Bible Red Thread 14: A Mission to Fulfill (Matthew 28)

sermon Gospel of Matthew 28 : Patrice Berger, 2023_01_01, AB Lausanne church

title : Bible Red Thread 14: A Mission to Fulfill (Matthew 28)

Bible Red Thread 14: A Mission to Fulfill (Matthew 28)

Jesus showed the Father’s mission through a radiant life in the midst of his contemporaries. Doesn’t He ask to do the same to those whom He has saved?

Blessed to Bless: Now that all the people who want to restore their trust in God have been gathered into a family, it’s time to discover that God has a purpose for the family that bears his name. To be blessed by God is to bless others! The family of God must use the reconciliation of which it was the first beneficiary to enable reconciliation between God and other creatures. And as always, God is the initiator of the goal, the method and the means.

Family life as a prerequisite: The essential prerequisite is that the foundation of the mission of God’s family is … family life. According to God, the mission of the family of God is rooted above all as a way of life and not in projects or actions. John reminds us that the unity of the family of God, and the love that the members who make it up will have for each other, will challenge, and will prove that only Jesus can be at its origin. • If the life of the family of God is different from all the clubs or associations, it is because Jesus is at the centre of each life that makes up this family. • If the life of God’s family is possible despite all the differences, it is because Jesus is the only one capable of changing humans and of proposing a project of “living together” that makes sense. In this way, God’s family will make God who is invisible, visible to all.

An Unshakable Foundation: In the text of Matthew 28, we discover that the missionary mandate of the family of God still rests on Jesus. • First, Jesus affirms that he is in command of the family of God to lead this mission. He derives this legitimacy from the fact that He has received all authority in heaven and on earth. He has the right to mission his people, but also to give them the capacity to do so. • Second, Jesus affirms that He remains present with God’s family every day, in every terrain, under all conditions, until the mission is accomplished. The people of God are not sent alone but accompanied by a leader who remains in the background and at the head of the mission 24 hours a day.

The dynamic to use: In opposition to the traditional “come”, the dynamic to which God urges us is to “go”, according to his daily life for us. Noah, Moses, Abraham, David, Daniel, Jesus, and the disciples, were all used in their daily lives, as disparate as they were. Daily life, which can be a constraint, becomes for God the natural support of the mission. Each member of God’s family just needs to realize who they are, accept what God has done with their lives, and use this opportunity to disciple “all nations.” And God, in His wisdom, has placed each member of God’s family in a geographic, relational, and professional setting that no one else can touch.

A Three-Step Methodology: God’s method explained in Matthew 28 includes three steps whose chronology is important. First, God asks that his disciples make disciples, that is, people who have reconciled with God by accepting Jesus as master, and who have given up their independence. Then, God asks that the new disciples make a concrete commitment to follow Jesus, by being baptized, because this stage is a real chronological landmark for the new disciple, and for the family that welcomes him. Finally, God asks the family of God to teach new disciples “to observe” all that Jesus prescribed, using a pedagogy that alternates theoretical and practical training, as Jesus did with his disciples.

Simple content: To dissect the text of Luke 24 explains the summary of the message to be transmitted in this mission. “Jesus is the solution to the rescue plan.” For this, Jesus had to die, but he has risen. This offer of reconciliation justifies a change of attitude of each man because it is now possible to be reconciled with God. However, the understanding of this simple message is not at all obvious. The only way to clearly explain this summary is given to us by Jesus. “Starting with the books of Moses, then going through all those of the prophets, he explained to them what related to him”! Even for Jesus, the good news is comprehensible, admissible and acceptable only through a progressive and dissected revelation, following a common thread of the Bible.

Power at work: The text of John 20 reminds us that God the Father initiated the relationship with his creatures. He always wanted to maintain it, even after the breach of trust. Then, God sent his son, Jesus, in flesh and blood, to restore this relationship. Now, the Father and the Son are sending the family of God to keep the link between God and all the humans who are still separated from God, so that they will one day be part of his family. They are not alone on the earth: in addition to Jesus, who is present every day, the family of God is accompanied by the Holy Spirit, who comes along with his exceptional power. And if the family of God finds it difficult to continue this dynamic mission initiated by God, the book of Acts shows us how God stimulates this mission “to go” despite the difficulties of daily life.

The family life is a place of preparation: The family life of the people of God is an aspect of his mission, it is also, according to God, a formidable basis for preparation and sending. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul expresses his need for their prayers to clearly announce reconciliation with Jesus, in his part, Peter encourages them to prepare to defend their convictions. According to them, the mission given by God requires tact, gentleness, dignity, perseverance, mutual aid, righteous conduct, and suffering! And all of this will require regular learning, the development of suitable tools, mutual aid and collective stimulation to progress. According to God, his family must be a true nursery of formation and sending “to all nations”. And this concerns all its members, men and women, young and old,

Continuing to trust: To carry out its mission, the family of God just has to imitate the method and the pedagogy that God used to reach his lost creatures. And we have discovered throughout the common thread of the Bible – to love people, keep the link whatever the circumstances, “live with one another” in all situations, be accountable if questions arise, and when the day comes… finally announce that only God is trustworthy, by running a red thread from the Bible. At each stage, the methods, means and results have always exceeded expectations. Continuing to trust in God: this is how the family of God will unveil some of the glory of God before it ever becomes fully visible. Because a glorious future is preparing…

REFLECTION
Jesus showed the Father’s mission through a radiant life in the midst of his contemporaries. Doesn’t He ask to do the same to those whom He has saved?

Bible texts: Available in Darby: Matthew 28.16-20, Mark 16.9-19, Luke 24.13-46,

John 20.19-23, Acts 1.4-8; see also the hard sermon series Acts / Acts 1

Matthew 28 / Darby

1. Now late on sabbath, as it was the dusk of the next day after sabbath, came Mary of Magdala and the other Mary to look at the sepulchre.
2. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of [the] Lord, descending out of heaven, came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.
3. And his look was as lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
4. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became as dead men.
5. And the angel answering said to the women, Fear not *ye*, for I know that ye seek Jesus the crucified one.
6. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7. And go quickly and say to his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and behold, he goes before you into Galilee, there shall ye see him. Behold, I have told you.
8. And going out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to bring his disciples word.
9. And as they went to bring his disciples word, behold also, Jesus met them, saying, Hail! And they coming up took him by the feet, and did him homage.
10. Then Jesus says to them, Fear not; go, bring word to my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there they shall see me.
11. And as they went, behold, some of the watch went into the city, and brought word to the chief priests of all that had taken place.
12. And having assembled with the elders, and having taken counsel, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,
13. saying, Say that his disciples coming by night stole him [while] we [were] sleeping.
14. And if this should come to the hearing of the governor, *we* will persuade him, and save *you* from all anxiety.
15. And they took the money and did as they had been taught. And this report is current among the Jews until this day.
16. But the eleven disciples went into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed them.
17. And when they saw him, they did homage to him: but some doubted.
18. And Jesus coming up spoke to them, saying, All power has been given me in heaven and upon earth.
19. Go [therefore] and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit;
20. teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have enjoined you. And behold, *I* am with you all the days, until the completion of the age.

Bible Red Thread 14: A Mission to Fulfill (Matthew 28)

Bible Red Thread 14: A Mission to Fulfill (Matthew 28)

Matthew 28 / Darby

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