February 8, 2012
HOW MUCH WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOU TO GO OUT AND PREACH THE WORD?
Matthew 28
Cameron Pino
Central Truth
Jesus calls all of His followers to go out and make disciples of Him. He tells us He will be with us always, even to the end of the age.
Key Verse | Matthew 28:19
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit . . . ." (Matthew 28:19)
Matthew 28
The Resurrection
1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And 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. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he 1 28:6 Some manuscripts the Lord lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
The Report of the Guard
11 While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.
The Great Commission
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in 2 28:19 Or into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Dive Deeper | Matthew 28
God calls all of His children to go out in the world and show Him to others. In verse 19, Jesus is calling us to go and make disciples of Him. Have you ever gone on a mission trip or just gone out and started sharing the gospel?
In the summer of 2010, God called me to go on a mission trip to Russia. I felt so blessed that out of all the people in the world, He would choose just an everyday ordinary guy like me! While I was in Russia, we visited all kinds of places including prisons, schools, and orphanages. I prayed before we went into every one of those places that I would show God to all of the people who had never even heard His name.
I know that some people don't exactly have the desire, time, or money to go to Russia or Africa, but that doesn't mean that you can't still spread the Word and be a missionary. God commanded us to make disciples of all nations -- not just foreign countries. And that opportunity starts in the community surrounding us.
God has called all of us to spread His Word at home and around the world. Will you choose to accept the invitation that has been handed to you? Don't think that you're too small or that you aren't good enough to do this, because in reality you are God's creation, and God doesn't make trash.
Discussion Questions
1. Is there someone with whom you could share Christ in your school, workplace, etc.? Who is it?
2. How could you share the Word of God in your everyday life?
3. Where is God calling you to share His name?
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
MATTHEW 26-MARK 2 (FEBRUARY 6-10)
Read Matthew 26:69-75.
* What happens when Peter is asked if he knows Jesus?
* How many times does he deny knowing Jesus?
* Why do you think Peter denied knowing Jesus?
* What does he say flashes through his mind when he hears the rooster crow? (Check out Matthew 26:31-35)
* Have you ever done something that you said you would never do?
* All of us are capable of making wrong decisions. What can we do to protect ourselves from choosing the way that is "easier" or that keeps others from making fun of us?
* What should we do when we make wrong decisions?
* What does God offer us if we confess our sins? (See 1 John 1:9)
* Did you know that Jesus restores Peter after Peter's denials and uses him to help start and lead the early church? (See John 21:15-19 and Acts 2:14-41)
Activity: Take time to think about places where you might be tempted to deny knowing Jesus or to choose something that you know is wrong because you don't want to be made fun of. Now, as a family, look for a verse that you can memorize that will help you to stand firm and make a decision that will glorify God.