
overcome.
He crushed
evil and
he defeated
death.
Who else
do you want
to go with
you?
And he is
with you.
He is
present.
This God
is with you
always.
Who made
the universe
is with you.
You see he
not only
commands me
to go,
he enables
me and
equips me
as I go.
He will
help me
in my
fears
and boy
do I
fear.
And he
will help
me what
to say
because I
never know
what to
say.
Trust his
promise and
he will be
with you.
But there is
another promise
to the ends
of the age.
I am with
you always to
the very ends
of the age.
You are
saying this is
for the
disciples.
No it is
not.
It is for
all disciples
to the very
ends of
the age.
You see
this is a
promise that
the task
of disciple
making
will be
fulfilled.
Because a
day is
coming when
the Lord
Jesus is
going to
return again
and he
will welcome
all his
disciples into
his eternal
kingdom.
I am
looking forward
to that.
But it
hasn't
happened just
yet.
Because the
work is still
going on.
And his
plan and
his purpose
is not
going to
fail.
In fact
his promise
is a
reminder that
this is
primarily
God's
work.
It is
not that
God
assists us
in making
disciples and
it is not
that we
somehow have
to assist
God in
making
disciples.
It
pleases
God to
do his
work through
us.
Through people
like you
and me.
You see
if anyone
is to
become a
disciple.
It is
God
working
through
them.
The point
is that
what he
has promised
he will
accomplish.
Jesus has
already told
us this.
Go back
to chapter
24
and verse
14.
chapter
24
and verse
14.
Here
Jesus has
been talking
about
the end
of time
and he
tells us
all sorts
of different
things that
we can
see happening
and will
happen.
There will
be wars,
there will
be disasters,
all kinds
of things
will be
going on
and that's
what we
see happening
right now.
But he
also tells
us this
in chapter
24
verse 14.
In the
midst of
all the
turmoil
he says
and this
gospel of
the kingdom
will be
preached
in the
whole world
as a
testimony to
all nations
and then
the end
will come.
That's the
promise.
this gospel
of the
kingdom
is going
to be
proclaimed
to all
nations
and there
is no
one and
nothing
that can
ever stop
it.
Even over
those people
where there's
a threat
over their
life for
holding a
Bible in
their hand
those people
are being
reached
with the
gospel.
God will
work through
his people
he will
make
disciples
and when
that job
is fulfilled
then
Jesus will
return again.
When is
he coming?
I don't
know.
But while
we're waiting
we're making
disciples.
So as you
go
as we
go
as God's
people
believe the
promise
I am with
you always.
to the
very end
of the
age.
I hope
I haven't
complicated
it
because it's
really clear
isn't it?
And it
all hinges
on the
resurrection.
Do you
believe in
the resurrection
of Jesus
Christ from
the dead?
Do you
believe he's
risen?
What difference
is that going
to make to
us?
I must
submit to
him.
Submit to
his authority.
I must
obey his
command
and I
must trust
his promise.
We're
disciple
makers.
That's our
job.
Let's pray
for his
help.
Father God,
thank you
for the
disciples
that you
have brought
into our
life.
People who
announced
the gospel
to us.
Thank you
for people
who discipled
us and
taught us
your word
to give us
understanding
of what it
means to
follow you.
We thank
you for
them.
Perhaps
some of
them have
already
passed and
are now
with the
Lord.
We
remember
them.
And we
thank you
for them,
whether it
was a
parent,
a friend,
somebody in
our church.
Thank you
for those
that bothered
to teach
us and
make it
their
priority.
Father,
we are
today living
in our
generation.
Help us
together to
be about
your work,
your business
of making
disciples.
Help us
to trust
you,
that you
are with
us to
the very
end of
the age
and the
very end
of our
life.
Until we
are with
you,
we will
see you.
So go
before us.
Help us
to be
your
disciple
makers
for your
glory
and for
your
praise.
In
Jesus'
name.
Amen.
Well, we
are going
to sing
in response.
And as
we sing,
let this
song be
your
prayer.
Let this
song be a
prayer for
all of us
together.
The task
is unfinished.
The Lord
is not yet
returned.
Let us
go into
this week
and make
Christ
known.
Let's
stand
together as
we sing.