The Good Report

Matthew 28:16–20 NIV84

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

1. The good report is that Jesus defeated death

There was report going around that the disciples had taken Jesus’ body

The chief priests and elders started this rumor

We are here to worship the Triune God

Jesus announced that He would be raised on the third day

When the women went to the tomb, they found an empty tomb

An angel told them, Mt 28:6 “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”

Jesus is the Truth

This is the good report

Jealousy always makes up stories that are not true

Whose report will you believe

How do rumors get started? They’re started by the jealous people

2. People with purpose do not need to compete

When a person doesn’t know his/her purpose they will get in everyone else’s business

A person without purpose has time to criticize

A person without purpose has time to be a spectator

If you know your purpose, it will keep you from gossip

When you know your purpose you will try to fix your mess instead of getting in others’ mess

When you know your purpose, you stay in your lane; “Stay in your lane bro”

Jesus gave the disciples their purpose: make disciples, baptize, teach them to obey

Jesus defined the lane for authentic believers

Make, baptize, and teach disciples to obey

Stay in your lane

The government can’t do what the church is supposed to do

The church can’t do what the government is supposed to do

Rom 13:1-4 “1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4 For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.”

3. Make disciples without discriminating

Making disciples requires relationship

You can’t become a disciple from a distance

Church is about developing disciples

At Arise, we do that by developing Authentic Faith that produces Real Transformation

The 90 days of shedding is a disciple making program #reFOCUS #90Days

A disciple is a learner, a student of a Rabbi (teacher), an imitator

That is why Paul said to imitate him just as he imitated Christ

Our lane is to make disciples of all nations (peoples)

I have a problem with social groups pretending to be churches

I understand that people of similar backgrounds will flock together

However, when you start catering to a certain demographic then you are not following the command to make disciples of all nations (people)

Social justice is good but we are called to make disciples

Stay in your lane

4. Baptizing requires surrendered disciples

Baptism is a public declaration of an inward work

You die to self and rise to Christ

Your former life is over 2 Cor 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

The old is gone

You are a Christ follower (Authentic Believer) before you are your skin color or race

Authentic believers are not defined by their skin color or race Acts 11:25-26 “25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.”

They were called Christians because their lifestyle revealed Christ

They called Christians so that they would be arrested

They were called Christians because their actions proved it not because of baptism

Baptism is a public declaration of an inner working

You are raised a new creation

Baptism does not necessarily change you

The Holy Spirit working in you changes you

Baptism tells others that you are the temple of the Holy Spirit

You were taken from darkness into His marvelous light

Baptism places a demand on your life to live such a good life that when others talk about you, they will be ashamed

Baptism is not the end of the journey, it is the public announcement of the start

When Jesus was baptized, theologians point to that event as the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry

Baptism places a demand on your life to live for Jesus

5. Teaching disciples the ways of Christ demands integrity

There are others reaching people for Christ

No more in-fighting Mk 9:38-40 “38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” 39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us.”

You are not the only left “Elijah” there are others

Others may have different methods but if they preach Jesus—God gets the glory

If you are teaching others integrity is demanded

You must say as Paul said, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ”

Don’t tell others to do what you are not willing to do, that is hypocrisy

Many government officials practice this type of leadership (you wear masks but important people like us don’t have to wear masks)

Do not be hypocrites

1 Jn 4:20 “20 If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.”

Mk 7:6 “6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

Do more than just talk

Do more than just criticize

Do more than just compare

Stay in your lane

Live for Christ