“Take Heart!” [Matt's Messages]

“Take Heart!”

Life in Jesus’ Name - The Gospel of John

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

September 15, 2024 :: John 16:25-33  

“Take heart!”

Verse 33 has become, for me, one of the beloved verses in the whole Bible,  especially since 2015 when I had my big surgery and when our church had to say goodbye to our friend Blair Murray.

That year, I latched onto John 16:33, and it has seen me through all the difficult days since then.

We’re going to make the last verse of John 16 our memory verse for the next few months. Let’s read it together. This is Jesus speaking to His disciples. John 16:33.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” 

“Take heart!” Some of your translations might say, “Take courage.” Some of them say, “Be of good cheer.” In other words, fill your minds and hearts to the brim with the things that Jesus has been teaching here so that you are able to rejoice and able to be bold and courageous in the face of much hardship and even persecution. “Take heart!”

I love how honest and hopeful Jesus is in this section. Both completely honest about how hard things are going to be and completely hopeful about how things are going to turn out.

“Take heart!”

I think this is just about a perfect passage for those who are going public today as disciples of Jesus Christ. John and Kara, Alexis, and Cayli are telling the world this morning that they believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and their Savior. And that in believing in Him they have life in His name (John 20:31).

John, Kara, Alexis, and Cayli, these words from Jesus are for you today.

“Take heart!”

In this short passage, Jesus makes many big promises that you can count on 100% so that you can “Take heart!” as His follower, no matter what comes. And that’s true, not just for John, Kara, Cayli, and Alexis, but for all of us here who are Jesus’ disciples, as well.

I have noted down at least 5 things that Jesus says that you and I can count on in these 9 verses. Five good reasons to take heart. And here’s the first one:

#1. CLARITY.

Jesus promises us enough clarity about the truth that, no matter what comes, we can take heart.

This is the very last paragraph of Jesus’ direct teaching in the Farewell Teachings. When we get to chapter 17, next week, Lord-willing, Jesus will turn to direct prayer, and John has captured what He prayed that night for us to learn from it. So it’s kind of part of the Farewell Teachings. But it’s us listening in to His conversation with God.

This paragraph (verses 25-33) are the last few words that Jesus directly taught His disciples on the night before the Cross. And that last verse of that last paragraph, verse 33, says why Jesus was doing all that teaching in the first place.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.”

What are the these things? It’s everything He’s taught them ever since He washed their feet. It’s chapter 13, 14, 15, and 16.

Jesus is going away, and He’s trying to get His disciples ready.

And, boy-howdy, are they having a hard time taking this in. They are troubled. They depressed. They are shocked. And they are confused. Jesus has even more things that He wanted to teach them, but they just couldn’t bear it. In fact, they couldn’t take what He did teach them.

So He’s been talking kind of obscurely. He’s been speaking kind of enigmatically. He’s given them everything they need, but almost with some vagueness that the Holy Spirit will have to fill in later.

Like that phrase, “a little while,” last week. Remember that? So obvious to us, but obscure for them. But a time is coming when all will be made plain. Look at verse 25.

Jesus says, “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.”

When is that? I think it’s “after a little while.” It’s after the resurrection. Right now, this is kind of dark to them, but then the light of clarity will shine!

That’s what happened, right? Read Luke 24 this afternoon and see how, after the resurrection, Jesus explained everything that had happened to the disciples, and the lights really began to come on for them.

And even more after the Spirit of Truth came at Pentecost, and He guided them into all truth.

They got clarity! And that’s how we got our Bibles.  So the obvious application for you and me is to read our Bibles and take heart. Not that every question we ever have is always answered how we want, but everything we need to know, we are plainly told in these pages. Read the word and take heart. Clarity.

John, Kara, Alexis, and Cayli, decide today as publicly-marked-out followers of Jesus that you are going to read your Bibles in the power of the Holy Spirit to clearly know what the Lord wants from you and wants for you and has promised you so that you can take heart. Clarity.

Jesus says that when that clarity comes, His disciples will pray in His name. Verse 26.

“In that day you will ask in my name.”

That’s been a big theme for the last few months, hasn’t it? Asking in Jesus’ name. Asking in the Person of Jesus. He’s told us that we can pray about “whatever” and ask for “anything” as long as we do it in His authorization, His reputation, His will, His Person, His name. After Jesus comes back from the dead, it will be the obvious thing to do. Of course, we’re going to pray in the name of the One Who returns from the dead! And we’re going to expect answers.

Now, in verse 26, Jesus clears up a possible misconception about what praying in His name means. Look at that. V.26

“I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.”

I think what He’s saying is that Jesus intercedes for us, yes, Jesus is our mediator, but He doesn’t take our words and mechanically report them to the Father. Like Kara says, “Jesus, will you tell your Father for me that I really would like this to happen?” and Jesus says, “Okay, Father, this is what I’m hearing from my disciple Kara. She says...” I think that’s what Jesus is saying it’s not like.

Like there’s some distance, some daylight, between us and the Father. Like it’s only the Son that loves us and not the Father, too. “I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you[!]...”

Do you need to hear that this morning?

“The Father Himself loves you...”

“The Father Himself loves you...”

“The Father Himself loves you...”

That’s the second of “these things” that are worthy of taking to heart.

#2. LOVE.

“The Father Himself loves you...” So you can expect answered prayers! There’s no daylight between you and God. Jesus has bridged the gap! He has closed in the space between you and the Father.

When we had our baptism classes for these 4, I drew a picture of us one side of a cliff and God on the other and great big chasm in between us. And I said that sin has caused that valley between us. And we try in our own efforts, in our own good works, to somehow the jump the valley. But it’s no good.

But God has bridged the gap for us in Jesus! And all we have to do is to cross over that bridge by faith.

Jesus says the Father Himself loves you. Not just the Son, but the Father. And here’s one of the things He loves about you: you love His Son and believe that He came to save you. Verse 27 again.

“...the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.”

Notice that this is not saying that we loved God first. We did not. God loved us first. In fact, He loved us so much that He sent His One and Only Son. Verse 28.

“I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

There’s the gospel right there, right? That’s the “main thing.” The Father sent the Son into the world. It’s John 1, right? And now He’s calling Him out of it. First in the crucifixion and after that the ascension. He came to save us. And one day He’s coming back to get us.

John, Kara, Alexis, and Cayli believe that gospel. They believe in the love of God for them.

How about you? Is verse 27 true for you? Do you know that you are loved by God the Father because you love Jesus God the Son and have believed that He came from the Father to save you?

If you believe that, then take heart!

That’s all you really need, isn’t it? They say, “All you need is love.” But it’s not romantic love that’s all we need. It’s divine love.

“The Father Himself loves you...” Take heart!

Now, sadly, the disciples, in verse 29, pretend that they understand what Jesus is talking about. They decide they’re going to play along. Verse 29.

“Then Jesus' disciples said, ‘Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.’”

“Oh, we get it. Yeah. Sure.” 

They don’t really “get it,” but they don’t want to appear clueless any longer. Sadly, it makes them appear even more clueless. One day soon they will not be clueless, but this is not that day. Jesus is almost sarcastic in verse 31.

“‘You believe at last!’ Jesus answered.” ‘’

It's probably a question in the original Greek. “You believe at last? You're picking up what I'm laying down? I doubt it.” V.32 

“But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.”

Jesus knows what is about to happen. In just a matter of hours or even minutes, the Romans, led to Him by that traitor Judas, are going to arrest Jesus, and not one of these eleven men will stand by Him.

He will be alone. All alone. But He will not be alone in being alone. His Father will be with Him. And He’s going to do this thing. He’s going to go to the Cross. And He’s going to do it out of love.

And He’s told them all this so that they will have peace. 

#3. PEACE.

Look at verse 33 again. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.”

Notice that “in me.” Our peace is found in Jesus or it’s not found at all.

No Jesus - No Peace

Know Jesus - Know Peace 

We learned in chapter 14 that Jesus gives us His own peace. The peace we have is not just peace with God (which is awesome!) or peace with others or peace within. It’s peace from God that is from Jesus Himself. And it comes from knowing all the things that Jesus has been pouring out on the disciples in the Farewell Teachings.

If you know this truth, you can have peace, and take heart.

John, Kara, Alexis, Cayli, you can have peace. Sometimes it’s a peace that passes understanding. You don’t even know how you can be so peaceful. But there it is. And you’re going to need it. Because of the fourth thing that Jesus promises here in this paragraph. And that’s trouble.

#3. TROUBLE.

With a capital T. Look again at verse 33.

“In this world you will have trouble.”

Notice the contrast. In Jesus you will have peace. But in this world, you will have trouble. Affliction. Distress. Tribulation. Suffering. Hardship. Persecution.

Remember, the world will not always love you. In fact, the world hated Jesus first, so the world is going to hate you.

John, Kara, Alexis, Cayli, I have some bad news for you. The world is not going to love you for following Jesus. The world will not love you for being baptized today in Jesus’ name. In fact, the world may hate you for it. And you will have trouble.

I love that Jesus says that in verse. He does not sugarcoat things. He is so honest! He doesn’t tell us only what we want to hear. He tells His disciples that it’s going to be hard.

And not just persecution. There’s going to be sickness and death. There’s going to be conflict between Christians. There’s going to be natural disasters and all other kinds of trouble.

We do not get out of trouble by following Jesus. We get baptized into trouble! But He’s told us that in advance, so we are prepared. So that we have hope. And we can take heart.

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

#5. VICTORY.

The Greek word for “overcome” in verse 33 is “nenikayka” which comes from the Greek root word “Nike.” Have you ever heard that word before? I think there may be a shoe company named after that. It means “victory.” It means “conquering.”

Jesus says that He has won the victory over the world. Which is a pretty impressive thing for Him to say before He goes to the Cross! Jesus knows what’s going to happen. He is going to win. He knows it so much that He can declare it before He even dies! Remember what He just said in verses 22:

“Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy” (Jn. 16:20-22 NIVO).

Be of good cheer!

Take courage.

Take heart!

John, Kara, Alexis, Cayli, take heart! Jesus has overcome the world.

Because you have clarity about the truth. That Jesus is the Truth (Jn. 14:6).

Because you know you are loved by the Father Himself so that He sent His Son for you.

Because you know you have peace with God because of Him.

Because He died and rose again and is coming back for you some day soon.

You can be courageous right now even in the face of trouble and persecution. And bear witness to His work in your life and follow Him even to death.

Take heart!

***

Messages in this Series

01. "That You May Believe" - John 20:30-31
02. "In The Beginning Was the Word" - John 1:1-18
03. "John's Testimony" - John 1:19-34
04. "Come and See" - John 1:35-51
05. "The First of His Miraculous Signs" - John 2:1-11
06. "This Temple" - John 2:12-25
07. "You Must Be Born Again" - John 3:1-15
08. "God So Loved The World" - John 3:16-21
09. "Above All" - John 3:22-36
10. "Living Water" - John 4:1-26
11. "Ripe for the Harvest" - John 4:27-42
12. "Your Son Will Live" - John 4:43-54
13. "Pick Up Your Mat and Walk" - John 5:1-18
14. "To Your Amazement" - John 5:19-30
15. "Testimony About Me" - John 5:31-47
Christmas Eve Bonus: "The Astonishing Gift" - John 3:16 Again
Christmas Eve Bonus: "We Have Seen His Glory" - John 1:1-18 Again
16. "Enough Bread" - John 6:1-15
17. "You Are Looking for Me" - John 6:16-36
18. "I Am the Bread of Life" - John 6:35-71
Vision Meeting Bonus: "As I Have Loved You" - John 13:34-35
19. "At the Feast" - John 7:1-52
20. "I Am the Light of the World" - John 8:12-30
21. "Your Father" - John 8:31-59
22. "Now I See" - John 9:1-41
23. "I Am The Gate" - John 10:1-13
24. "I Am the Good Shepherd" - John 10:14-21
25. "I And The Father Are One" - John 10:22-42
26. "I Am the Resurrection and the Life" - John 11:1-53
27. "Expensive" - John 11:54-12:11
28. "The Hour Has Come" - John 12:12-26
29. "Father, Glorify Your Name!" - John 12:27-36
30. "Believe In Me" - John 12:37-50
31. "Do You Understand What I Have Done For You?" - John 13:1-17
32. "I Am Telling You Now Before It Happens” - John 13:18-38
2024 West Branch Baccalaureate: "The Way, The Truth, and The Life" - John 14:6
33. "I Am the Way and the Truth and the Life” - John 14:1-6
34. "Show Us the Father" - John 14:7-14
35. "If You Love Me" - John 14:15
36. "I Will Ask the Father" - John 14:16-24
37. "My Peace I Give You" - John 14:25-31
38. "I Am the True Vine" - John 15:1-11
39. "You Are My Friends" - John 15:12-17
40. "If The World Hates You" - John 15:18-6:4
41. "When He Comes" - John 16:5-15
42. "After a Little While" - Joh 16:16-24

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“Why Did Jesus Get Baptized?” [Matt's Messages]

“Why Did Jesus Get Baptized?”

Worship in Christian Baptism

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

December 10, 2023 :: Matthew 3:13-17 

Today before Simon and Darren step forward to be baptized, I want us to do a little Bible study in Matthew chapter 3 and try to answer the question together, “Why did Jesus get baptized?”

Because there is probably some overlap and also some gap between why Jesus got baptized and why Darren and Simon are getting baptized this morning.

We often say that someone like Simon or Darren is “following the Lord in water baptism” or “following the Lord’s example in water baptism.” 

Jesus got baptized, and so should we. But His baptism (because He’s Jesus!) is bound to be at least a little bit different than ours. Why did Jesus get baptized?

Everybody who has taken our church’s baptism class knows that there is a quiz in the middle of it which has trick questions. I always say, “There is no test, but there might be a quiz.” And I’ve taught the class, and now Abe has the taught the class, and both of us have given this quiz that is True or False and everybody who takes it, passes. 

But there are some trick questions on it. Let me show you three of the questions:

This one shouldn’t be tricky for this church:

True or False? “Baptism gets you into heaven.”

That one’s false [very false!], and it has never tricked anyone in our classes. Water baptism does not save anyone. Jesus saves people, and we receive that salvation by His grace through our faith. And not by works (like baptism!) so that we cannot boast.

Baptism is a visible picture of the invisible reality of our salvation. If you had to get baptized to go to heaven, then the Thief on the Cross was out of luck because he never was baptized. And Jesus was wrong to say to him, “Today, you will be with me in Paradise.”

That one’s false. How about this one?

True or False? “Our church practices baptism by immersion because it is fun to see people get dunked in the water.”

That’s a trickier one. We do baptism by immersion, and it is fun to see people get dunked in the water. Here goes Simon and Darren!

But that’s not the main reason why we do it. The main reason we immerse is because every baptism described in the New Testament seems to be by immersion, including Jesus here in Matthew 3. John the Baptist (Notorious JTB) didn’t just sprinkle a little water on Jesus’ head or splash some on Him up on the beach; they got down into the Jordan river together. Remember chapter 3 of John’s Gospel said that JTB was baptizing at “Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water.”

And even more importantly, we do immersion because of how it pictures death and resurrection. When Simon is laid back into the water, it will remind us of Jesus going down into the grave, and when Darren is brought up out of the water, it will picture Jesus coming back out of the grave alive! That’s the main reason why we do it this way though we love and respect Christians who  do it differently.

But here’s probably the trickiest question that we ask on the quiz. So if you haven’t taken the baptism class yet, you’ll be ahead.

True or False? “Jesus didn’t need to be baptized since He didn’t sin.”

That’s a tricky one. I think it depends on what part of the question you put the most emphasis.

Why did Jesus get baptized? Did He need to?

I think that even John the Baptist had that question. Let’s look more closely at Matthew chapter 3.

Matthew chapter 3 begins with telling us all about the ministry of John the Baptist. We don’t have time this morning to go back over all of that. It could make a good Bible study for you this afternoon.

It’s a lot of the same things we learned about JTB as we’ve been going through the Gospel of John, especially in chapters 1, 3, and 5. John is the Voice from Isaiah 40 calling, “Prepare the way for the Lord.”

John’s trying to get God’s people ready for the Messiah. John is not the Christ, but He’s pointing people to the Christ. John says that he baptizes “with water for repentance” (v.11) (to symbolize repentance), but there is One coming after John who is more powerful and more wonderful and much greater than John. And that One to come will baptize them not just externally with water but internally with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The fire of judgment and purification.

John said that he wasn’t worthy to untie that One’s shoes. He wasn’t worthy to even be his servant. John wanted to decrease and see the Messiah increase. John was a voice (and as we saw last week) a lamp that burned and gave light to highlight the True Light who was coming into the world.

And then...Jesus came to John to be baptized.

Isn’t that strange?! Look at verse 13.

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.”

The One that John has been preaching about shows up on the scene! And John, somehow, knows that. We don’t know all of what he knew when, but he’s obviously gotten memo by this point because, John says, “I’m not sure about this.”

Jesus shows up and says, “Okay. I’m here to be baptized.”

And John is like, “Uhh. Are you sure? I think we might be getting this backwards.” 

Imagine meeting the Messiah and the first thing you do is tell Him that He’s probably wrong! V.14

“But John tried to deter him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’”

“Are you sure about this? Because I think it’s the other way around. I’m not worthy to tie your shoes. I’m certainly not worthy to baptize you. And I don’t think you need repentance.”

See, I think that JTB would answer our trick question as “TRUE.” Jesus didn’t need to be baptized since He didn’t sin.

All these other people coming to John needed to be baptized to symbolize their repentance. Some of them, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, wouldn’t admit it, but they needed it as much or more than most. But not Jesus. 

John need the baptism of the Spirit and of fire that Jesus would bring. Jesus didn’t need to be baptized for repentance. You and I need to be baptized to symbolize our repentance. Simon and Darren are saying today that they repent of their sins. But Jesus didn’t need to be baptized for repentance.

However, Jesus did need to be baptized.

Notice that Jesus doesn’t say, “Oh yeah, you’re right. What was I thinking?  I don’t need to be baptized. That’s for you guys.” And He also doesn’t say, “Oh, yes, I must repent. I am a sinner just like you.”

No, what does He say? Look at verse 15.

“Jesus replied, ‘Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.’”

So, I think that Jesus might answer our trick question as “False.” He did need to be baptized (even though) He didn’t ever sin. Jesus says, in effect, “Yes, let’s do it. I do need to be baptized. It’s the right thing for us to do to ‘fulfill all righteousness.’”

Jesus doesn’t need to be baptized for repentance, but He does need to be baptized for righteousness.

What does that mean?

Well, it probably means a whole bunch of things. We could probably meditate on it all day long. It means at least that it was “right thing” to do. His baptism fulfilled all righteousness because it was righteous for John and Jesus to do it.

But I’m sure it means a lot more than that. You might remember from our study of Matthew a few ago that “fulfill” was one of Matthew’s favorite words. It means “to fill up,” “to bring to fullness,” “to actualize.” He often used it to describe what Jesus was doing to the Old Testament Scriptures. He was filling them up.

Here, Jesus is saying that His baptism will bring righteousness to fullness. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?!

And here’s where the principle of identification takes front and center. Baptism is, at heart, an identification with something or someone else. The one being baptized is getting immersed into something that stands for something. They are being included, absorbed, connected, identified in baptism.

As Simon and Darren get baptized today, they are identifying with Jesus. They are identifying themselves as sinners who need washing. And they are identifying with Jesus's death and resurrection. Buried with Jesus in death, raised with Jesus to new life.

Now, with what or whom do you think Jesus was identifying when He got baptized?

With us, right? Jesus was identifying with us and with our sin.

Why did Jesus get baptized?

#1. TO IDENTITY WITH US.

When He went down into the water with John, Jesus was proclaiming His solidarity with us sinful humans whom He had come to save.

That’s the whole point of Christmas, isn’t it? That the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. That He became like us as humans. And even more than that, He became like sinners.

That’s what the Old Testament was teaching, too. That’s what Jesus was “fulfilling.” Listen to this from Isaiah 53, verses 11 and 12. 

"...by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."

I think that's what it means for Jesus to fulfill all righteousness! Jesus was baptized to be numbered with us, to bear our sin as our substitute, to go to the Cross, and to give us His righteousness!

What a great exchange!! Jesus took our sin and gave us His righteousness.

That’s a big part of the picture of what Jesus was doing that day. So that when Darren and Simon get baptized, they are picturing the flipside of that. They are going to down to symbolize their sin being put to death with Jesus and coming back out with Jesus’ righteousness resting on them.

Jesus had to do it. Jesu had to get baptized to picture what He had to do on the Cross. To fulfill all righteousness.

And then when He did...all heaven broke loose! Look at verse 16 again.

“Then John consented [so Jesus was dunked]. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’”

Wow! Just wow! I can’t imagine what that was like. It was like nothing else. The heavens broke open. It was cataclysmic and apocalyptic.

And the Holy Spirit of God descended on Jesus and came to rest on Him. The Spirit looked like a dove. I’m not 100% sure why. Perhaps like how the He hovered over the waters of creation in the beginning.

But remember what John the Baptist said about Jesus in John chapter 3? He said that God gave Jesus the Spirit “without limit” (Jn. 3:34, see also Isaiah 11). That’s the picture here.

And the whole Trinity is here working together with “inseparable operations.” One God in Three Persons. Not just the Son who is being baptized, not just the Spirit like a dove, but also God the Father speaking from heaven. And listen to what He says!

“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Why did Jesus get baptized?

Not just to identify with us, but...

#2. TO BE IDENTIFIED AS GOD’S BELOVED SON.

By God the Father Himself. Which is just exactly what we’ve been learning the last three weeks in John chapter 5, right? John chapter 5, verse 20. “For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does.” (See also John 3:34!).

You just hear that Fatherly delight in His divine voice. “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” “It was right for Him to get baptized. It fulfills all righteousness. Everything He does makes me happy! I sure love Him!”

“This One is My Son.”

He’s My “monogenays.” He’s My “One and Only.”  My “only begotten full of grace and truth.”

Isn’t that amazing?! 

So that we are all the more amazed when He tells us that He so loved us that He is going TO GIVE this beloved Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life (see John 3:16).

And that’s why Jesus got baptized and why Simon and Darren are getting baptized today.

They are saying to the world that they believe in Jesus and have received His free gift of eternal life.

Here are four points of application from this Scripture: Repent. Receive. Rejoice. Retell.

Jesus did not need to repent, but you and I do. We need to turn from our sins and trust in the Savior. If you have not yet, don’t delay. Make this the day that you repent.

And receive the Lord Jesus as your Savior. He took on your sin and took your sin to the Cross. He died for your sin so receive Him as your Savior today. To “all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (Jn. 1:12 NIVO).

And then rejoice that you will not perish but have eternal life. You have “crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24). You have every reason to celebrate every day of your life and forever. “Repeat the sounding joy!”

And tell and retell of your salvation to everyone who will listen. Recount your story. Restate your testimony. Retell of your salvation to the world.

And that’s what Simon and Darren are now going to do.

Would you men come forward to tell us your stories?

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“I Am With You Always” [Matt's Messagse]

“I Am With You Always”

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

April 23, 2023 :: Matthew 28:16-20

“I Am With You Always.”

What a wonderful promise that is! What a wonderful promise to end this book with!  What a wonderful promise for Natalie and Carter to hear from the risen Lord Jesus on the day that they get baptized in His name! 

What a wonderful promise for all of us who have been baptized into that same name.

Jesus says to us, “I am with you always.” What a wonderful promise for those first eleven disciples who were being given their marching orders from their risen king!

For the last few weeks, we have been meditating on and marveling in the reality and meaning of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

This chapter, Matthew 28, goes over a lot of the same details as we studied two weeks ago in Luke chapter 24 with what the women found when they went to Jesus’ grave site on that first Resurrection Sunday.

They found an open and empty tomb. Matthew fills in some details that Luke left out. Like how the guards had been scared by the angel and then conspired to lie about the whole thing for money. And how Jesus appeared to the women and told them to not be afraid but to tell His disciples to meet Him in the North country of Galilee.

Matthew tells us here in verse 16 that they met Him right where He said to. There are only eleven disciples because Judas had betrayed Jesus and killed himself afterwards. But the eleven meet Jesus there. V.16

“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” (Vv.16-17).

I would not have included that part! If this was the Gospel of Matthew Mitchell, I would have left that last part out, but I love that the Apostle Matthew did not. Again, it gives it the ring of truth. That’s exactly what would have happened at first.

They can hardly believe their eyes. Of course, they hesitated! As a general rule, dead people don’t come back to life! Especially crucified dead people!

But here Jesus is walking up to them. And so they worship! And rightly so. They bow down. They marvel. They wonder. They worship Him.

And there is a key word that the Risen Lord Jesus uses four times in the next three verses. In Greek, it’s the word “pas,” and most of the time in English we render it, “All.” 

All authority, all nations, all His commands, always.

Those will be our four points this morning if you’re taking notes.

#1. THE RISEN JESUS HAS ALL AUTHORITY.

That’s what He says in verse 18. “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

That’s an awful lot of authority, isn’t it?! That’s all the authority that there is. That’s cosmic authority. All authority in heaven and on earth. 

Now, of course, He’s always had that authority. He is the Son of God and God the Son and has been for all eternity. But the Gospel of Matthew tells us how He humbled Himself and came as a little baby in chapter 1. Even then He was “God with us,” wasn’t He? The angel told Joseph that he should name Jesus “Immanuel” because He was God with us from the git-go. “I will be with you always.”

And He had amazing authority. You might remember that we saw that all the way through the Gospel of Matthew in 2017, 2018, 2019 and the first part of 2020. Jesus taught as One with authority. He had authority over disease and demons. He had authority over the wind and waves. He had amazing authority!

But now Jesus has somehow gone to a new level of authority by dying and rising from the dead. Upon His resurrection, His Father has bestowed on Jesus, in some new way, all authority in heaven and on earth.

He is the King of Everything! Worthy of our worship.

“Rejoice, the Lord is King! Your Lord and King adore.

Rejoice, give thanks, and sing, and triumph everymore.

His kingdom cannot fail, He rules over earth and heav’n

The keys of death and hell, Are to our Jesus giv’n!

Lift up your heart!

Lift up your voice!

Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!”

- Charles Wesley

If you had all authority, what would you tell your followers to do?

I think this may be the one passage of holy Scripture that I have preached the most times in the last twenty-five years. I went back through my records, and I found at least seven times that this was the text that I preached from in this pulpit [1998, 1999, 2007, 2016a, 2016b, 2018, 2020].  And I know I’ve referenced it many more times, and rightfully so. Because this passage encapsulates our mission as a church straight from the mouth of our Risen Lord.

If you had all authority, what would you tell your followers to do?

The Risen Lord Jesus tells us to make more followers of Him. V.19 

“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...”

#2. THE RISEN JESUS WANTS DISCIPLES FROM ALL NATIONS. 

Did you see the “all” there? All authority, all nations. Every kind of people out there. That’s what the word “nations” means, it means “groups of people,” not just countries and nation-states, but every kind of ethnicity and tribe and tongue and people-group that you can imagine.

This is a key command for the church to do missions–to send people all over the world. Those people on the back wall of the auditorium are some of the people whom we are sending to obey this command to make disciples, followers of Jesus, from all nations. And because the apostles were faithful to obey these marching orders, the gospel of the Risen King has reached our ears! It has made it to the people groups here in central Pennsylvania. That’s why our church is here–because Jesus wants disciples from the people right here in our area.

And in our families, too. Let me tell you about some people who have been trying hard to obey this command. Shane and Holly who have told their daughter Natalie about how Jesus Christ died on the Cross for her sins. And Bill and Shasta have told their son Carter about how that same Jesus came back to life to give him life. These parents have been have been trying to make disciples of their children in obedience to Jesus. 

And Natalie and Carter have believed and chosen to become disciples. They’ve told me that themselves.

So, what’s the next step? What does He say in verse 19? It’s baptism.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, [how do you do that?] baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...”

That’s why we are doing that today. We are not baptizing these two today because it’s fun to see people get wet. This isn’t a dunk tank.

We are baptizing these two because they are identifying themselves with their Risen Lord, in fact, they are identifying themselves with All of Who God is. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The One God that we confessed this morning in the Apostles’ Creed. One God in Three Persons. Did you see that in verse 19? One God. One name. “Baptizing them in THE name.” And then there are these three Persons named as THE name–God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Greg Strand taught us about the Tri-Unity of God this last Fall. One God in Three Persons, the Blessed Trinity.

In our baptism class, Carter, Natalie, and I noticed that those same three Persons were present at Jesus’ Baptism. The Father spoke, the Spirit descended like a dove, and Jesus is the Beloved Son.

So, when Uncle Joel dips them back into to the water, he’s going to bring out those same three names as the one name, identifying Natalie and Carter with the Three in One. Saying that Carter and Natalie are WITH this One God. And, at the same time, Jesus is saying it to them: “I will be with you always.”

Natalie and Carter, as you get baptized today, you are taking on this Great Commission yourself. You are saying that you are followers of Jesus and that you are going to engage in making more followers of Jesus.

You will tell your friends about Jesus. You will help missionaries spread the word about Jesus. You will pray about whether or not Jesus might be asking you yourself to go to people around the world and tell them about Jesus’ death and resurrection. Because the Risen Jesus wants disciples from all nations. And He’s using us to make them.

Let me ask the rest of you if you have been baptized yourself. Because some people have decided it’s just not that important to be baptized and have put it off indefinitely. Have you been baptized as a follower of Jesus Christ? If not, why not?

Notice who says that we should be baptizing followers of Jesus. It’s Jesus Himself! And He’s come back from the dead to say it! And He’s said that He’s saying it from the position of ALL AUTHORITY. I think you and I ought to take that pretty seriously, don’t you? 

What could be holding you back? What could be holding you back from obeying the Person with all of the authority of heaven and earth from obeying all of His commands? That’s third ALL here. “All His commands.” Verse 20.

“...and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

#3. THE RISEN JESUS WANTS US TO OBEY ALL HIS COMMANDS.

Including the command to be baptized. Every single thing that Jesus has taught His disciples, they are supposed to pass on to all of His disciples. We don’t get to pick and choose. And notice that it says, “teaching them TO OBEY” all of His commands. 

Making disciples isn’t just passing on head-knowledge, filling brains with lists of commands. It is helping His followers to follow. And not just the commands that we feel like following.

Carter and Natalie, as you are baptized today, you are saying to the Lord and to the world that you are ready and willing to learn everything that Jesus wants to you to do, and you are ready and willing to do it. And that’s true of every baptized believer here in this room. Or, at least, it should be. Are there some commands that we are unwilling to learn to obey? If there are, we should repent of them today. Because Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth!

I’m not saying it’s easy. Following Jesus can be hard. Really hard. Making disciples can be hard. Living as a disciple can be hard. Jesus asks us to some hard things. Read the Gospel of Matthew over again if you need a reminder! (And we all need reminders.)

Yes, it can be hard, but Jesus has all of the authority to require all of His disciples from all of the nations to obey all of His commands. 

And here’s the good news, He gives us the power to do that, and He assures us of His presence as we do it! V.20

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

#4. THE RISEN JESUS WILL BE WITH US ALL OUR DAYS.

Jesus has come back to life and will never die again. And He has promised to never leave His followers. He sends us out, yes, but He doesn’t stay back while we march out on our gospel mission. He goes with us!

We are not alone. Everything that He asks us to do, we do not do by ourselves. He promises us His presence. By His Spirit. Until He comes back at the end of the age to bring in the fullness of His kingdom.

“Surely I am with you always.” That word “surely” is the word for “behold.” It’s the same word that we emphasized when Ron Bean was baptized on January 8th. “Behold! Look there! I’m telling you, this is important. Behold! Check this out.”  “Behold! I am with you always. You can count on it. You can take it to the bank. Nothing will separate you from me. Nothing can snatch you from my hand. I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Behold! Natalie, Carter, Lanse Free Church, you and I can “sing wherever we go” because Jesus goes wherever we go.

Jesus says, “I am with you always.”

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