It’s the tale of 3 meetings. Wait! You say, isn’t this chapter about the “Great Commission”, yes, indeed it is. But there is even more to learn and put into practice.
Chapter 28 closes Matthew’s account of the life and ministry of Jesus and how He has become the fulfillment of the many prophecies written to the Jews. The setting of our reading begins with Sunday, actually resurrection Sunday, or what we celebrate now as Easter Sunday. To set the tone, it is a somber time for the disciples, they have lost their leader and friend. By stark contrast, it’s a victorious time for the religious teachers and leaders who demanded Jesus’ execution. It’s also a victorious time for Satan and all of his followers. Jesus, his enemy, is dead! For Pilot, I can imagine it to be a time of guilt or fear of what may come.
All of this is about to flip!
Meeting #1
Verse 1: The Marys go to the tomb to prepare the body of Christ for burial but the body they were looking for is missing. They’ve arrived racked with grief, stunned to find an empty tomb, and elated to hear a message from the angels. Jesus is alive! These days, the kids say to me “if they don’t see a picture it never happened”, so although the angel’s message is trustworthy, the confirmation comes when they see Him face to face. Now it’s real. Matthew 28:9 “Suddenly Jesus met them.”
What this says to me is that evidence is powerful. Jesus told His followers multiple times about His death, burial, and resurrection, but until they saw Him, it wasn’t real. Fake news.
What this means for my life is that I can speak or sing, all of the truth in the world. I can write about my experience and share my lessons, but without the evidence of my life being changed… it’s just more fake news. I have to live out what I believe. I can’t think one way and live another. It just doesn’t work.
Meeting #2
Meanwhile in verse 11….
Those who were celebrating over the death of this troublemaker, Jesus, are now finding out he isn’t really dead. The guards who were eye witnesses to the resurrection went back into the city to tell the powers that be about what happened. (I do not envy this meeting. Can you even imagine?) Verse 12 says, “when the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan….” This meeting was the giant cover-up. Wow, does this at all seem familiar today?
What this means to me, is evil has existed since the fall of Satan. Satan is the “father of lies”. There are two stories floating around, one is being generated by the group who is ultimately controlled by Satan which is that the disciples stole the body and the other is that Jesus is truly the Son of God and has fulfilled the prophecy by His resurrection. How did the people know who to believe?
What I observed in meeting #2 is that evil really is forced to go to every length possible to “save face”. Of course they had to make up a story, but underneath the plot concocted by the evil people was the evil one, the one with the most to gain by Jesus’ death and the most to lose if he is alive. Today we might say “follow the money” or in all of the crime shows the good guys are always looking for motive.
On the other side, Jesus continues His mission. He is not going to extreme measures. He’s just confidently and obediently following God’s eternal plan. He doesn’t have to scramble or panic. This is a good lesson for us. When we are fixated on Jesus, on the eternal truth that comes from God’s word, and on the mission before us we don’t have to plot, lie, scramble to cover anything up. No matter the circumstances, we press on life on to do what God has called us to. In addition it gives us a good foundation from which to discern truth. God’s plan is eternal and true, anyone that is working against God’s plan, lying, cheating, steeling, scared, desperate, dragging others down to climb to the top, etc. etc. is most likely not one to listen to or follow.
Meeting #3
Some time passes before this third meeting takes place. It is literally the 8th appearance of Christ after the resurrection, which takes place in Galilee with the 11 remaining disciples. Jesus makes a very BIG announcement to them by saying in verse 18 “ALL AUTHORITY in heaven and on earth has been given to me THEREFORE….” Do you suppose the boys were listening? We all need to be listening to these next few words, they outline the simple plan God has for all of our blood bought lives. In my words Jesus command goes like this: As the Chief, I am telling you to go and replicate yourselves, everywhere. You represent me now, so go and do just what I showed you.
What I read in this message today is the simplicity of God’s plan. Jesus came here, from heaven. What a sacrifice! So that He could show men how to have a personal relationship with God, so they could show the world how to have a relationship with God. I need to jump in, and carry on my part of the work Jesus started.
Three meetings. Three lessons.
1. Let’s show people the evidence of God’s life in control of our life.
2. Let’s confidently and consistently follow God’s plan for our life and not get swayed by those who want to distract and destroy.
3. Let’s find someone to invest in, build up, and set free to be a disciple who makes a disciple.
