Go and Tell
Date: 14 April, 2022
Text: Matthew 28
Introduction:
Have you ever had some news that you could not wait to share?
ill. Our family often had baby announcements. :) We'd try to get the kids involved and give them opportunities to tell someone. (It's fun to be the one telling others who didn't know.)
exp. It's hard to keep from telling something really exciting
- it's almost like a dam about to burst if you keep it in.
- that's why you don't tell secrets - unless you want the secrets to be told.
Sunday PM - time to catch up with Kay Lee....
- if something significant has happened in the week - we tell her.
- if someone purchased something - she finds out about it.
- if someone is slow to share their own news - it may get shared for them.
It's also fun to share unusual things - like trivia or unusual happenings.
ill. In primary school - our teacher would sometimes ask us to bring something for "show and tell."
exp. As a p3 student I couldn't wait for one show and tell, because I had just recovered from surgery and had an xray that showed I had 3 kidneys. (Really a duplex kidney on 1 side.)
quote: NHS, UK - The world 'duplex' is Latin for 'double' so having a duplex kidney literally means that the child has a double kidney on one side. Some of our patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital who have this condition are proud to boast that they have three kidneys!
exp. Our story today contains elements of all of the above - it is news that you can't keep to yourself.
- It's an amazing story of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Jesus loved to tell it.)
Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
- It's a story that has impacted us on a personal level. (It has become our story.)
Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
IT'S A STORY - that spread like a wild fire - as soon as Jesus rose from the dead.
My message this morning is entitled, "Go and Tell."
ill. As a child I got excited about the opportunity to, "Show and tell."
We ought to get excited about the opportunity to, "Go and tell."
question: Are you excited to tell others about Jesus resurrection from the dead?
Prayer:
Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
I. The angel was excited about, "Go and tell."
exp. I love the times in Biblical history where Heaven breaks through to earth.
ill. Jacob's ladder - his dream....
Genesis 28:11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
(continuing a few verses later) 16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.
17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
exp. Those angels that Jacob saw are actively serving God day and night though we don't see them.
note: But sometimes - the veil is lifted and Heaven breaks through.....
ill. Christmas story - 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
app. We're not told the name of this angel, but there is no doubt that he enjoyed his mission.
A. The angel came from the presence of God.
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
ill. The most peaceful place I remember from my tour of Israel is the Garden Tomb.
- Just several hundred meters from Golgotha
- Outside the city walls (Damascus Gate) near a busy Cross roads.
- There is a rich man's tomb - hewn out of the limestone rock.
- In front of the door - is a trough - where the round stone would have been placed.
ill. The tour bus - slowed down at another location - where there is a grave with the stone in place.
exp. Jesus tomb had a stone that was also sealed with wax for extra security. (You'd know if any....)
exp. Jesus tomb had soldiers guarding it as well.
Matthew 27:63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.
app. If death couldn't hold Jesus - a great stone, a wax seal and soldier couldn't either.
B. The angel came in the power of God.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
question: Have you ever been startled by something very bright - like lightening?
ill. I loved thunderstorms - my dad and I would get our snacks/ lawn chairs/ watch storms - the fiercer the better. I loved them. Until - waking up - looking out my window - having lightening strike so close that I thought I had been blinded.
exp. For several months after that I slept on my parents floor when a storm came.
note: These big strong Roman soldiers had a more fearful site in front of them. God's bright angel.
4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
note: We'd describe their shaking as, "Their knees were knocking together." Then they passed out.
question: Do you realise that ungodly men do not begin to understand the power of the God they mock?
exp. These soldiers could have participated in beating Jesus, cursing Jesus, mocking Jesus....
THEY DIDN'T SEE THE LORD IN HIS GLORY - THEY DIDN'T SEE THE SON OF GOD.
They just saw his messenger and they shook and passed out.
app. A person is a great fool who mocks God and acts as if their puny finger in the face of God has any power. THEY OUGHT TO MARVEL at the restraint of God who could crush them like a bug.
C. The angel came in the purpose of God.
1. He was sent to those who sought Jesus.
5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
exp. The angel knew who's side the women were on. He doesn't comfort the wicked Roman soldiers. But, as soon as he sees the followers of Jesus, he says, don't be afraid.
HE KNOWS THEY ARE JESUS FOLLOWERS. He confirms that Jesus was crucified.
Matthew 27:33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, 34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. 35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
36 And sitting down they watched him there;
exp. God turned his back on His Son that day - but all of heaven knew that Jesus was crucified.
app. Are you seeking Jesus today or a follower of Jesus? Isn't it good to know that God wants to send ministers and messengers to you? Even as he did to these women?
2. He was sent to reveal the resurrection.
a. He opened the garden tomb for tours.
exp. Never think that the stone was rolled away to let Jesus out of the tomb.
Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
exp. Jesus resurrected body could go where he wanted to go despite all barriers.
Luke 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
app. The angel didn't move the stone to let Jesus out, he opened the tomb to let people in.
b. He was an excellent tour guide.
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
exp. Praise God for His understanding of our small faith. He didn't just tell them, he shewed them.
ill. I've been inside the garden tomb. It is just as the Bible describes it. You have to duck to enter.
John 20:3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.
5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
exp. (God hasn't given us a glimpse of the glory of what took place in the tomb that morning.) Perhaps heaven will replay the resurrection of our Lord. His Spirit returning to His body and His body being brought back to life.
JESUS AROSE AND TOOK OFF HIS BLOOD STAINED GRAVE CLOTHES and folded them.
3. He gave them God's command, "Go and Tell."
7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
exp. The angel fulfilled his mission, "Go and Tell." His commission ends with their commission.
II. The women were excited about, "Go and tell."
7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
A. They RAN to bring word to his disciples.
8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
exp. Don't you love all the activity on this day.
- They thought they were going to be embalming Jesus.
- They thought they were going to look at the dead Lord.
- They now know that HE HAS RISEN FROM THE DEAD.
ill. Have you ever run and felt like you could run forever as fast as you want?
- I remember in High School - Camp Chetek - dusk
- Perhaps the air was richly oxygenated that night.
- I just felt like I had wings on my feet.
Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
app. I don't know that these women were runners before - but they were now - and I don't think they had any difficulty as they RAN IN THE STRENGTH OF THE JOYFUL NEWS.
B. Only one person was worthy of a pause in their mission.
9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
exp. Jesus allowed the angel to break the news to them. Perhaps the shock would have been too great if He had done so Himself. HE HAD PAID FOR THEIR SIN ON THE CROSS.
HE WAS NOW THEIR SAVIOUR (not because of what He would do, but what He had done.)
ill. I was speaking with a woman this week - Mary.
- Her idea of God's mercy is that he would overlook our sin and not send someone to hell.
- I asked her if that is God's mercy - what about what He did to His Son on the cross.
- She said - the soldiers did that.....
Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
app. If you understand what Jesus went through - THE HELL OF CALVARY - for you - you stop WHATEVER you are doing and worship him.
THE RESURRECTION DOES NOT MEAN JESUS DIDN'T SUFFER AND DIE!
10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
exp. Jesus said - GO AND TELL - they continued on to go and tell.
III. The soldiers were AT FIRST excited about, "Go and tell."
11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.
exp. I want to give some credit to the soldiers. They didn't cut and run. They weren't overly ashamed of shaking in their boots - they knew ALL MEN WOULD TREMBLE who saw that.
app. If a prisoner was lost (dead or alive) - they would be sentenced to death. Their life for his.
THEY TOLD THE TRUTH - initially - but then....
A. Sadly they sold the truth.
12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,....
exp. They had first hand testimony of the incredible life giving power of God - but they let their testimony be bought by the devil.
Proverbs 23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
question: Don't you wonder how many people would have become followers of Jesus IF....IF these men had not sold the truth.
ill. Imagine having a church service and announcing - tonight one of the guards of the garden tomb is going to share a first hand account of the resurrection.
question: Did Satan want that story to be told? (These soldiers weren't Christians - they sold out.)
app. Does Satan want the story to be told in our day? Churches are selling out GOD'S TRUTH!
B. Sady they embraced a lie.
13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
exp. They were willing to dishonour themselves for money. Sleeping on duty was shameful. They had no pride to guard their position.
note: Those who are guardians of God's truth - don't even blush as their lies declare they are asleep on duty.
Jeremiah 23:31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.
app. We live in a day where many "religious people" are profitless spiritually, because of false prophets prophesying lies in the LORD's name.
C. Sadly they compromised for their own security.
14 And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.
exp. These men were in danger. I wonder what would have happened to them if they had refused. The chief priests could have gotten them into great trouble - maybe even secured their death.
app. Is truth for sale in your life at any price? (Even your personal safety?) They didn't go and tell. There was too great a risk.
D. Thankfully the cause of their silence and their lie was common knowledge.
15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
exp. God allowed them to bribe and lie. But, God didn't let their wickedness remain a secret.
WHEN MATHEW WROTE HIS GOSPEL THIS STORY WAS COMMON KNOWLEDGE.
ill. Vladimir Putin - has shown that if you tell a lie often enough, people begin to believe it.
BBC - visited the wife of a general who was killed - she blamed the UK. Russian media blamed the UK for his death.
exp. If we were in Russia - I would encourage you not to listen to State media. (independent news)
app. Who are you listening to? (Evolutionists, infidels, false teachers) Or the Word of God?
Psa 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning:
transition: They were excited to go and tell - but they were silenced.
conclusion:
IV. The disciples were excited about, "Go and Tell."
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
ill. I've stood on Mt. Arbel - likely the mountain her mentioned - near Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee.
17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
exp. If you have doubts, let God overcome them. Even among the 11 there was doubting Thomas.
note: Jesus told them to, "GO AND TELL."
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
NOTE: He said go and tell - THE BOOK OF ACTS SHOWS US THEY OBEYED.
Acts 4:18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
Act 17:6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
ill. James Gilmour - Grew up just ouside Glasgow - Scottish Missionary to Mongolia
"Having decided as to the capacity in which I should labour in Christ's kingdom, the next thing which occupied my serious attention was the locality where I should labour. Occasionally, before, I had thought of the relative claims of the home and foreign fields, but during the summer session in Edinburgh I thought the matter out, and decided for the mission field; even on the low ground of common sense I seemed to be called to be a missionary. Is the kingdom a harvest field? Then I thought it reasonable that I should seek to work where the work was most abundant and the workers fewest. Labourers say they are over-taxed at home; what then must be the case abroad, where there are wide stretching plains already white to harvest, with scarcely here and there a solitary reaper? To me the soul of an Indian seemed as precious as the soul of an Englishman, and the Gospel as much for the Chinese as for the European; and as the band of missionaries was few compared with the company of home ministers, it seemed to me clearly to be my duty to go abroad.
"But I go out as a missionary not that I may follow the dictates of common sense, but that I may obey that command of Christ, 'Go into all the world and preach.' He who said 'preach,' said also, 'Go ye into and preach,' and what Christ hath joined together let not man put asunder.
"This command seems to me to be strictly a missionary injunction, and, as far as I can see, those to whom it was first delivered regarded it in that light, so that, apart altogether from choice and other lower reasons, my going forth is a matter of obedience to a plain command; and in place of seeking to assign a reason for going abroad, I would prefer to say that I have failed to discover any reason why I should stay at home."
NOTE: I loved "show and tell" growing up. (How can you keep quiet when you have 3 kidneys?)
BUT I LOVE "GO AND TELL" OF THE RESURRECTION EVEN MORE.
(How can you keep quiet when you have been given the resurrection life of Christ?)
Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Perhaps today for the first time - you realise what Jesus did for you in dying and rising from the dead. Will you take Him as your Saviour today?
Do you know anything of the excitement of going and telling?
Have you let Satan buy your truth? Silence you with his lies?
