Come and See, Go and Tell

Here are the youversion notes from this morning's sermon.

Matthew 28:1-20 NIV

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.' If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Come and See, Go and Tell

Can you imagine what it would have been like to witness the resurrection of Jesus. To be one of those first few who saw the empty tomb or even Jesus Himself. What a life changing experience. The guards were the first, they believed and yet it didn't change their lives. Believing is not enough. Jesus said to go into all the world and make disciples. There is a difference between believers and disciples. Come and see - this is an invitation to come to God and see what He has done. Go and Tell - there is a temptation to just sit at the feet of Jesus but He has told us to go into all the world. We must be active in our faith.

My Notes

The stone wasn't rolled away to let Jesus out but to let us in. Throughout the gospels Jesus tells people to come - "let the little children come ..." (Matthew 19:14) "Come to me ..." (Matthew 11:28). After tellign people to come He then tells them to go - " Go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19).

Why don't we tell more people about the good news that Jesus is alive?

Come and see, then go and tell!

May God bless you richly this week.
 
Richard