April 28, 2019

Come, Rejoice and Go

Preacher:
Passage: Matt 28:1-20
Service Type:

Introduction

  • A well known chapter
    • Including the Great Comission
    • Three words:
    • v6 - Come
    • v9 - Rejoice
    • v10 - Go
  • Quote from Charles Coulson
    • Better words in this passage

Come

  • Words from the angel
    • An invitation to say the place where the Lord lay
    • "Come"
  • Through the words of Scripture we are invited to 'come'
    • The resurrection
    • Do you believe in a bodily, physical resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ?
      • If not, there is no hope
  • An invitation from the angel
    • Peter and John ran to the tomb
      • They believe
    • Mary Magdalene sees the risen Jesus Christ
    • We are invited into the empty tomb - come and see
    • Quote from John Blanchard
    • An invitation to come and see
  • What did the early witnesses see?
    • They saw angels
      • Not grave robbers but angels
        • Emperor Claudius - Capital punishment for grave robbers
      • The angels appeared like young men - Mark
      • The angel rolls away the stone (v2) - the supernatural power of God
    • They saw the grave clothes
      • Yet they did not yet understand that Jesus must rise from the dead
        • John believed
      • Jesus did not stagger around in grave clothes as with Lazarus
      • Lazarus had to die a second death - not with Jesus
      • They are a symbol that He is the risen Christ
    • They saw a physical body
      • They held Him by the feet
      • He ate breakfast - Luke
      • They saw His scars - John 20
  • Come and see
    • A non-Christian - see the Lord Jesus Christ
    • A Christian - be refreshed in your vision
    • Christ is risen from the dead
    • Not a memorial - Christ is with us

Rejoice

  • An order to the words
    • Come - then when we know He is alive, 'rejoice'!
  • Rejoice
    • Jesus could have rebuked them
      • The disciples abandoned Jesus
      • Remind them of their failures
      • Instead He says rejoice
    • We rejoice because there is peace with God
      • "Peace be with you"
      • We are able to know God
      • There is forgiveness and acceptance
    • Real rejoicing is found in Jesus Christ
      • Not the so-called happiness of the world
    • Rejoice in the forgiveness of sins
      • The denial of Peter
      • The restoration of Peter
      • Hosea - Jesus will forgive us
    • Rejoice in fellowship with Jesus
      • Jesus met them
      • Jesus meets us
      • They worshiped Him
      • Our place is on our knees, on our face
      • Quote from John the Baptist and Shakespeare's Othello
  • Do we rejoice in Jesus Christ?
    • Rom 5, Phil 4
    • Quote from Jonathan Edwards
    • Job rejoiced in God
  • Do you rejoice in God - not in things?

Go

  • v10, v7, v19
    • Go and tell
  • Come, Rejoice and then Go!
    • You cannot keep this message to yourself - go and tell others
    • Quote on selfishness
  • The apostles were encouraged
    • We know the apostles were slow to take the gospel to the Gentiles
      • They constantly needed the help of the Holy Spirit
    • They were given encouragements
    • We need the help of the Holy Spirit
      • Do we believe in the Holy Spirit?
      • Do we ask for His help?
  • The encouragement of the risen Lord Jesus Christ
    • They will see Me (v10)
    • 'Lo I will be with you until the end of the age' (v20)
    • Jesus has promised never to leave us nor forsake us
    • One day we will see Christ and be with Him
    • Epitaph of Solomon Peas
  • Go and tell
    • Not just about words
    • How we live and conduct ourselves
    • We have a gospel to proclaim

Closing Remarks