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 Retired Pastor Lee Hemen

August 1, 2021

As a family drove home from worship the mother exclaimed, “What a wonderful service we had this morning!” The oldest daughter from the backseat asked, “So, what do we do about Christ’s resurrection?” “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 worship influence your daily service for Christ?”

As Sunday morning dawned, two lowly women walked to the tomb of Jesus. An earthquake occurs, and an angel of God rolls back the stone at the entrance of the tomb and sits on it. He tells the women not to be afraid because Jesus had risen from the dead. What occurs next will forever change 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 Immediately! (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. Jesus was buried in a new tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea (Matt. 27:57-60). Visiting tombs on the Sabbath (Saturday) was forbidden by Jewish laws; but as soon as Sunday began to dawn, two women went to the tomb. All of the Gospels mention Mary Magdalene as being one of the women who visited Jesus’ tomb and saw the resurrected Jesus. The other Mary may refer to the mother of Jesus or of James and Joseph. Luke relates that the women came to anoint Jesus’ body (Luke 24:1) and perhaps to mourn and pray. When Jesus died, an earthquake had shaken Jerusalem (Matt. 27:51) and as the women arrived another earthquake shakes the area. Now earthquakes often indicated God’s presence in Scripture. Through this earthquake and the descending angel, God announces his presence. 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 was empty. Jesus had already risen from the dead. It was an assurance 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 but neither a stone nor death could contain him. Grief is replaced with joy! The angel’s appearance reflected God’s glory: “The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.” How ironic that the war-harden 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 brings wonderful news of great joy, not of criticism. The angel tells the women they would not find Jesus in the tomb because “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay!” The women had the correct location. Then they are instructed to go tell the disciples Jesus had risen and he would meet them in Galilee as he had said he would. 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 share with others, make phone calls, and send e-mails or texts. Perhaps we even posted the good news online in SnapChat or Facebook. 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 immediately!

Our resurrection experience should also 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 their selves Jesus was not there and Matthew does not indicate whether they did however I tend to think they most likely did because of what they later declare. Instead, Matthew relates 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 before 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. Elijah and Elisha 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, Jesus himself, rose to life, indicating his Deity and authority. Earlier the women would have reserved worship only for God; but here they worshiped Jesus, whose resurrection clearly indicated he was God. Jesus repeats the angel’s instructions but chooses “brothers” to describe his disciples. Interestingly in his greatest hour of crisis just a few days earlier, these “brothers” had abandoned Jesus and yet it was to these women he first appears. One disciple denied him three times. 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 we help others to experience the joy we have as Christians? I agree with what Alyson Kieda writes: “I’m fast approaching a new season—the ‘winter’ of old age—but I’m not there yet. Even though the years are galloping by and sometimes I’d like to slow them down, I have joy that sustains me. Each day is a new day given me by the Lord.” Like the Psalmist who sang, “It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night. (Psalms 92:1-2 NIV)” Jesus leads us to share the good news of his resurrection so others might experience the joy we know. We should share the Good News joyfully!

Our resurrection experience should finally cause us to…

III. Share the Good News Everywhere! (Matthew 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 tacitly 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 like 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 the 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 or feelings – they did so because Jesus told them to “go”. Following Christ requires us to share the Good News everywhere!

 EXAMPLE: Years ago I knew a young man who like D. L. Moody determined to share his faith as often as possible. One afternoon he had forgotten his lunch and as he sat at the bus stop he began to pray about it reminding himself that God promised to “give us each day our daily bread”. When he opened his eyes there was a brown paper bag. Inside were a sandwich, an apple, and chips. He looked around for its owner but there was no one in sight. He began praising God for his care when a lady sat next to him and wondered why he was so happy. He was able to share what had occurred and she desired to know more about Jesus whom this young man trusted. Let me ask you, “How can you participate in making disciples in your community and around the world?” Worship is a wonderful time for Christians to recommit themselves to share the Good News everywhere!

Conclusion:

We need to immediately 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 everywhere!

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This article is copyrighted © 2021 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.