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March through Matthew with Jesus
Matthew 28
Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed!
Alleluia!
We now finish our 28 day March journey with Jesus through the Gospel of Matthew. Pray God continues to strengthen our faith now and in the future as we read, mark, learn, and take His Holy Word to heart.
Some Points to Ponder as we read Matthew 28:
1. FYI: While we often use both names, the official full name in our liturgical calendar for the day Christ rose from the dead is NOT Easter--it is actually: The Resurrection of Our Lord.
2. Christ’s bodily resurrection is a preview of our bodily resurrection. God inspired Paul to write what is known as the great Resurrection chapter in the New Testament--I Corinthians 15, which describes our future bodily resurrection:
I Corinthians 15:51-- Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
3. A primary Lutheran principle for interpreting God’s Word is: Scripture interprets Scripture. The Resurrection of our Lord is the teaching on which Christianity stands of falls.
>In addition to Matthew’s eyewitness account of Christ’s Resurrection in His Gospel (Mt. 28:1-11), the Apostle Paul (formerly Saul the persecutor of Christians) was transformed and converted when the Resurrected Christ appeared to him on the Road to Damascus (See Acts 9:1-31).
>In addition to Paul’s personal encounter with our living Lord, Paul tells us in I Corinthians 15 there were also OVER 500 witness of our resurrected, living Lord: 5 …and that [Christ] appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
4. John 3:16 is known as “The Gospel in a nutshell.” I Corinthians 15:3-4 is another beautiful, brief summary of the full Gospel “Good News” of Jesus Christ, as God inspired Paul to write:
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,…(and Paul continues with a list of 500+ eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ).
5. Notice the message of BOTH the ANGEL (28:5) and of the resurrected JESUS (28:10) when they appeared to the women at the tomb and as the women were running to tell the disciples the amazing news Christ had risen. This Easter morning message is also God’s message to us: “DO NOT BE AFRAID” (or “Fear not”). The reality of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection victory over sin, death and Satan for us overpowers any fears we face in life.
6. When the guards who were at the tomb report what had happened the religious leaders create fake news and spread a false story in a feeble attempt to persuade people Jesus did not rise from the dead. Many people today and in every generation still ignore or deny the facts and foundation of the Christian Faith that Jesus died and rose from the dead and lives forever. We pray for unbelievers with confidence knowing that God’s Spirit and life-changing Gospel can transform human unbelief into Faith in Christ (in the same miraculous way God did it to Saul/Paul)!
7. Jesus refers to His Divine authority and gives His disciples (then and now) His mandate that is known as The Great Commission. Jesus tells us to “Go and make disciples” and sends us out to share God’s Good News with “all nations” (Jews and Gentiles and all ages) by “baptizing and teaching” people “to observe all that I have commanded you.”
8. In His mandate (Mt. 28:18-20) Jesus provides us with the power of God’s saving Name and Trinity identity! Whenever we make the sign of the cross and state the Name of the Triune God Jesus gave us, we remember that we are baptized and forgiven children of the One true God Who is our Creator (Father), Savior (Son), and Sanctifier (Holy Spirit).
9. The Gospel of Matthew ends with Christ’s incredible Good News for us! In the final verse of Matthew Jesus promises us His eternal presence: “….And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Yes!--As we hear in the beginning (Matthew 1:23) and at the end of Matthew, Jesus truly is IMMANUEL, our “God with us.”
A Personal Question: What is one (or more) of your favorite Easter hymns?
Before reading about Christ’s Resurrection in Matthew 28, we reflect on one of the most beautiful (both text and tune!) Resurrection hymns:
I Know That My Redeemer Lives (LSB #461)
1 I know that my Redeemer lives;
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, He lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my ever-living Head.
2 He lives triumphant from the grave;
He lives eternally to save;
He lives all-glorious in the sky;
He lives exalted there on high.
3 He lives to bless me with His love,
He lives to plead for me above;
He lives my hungry soul to feed;
He lives to help in time of need.
4 He lives to grant me rich supply;
He lives to guide me with His eye;
He lives to comfort me when faint;
He lives to hear my soul's complaint.
5 He lives to silence all my fears;
He lives to wipe away my tears;
He lives to calm my troubled heart;
He lives all blessings to impart.
6 He lives, my kind, wise, heav'nly Friend;
He lives and loves me to the end;
He lives, and while He lives, I'll sing;
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
7 He lives and grants me daily breath;
He lives, and I shall conquer death;
He lives my mansion to prepare;
He lives to bring me safely there.
8 He lives, all glory to His name!
He lives, my Jesus, still the same;
Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives;
I know that my Redeemer lives!
We now read Matthew 28…
Matthew 28 (ESV)
The Resurrection
28 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[a] 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 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.”
Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed!
Alleluia!
+ PRAYER: Thank You, God, for the Gospel of Matthew! Continue to feed and strengthen our faith through Your Word. Empower us by Your Spirit to GO and joyfully share the Good News of Jesus with others in our daily lives. In the loving, saving, powerful Name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Pastor Scott Schmieding
Senior Pastor
Immanuel Lutheran Church and School
115 S. Sixth Street
Saint Charles, MO 63301
636.946.2656
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