February 9, 2022
The Gospel Isn't Just for You. Go Share It!
Matthew 28
Rebecca Ibarra
Central Truth
The Last Command
Key Verse | Matthew 28:19-20
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
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.”
Listen to the Podcast
Listen NowDive Deeper | Matthew 28
Faithful followers of Jesus were waking up heartbroken. Jesus had been killed on a cross. Mourning ensued. But then, days later, as the wee hours of dawn approached, a risen Savior would emerge. He would first reveal Himself to women and later men with whom He had relationships. Jesus cares for and loves not only those in the Bible but all humanity. He died for everyone from the faithful (Matthew 28:1) to the wicked (Matthew 28:12-13). He died for us all so that we might have relationship with God if we put our faith in Him.
Jesus leaves everyone with a final marching order: go make disciples of all the nations, baptize them, and teach them to observe His commands (Matthew 28:19-20). Let's break that down.
- Disciples are individuals who attach themselves to their teacher in order to observe and become like the teacher. To look at a disciple is to see the teacher.
- Nations typically are thought of as having borders and flags. But in Jesus' day, He lived in and around lands Rome had conquered, which would have been comprised of people of various ethnic backgrounds.
- Baptism is a profession to a watching world that you have put your faith in Jesus. This faith is a package deal of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, known as the Trinity, and shows that you no longer have room for the "human trinity" of me, myself, and I.
- To observe His commands, you must submit yourself to reading and following the Word of God—the Bible—to grow as a disciple.
No special disciple-making spiritual gift is needed. Christians should invest in others. For one, Jesus commands it, and second, we need it!
I mentioned earlier how I had an unexpected pregnancy. I went to a Christian pregnancy clinic that encouraged me to go to church, and I found women there who discipled me. These women poured into me how much Christ loved me. Now, by the grace of God, I am passing that torch on to other women by discipling them.
Discussion Questions
1. Where do you tend to find your satisfaction? Can you be satisfied with anything less than the risen Christ? Do you believe that He died on a cross, was buried, came back to life, and still lives today?
2. Have you been blind to the beauty of Christ? If so, how can you ask Him to change your perspective today?
3. Whom can you share the good news with today? Who in your life would benefit from being taught or trained to follow and obey Christ? Take the first step to pray about whether it's your spouse, child, neighbor, friend, coworker, or even yourself who needs discipling. Ask God to help you tenderly reach out to the person who comes to mind, or if you need discipling, pray that a trusted, biblical Christian would agree to walk alongside you.