Untitled Sermon (2)

Before we even begin this sermon, I brought us all note cards. I want you to take this note card and fill in the blank to this statement:

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“I am involved in _____”

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Write down everything you are involved in in a given week.

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Okay, hold onto that notecard don’t lose it because we will come back to this throughout our time tonight! Tonight I hope to present a baseline for your walk with the Lord. That tonight you would leave these doors saying, “I know my assignment that the Lord has placed me in.” Let’s pray.

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.”

“the eleven”

Who is present at this time in Scripture? Who is not present? Remind us, why is he not present?

He chose something that he thought would benefit him but in turn only led to his demise

“Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them”

Does anybody know when this happened? Turn over to Matthew 26 starting in verse 30. Jesus, in the midst of foretelling of Peters’ denial also speaks of the meeting point of his disciples. This is for free, who is the rock on which Jesus builds his church? Peter! But what do we read about Peter from the story we just read? He would deny Jesus. Jesus doesn’t build His church on the ones who got it figured out or those who arrive at Jesus already blameless, for there are no not one! Jesus builds His church on the broken sinner who though has every intention to be with Jesus, will deny him to his own desires.

Okay, so the disciples are at the place where Jesus said he would meet them, pre-death and now we arrive at Matthew 28 and has Jesus died yet yes or no? Yes! The promised Messiah whom the entire Old Testament foretells of has appeared to His people. What is their response?

“when they saw him they worshiped him”

When they saw him, they worshiped. They worshiped. What does it mean to worship? Worship simply put is the “valuing or treasuring of God above all things” (John Piper). See it’s not just a time, but a practice. Worship is not just the 10 minutes before the sermon is delivered, rather the preparation of our hearts and minds to be reminded and set on treasuring Yaweh above all other things that may have my mind and heart captive. Take a look at your card, what does it look like for you to worship God in one of the things you wrote down? Worship is the recognition of something higher who can deliver you from life’s circumstances. Where are areas in your life that you do not worship the Lord because you are seeking to be your own god? You want to know a good sign? The things you find yourself most stressed and anxious about are normally the things you are seeking most to control on your own. How do I know that? Because the Bible that I read says “Rejoice in the Lord, again I will say rejoice. Let your reasonableness be made known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus. The peace of God only comes when I give my burdens to HIM because HE is God and I am His creation, not the other way around.

“but some doubted”

Back to the text, “when they saw him they worshiped him but some doubted.” The eleven standing before the risen Messiah, even still some doubted. Now let’s clarify here, the ones who “doubted” did not believe that He was the Messiah. Over in John 20:24-28, John expands on this very story and presents the encounter of Jesus with Thomas. “Do not disbelieve, but believe” Students, our God has been the God from the beginning who has never failed his people and has done what He says. So how can I believe in something I cannot see? That’s called faith! I have faith in the risen Lord Jesus Christ because God has never not fulfilled one promise of His! He was the one who spoke creation, who blessed Abraham and barren Sarah with Isaac, who raised up the Israelites, who delivered Jonah, who delivered Job, who foretold of Jesus from the VERY BEGINNING and here he is risen in the flesh defeating something that none of us can do which is to rise again from the dead so therefore he can say:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”

Students, there is no higher authority than the one who says “I am who I am” when He appears to Moses in the burning bush. Students have you ever thought for yourself “Do I actually believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior?” Does your life show it? Take out that notecard again. We all wrote down things that we do in our lives right? Does anybody know the super famous question “What would Jesus do?” see the question isn’t what would he do and leaving it there, rather it should be “What would Jesus do if he were in your situation?” If Jesus had your siblings, what would he do? If Jesus played on your sports teams, what would he do? If Jesus had the parents that you have, what would he do? Leaders, if Jesus had your financial picture, what would he do? If he had that horrible boss who is always on your case, what would he do? If Jesus had your wife, what would he do? If he had your children, what would he do? Students take a look at that card, I’ve asked you already what it looks like to worship God in these places, but now I want you to think “does ___ know about Jesus in this place because of me?”

“Go therefore”

Why would I ask you that? Because Jesus himself tells his followers, “go therefore”. Students, the life in Christ isn’t one just of choosing heaven or hell. It isn’t one that you are just born into, but one where the living Christ who raised from the dead and is seated at the right hand of God calls you to “go” and tell of this Jesus who has changed every aspect of your life.

“make disciples of all nations”

Christianity isn’t affiliation but it’s who you are. Let me break that down a little bit. To be a Chrisitan isn’t just the circles you find yourself in, but in a communal space with other brothers and sisters seeking to look more like the Father each and every day by encouraging one another to look more like Him. How do we do this?

“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”

See this statement had ginormous implications. Remember the setting, Jesus has just been crucified by whom? HIS OWN PEOPLE what was the main objection? When people encountered Jesus, what did they say? “You aren’t who you say you are.” And here he is, in the flesh, post-death and resurrection proclaiming that He is the way, the truth and the life. Jesus is God in flesh as displayed ultimately by the cross and because of that event we believe in faith that He will redeem his people.

Student, the calling tonight is the same that Jesus gave His disciples. He calls them to 4 things, “go” “make” “baptize” “teach”. Student, I helped you identify places that you may you “go” into to share of who this Jesus is to you so that you may baptize them in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Maybe you aren’t the one baptizing, leave that to your pastor, but the symbolism holds meaning you are called to wash them in the Word of God to show them who the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are and may you “teach” them to observe everything that you have only begun to learn.

The encouragement is holds true today as it did just after Jesus appeared,

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age”

God commands Joshua to lead the people into the promised land. Visibly terrified, Yaweh tells Joshua 3 times within the first 9 verses of chapter 1, “Be strong and courageous.” How can Joshua be strong and courageous? Because God himself was with him, leading him. Joshua had faith that God would carry Him, so student peace be with you because our God is with us every moment this side of heaven until we unite with Him at the great feast.