2.15.19 4.4.2021 Matthew 28 Easter The Way of the Cross: Outcomes

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Entice: Serious endeavors have measurable outcomes. Serious people keep score. Not morbidly or obsessively but as moderately and objectively as possible. How do you know what success is if you don't have some way of measuring and assessing it? Different organizations and professions have differing ways of approaching, describing, and applying this principle. Consider these three possibly familiar terms.

Debriefing.

(Debriefing is a report of a mission or project or the information so obtained. It is a structured process following an exercise or event that reviews the actions taken.)

After--action report.

(An after action report (or AAR) is any form of retrospective analysis on a given sequence of goal-oriented actions previously undertaken, generally by the author themselves.)

Contact report.

(Answering interrogatories about a specific individual) Government service. Sales. Pastoral Care.

Engage: Most Easter sermons combine the elements of all three. The cross is a result...so we need to do an after-action analysis of what led us there. Debriefing is necessary if we really want to find out what everyone involved knew, when they knew it, and how they interpreted the resurrection event. And of course...Easter is about the first contact reports the individuals mentioned "filed" regarding the first--born from the dead.

Expand: Again, we should be interested in results. Jesus walked the way of the cross for a reason. Did He succeed? Did it work? The Biblical story is about life transformation. If that is the goal that led Jesus to the Cross it is essential for us to understand whether or not He achieved the outcome(s) intended.

Excite: The key Easter outcome the central take-away is that it is still happening. You and I are contributing to the on-going after-action report of Easter. Every year--every day new contact reports are submitted and someone else comes to saving faith in the Risen Christ.

Explore:

Christian faith is the outworking of the outcomes Jesus' resurrection.

Explain: Matthew's detailed after-action report highlights the 5 outcomes of the Cross which have defined our world ever since.

1. Death is defeated

Matthew 28:1–7 ESV

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 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.”

1.1 Event.

1.2 Announcement.

2. The Master is made manifest.

Matthew 28:8–10 ESV

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.”

2.1 Meet & Greet.

2.2 Comforted & Instructed.

3. Empire is enraged.

Matthew 28:11–15 ESV

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.

3.1 What it cannot destroy...it denies.

3.2 When denials fail...deflect and lie.

4. Gospel is guaranteed

Matthew 28:16–18 ESV

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.

4.1 Overcoming doubt with faith.

4.2 Overcoming empire under the authority of the Risen Christ.

5. Church is challenged

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV

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.”

5.1 To to extend Jesus' purpose

The disciple making process; Going, teaching, baptizing, teaching.

5.2 To experience Jesus' presence.

Shut Down:

These outcomes or results are not just what happened then and there. It is far more than the experience of those first witnesses. You can live in Him. You can know the risen Master. You and I experience the outrage of the world system against the living one. Our mutual life in Christ defines our Gospel and our Mission.

The way to the cross continues as we daily take up our own crosses so that through us others can experience the outcome of resurrection and come to know the Lord of Life.

The outcomes are established. Decisions need to be made. Whether initial obedience and being baptized into Jesus' own resurrection or decisions about fellowship and service and belonging. Your decision for Jesus unleashes the outcome of Easter in your own life.