Do you share the Good News? – Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20

Do you share the Good News? – Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20
By Pastor Lee Hemen
April 20, 2014 AM

“What a wonderful Easter service we had this morning,” gushed a mother as she and her family drove home. “So, what do we do about Christ’s resurrection,” asked her older daughter. “What do you mean, honey?” “I mean Christ’s resurrection supposedly changed everything. We say it changed our life. It seems to me we should be doing more to indicate Christ has made a difference in us and He wants to make a difference in others.” It made the mother realize that she needed to share the good news with others joyfully and more consistently. Let me ask you, “How does your celebration of Easter influence your daily service for Christ?”

As Sunday morning dawned, two women went to visit the tomb of Jesus. Suddenly an earthquake occurred, and an angel of God rolled back and sat on the stone at the entrance of the tomb. He told the women not to fear because Jesus had been raised from the dead. The angel then instructed the women to tell Jesus’ disciples He was alive and would meet them in Galilee. Later, the disciples met Jesus on a mountain in Galilee. Jesus told them all authority had been given to Him and instructed them to share the good news with the world. Their resurrection experience changed their lives. It caused them to desire to share the Good News, let’s see why…

READ: Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20

Our resurrection experience should cause us to…

I. Share the Good News Eagerly! (Matthew 28:1-7)


After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Sunday, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 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. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that 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. 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 28:1-7 NIV)

  1. After Jesus died, He was buried in a new tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea (Matt. 27:57-60). Visiting the tomb on Saturday was forbidden by Jewish regulations; but as soon as Sunday began to dawn, two women went to the tomb. All of the Gospels mention Mary Magdalene as being among the women who visited Jesus’ tomb and saw the resurrected Jesus. The other Mary may refer to the mother of James and Joseph. Luke relates that the women came to anoint Jesus’ body (Luke 24:1) and perhaps to mourn and pray at the site of Jesus’ burial. When Jesus died, an earthquake had shaken Jerusalem (Matt. 27:51). As the women arrived at the tomb, another earthquake shook the area. In the Old Testament, earthquakes sometimes indicated God’s presence. Through this earthquake and the descending angel, God announced His presence to the women at the tomb. The angel rolled back the stone that sealed the tomb, not to let Jesus out but so the women could enter and confirm the tomb lay empty. Jesus had already risen from the dead. The angel simply assured the women of Jesus’ victory over death. The angel then triumphantly sat on the stone. Humans had rolled the stone before the tomb’s entrance to seal the crucified Jesus inside forever, but neither stone nor death could contain Him. God raised His Son Jesus from the dead. Victory and joy replaced death and loss. The angel’s appearance reflected God’s glory. In fact, “The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.” How ironic the soldiers assigned to guard a dead body became like dead men themselves while the corpse they guarded was raised to life! The angel tells the women, however, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.” The angel brought news of great joy, not of condemnation. The angel told the women they would not find Jesus in the tomb because He had been resurrected from the dead. The angel encourages them with, “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay!” The invitation indicated the women had the correct location. Then they are instructed to go tell the disciples Jesus had been raised from the dead and would meet them in Galilee as He had said. They were instructed to share the Good News eagerly!

  EXAMPLE: We all have experienced events in life so wonderful and joyous we could not wait to share them with everyone we saw. We eagerly knocked on doors, made telephone calls, and sent e-mails. We need to share the good news of Jesus’ resurrection in the same way with others, knowing their lives can be changed by Jesus even as ours have. Why is the good news of Christ’s resurrection exciting to you? We discover that the women were instructed to share the Good News eagerly!

Our resurrection experience should cause us to…

II. Share the Good News Joyfully! (Matthew 28:8-10)

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:8-10 NIV)

  1. Although the angel invited the women to enter the tomb and see for themselves Jesus was not there and Matthew does not indicate whether they did. Instead, he specified they obeyed the angel’s command to go quickly and tell Jesus’ disciples. The angel’s words had not completely removed their fear, but his announcement of Jesus’ resurrection had given them a joy they had not possessed and enabled them to obey his instructions. As the women ran to tell the disciples the good news, Jesus suddenly met and greeted them. The word Greetings translates a Greek word that served as a typical greeting in Jesus’ day, much like our greeting hello. Yet the Greek word can also mean rejoice. Both meanings fit the account beautifully. Jesus greeted the women as devoted friends but also encouraged them to rejoice at His resurrection. The women immediately recognized Jesus and rushed to Him. The statement they clasped His feet emphasizes Jesus’ physical body. As the women grasped Jesus’ feet, their hands did not pass through a ghostly apparition. Their hands touched flesh supported by underlying muscle tissue and bone. Jesus rose from the dead not as a disembodied ghost but as a person with a physical body people could touch and hold. Seeing Jesus led the women to worship Him. Through Elijah and Elisha God had raised individuals to life. In each case they were an instrument for God. Jesus also had raised the dead during His ministry. Yet no human stood before Jesus’ tomb and called Him forth. God raised His Son to life, indicating Jesus’ Deity and authority. Earlier the women would have reserved worship only for God; but here they worshiped Jesus, whose resurrection clearly indicated His oneness with God. Jesus repeated the angel’s instructions but chose the significant word brothers to describe His disciples. In His greatest hour of crisis just a few days earlier, the disciples had abandoned Jesus. One had denied Him. Rather than condemn them for their lack of faith, Jesus forgave them, referring to them as part of His family. Jesus invited them and invites us to join Him in the work of sharing the Good News joyfully!

  EXAMPLE: How can you help others to experience the joy you have as a Christian? The disciples had failed and would fail again just as we fail to be the people God calls us to be. Yet Jesus stated, “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:50 NIV), inviting us to work with Him in helping individuals find faith and life in Him. Despite the women’s fear, joy overwhelmed them when they saw the risen Jesus. We share our faith out of joy, not out of guilt. Through our confession of faith Jesus has saved us and has made us part of His family! God’s great gifts to us through Christ lead us to share the good news of Christ’s resurrection so others might experience the joy we know. We should share the Good News joyfully!

Our resurrection experience should cause us to…

III. Share the Good News Everywhere! (Matt. 28:16-20)

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped 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.” (Matthew 28:16-20 NIV)

  1. By mentioning the eleven disciples Matthew reminds us of Judas’s betrayal and suicide. Despite Judas’s tragic rejection of Jesus, the remaining disciples had a task to do (just as we do). Matthew did not record the specific mountain, they knew where to go. Just as mountains like Sinai served as sacred meeting places between God and humans in the Old Testament, so Jesus used mountains as places where people could encounter Him. It provided a fitting place for Jesus’ final instructions. When the disciples saw Jesus, they worshiped Him just as the women had done earlier; but some doubted. It refers not to unbelief but to hesitation or uncertainty. Why would some of the disciples have been hesitant or uncertain at seeing Jesus? Perhaps Jesus looked somewhat different (as He had at His transfiguration), and the disciples at first could not positively identify Him. Perhaps they feared Jesus’ response to their failure to stand with Him. Perhaps the reports of Jesus’ resurrection and then His appearance overwhelmed them since they did not expect to see Him again. We may suppose if we had been there, we would have been among the believers rather than the doubters. Yet we need to admit we too sometimes hesitate and doubt Jesus. Events sometimes overwhelm us, and the challenge of following Christ can prove daunting. Jesus did not berate them but invited them to join the work of spreading the kingdom of God. Jesus tells His disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Jesus’ resurrection validated His teachings and miracles, Jesus is the Messiah! “Therefore,” Jesus tells them, “go and make disciples of all nations”! The Greek term make disciples serves as the main verb of verses 19-20. Go and baptizing, as well as teaching are participles and subordinate to make disciples. Jesus commands followers through the ages to make disciples, which involves going, baptizing, and teaching! We need to go as Jesus commanded us to help others become maturing, committed disciples. We do not do it on our own, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus’ authority and presence empowered His disciples then and still empowers us today! Jesus’ first disciples did not evangelize and disciple based on their strength. Following Christ requires us to share the Good News everywhere!

  EXAMPLE: Matthew began his Gospel declaring Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14, the prophecy for a virgin to bear a son named Immanuel, “God with us” (Matt. 1:23). Matthew ended his Gospel assuring us Jesus will be with us until His return at the end of history. The resurrection of Jesus continues to fill us with joy and hope today. Jesus’ resurrection also requires a response from us. We need to let others know salvation and new life are possible through Him. Let me ask you, “How can you participate in making disciples in your community and around the world?” Easter is a wonderful time for Christians to recommit themselves to share the Good News everywhere!

Conclusion:
We need to eagerly share the good news of Jesus’ resurrection.
We need to joyfully share the good news of Jesus’ resurrection.
We can share the good news of Jesus’ resurrection with all peoples.

This article is copyrighted © 2014 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

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