Matthew 28:16-20

Matthew 28:16-20

Initial Thoughts

• The mission statement of the United Methodist Church - “To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

• For many Methodists pastors, this might be the last sermon at a charge - what a great way to finish. 

Bible Study

• They are back where it all began - in Galilee (of the Gentiles - see Matthew 4:15) at the Mount - probably where he delivered the Sermon on the Mount

• Mountains are places of theophany - where God meets us

• Because Matthew sets up Jesus as the new Moses - there are some interesting connections here

• Like Moses - Jesus has taught and showed them the way of life and death

• Like Moses - he will not enter the promised land with them

• Like Moses - he will meet for them one last time on the Mountain

• Like Moses - he is sending them into a new place - perhaps a new “Promised Land” - what would this mean for the early Jewish Christians who had recently survived the great revolt and were dispersed from the traditional “promised land”?

• Unlike Moses - Jesus message is not only for Israel but emanating forth from the disciples throughout the world

• They worshiped, but some doubted

• Those with faith and those who doubt come to the same place. They are given the same command

• There is room even for those that still question.  Assurance is not a prerequisite of discipleship.

• “How does Jesus respond to this mixed group of worshipers and doubters? He gives them all the same commission: "Go and make disciples

• Even those that doubt are told to go and teach.

• Authority/Power

• The last time someone talked about Jesus having all authority was on a different mountain when the Devil tempted Jesus. The devil thought that authority came through triumph over and using the ends to justify the means (worshiping the devil in order to gain authority). Jesus has just revealed that true power and authority are found through love, vulnerability and sacrifice. (Myallis, http://lectionarygreek.blogspot.com/)

• “The word for power used here is not the usual word for power, dunamis, but exousa. This distinction conveys the difference between ‘self-contained power,’ and ‘passed on power’ (exousa).” (Gary Simpson, The Abingdon Preaching Annual, p. 73)) 

• Christ’s power is not one manipulation or exertion of dominance, it is a power that is passed on.

• Teaching and baptism are ways through which Jesus shares this power - divine power and authority are revealed and shared, never hoarded

• Commission/Commandment

• A commandment is all on you.  One must either obey or disobey.  

• Commissioning is more of a team effort.  “Commissioning, however, functions differently. When you are commissioned you are not merely commanded but also equipped, empowered, and given the necessary authority to accomplish your duty.” (David Lose)

• Teaching them to obey my command

• Moral imperative - how to live and act, is above what to believe.

• Jesus’ last words are not about belief, they are about living

• To obey Jesus’ command is to live as he lived:

• Greatest commandment - To love God and love your neighbor.

• Make disciples, Baptize, Teach

• “Will be with you to until the end of the age”

• Matthew’s explanation for the delayed parousia - the delay in Jesus coming back.  The Mathew community was probably expecting him back by now, this is an encouragement for them to continue to do the work of making disciples.

• Trinity

• The only time Jesus refers to the Trinity directly

• While stating that we should read too much of later Trinitatian theology into this, Stephen Boyd points out that the old trinitatian debate - Arius vs Athanasius - was rooted in centuries of different understandings of who God is

• Arius - God and Jesus can’t be co-equal because that would reveal “a need or vulnerability in the Father. To say that there was need or vulnerability in the Father—in God—suggested that God could change; God could be affected by another.” God is the unchanging reality underlying the tumult and chaos of life. Feasting on the Word: Year A, Volume 3: Pentecost and Season After Pentecost 1 (Propers 3-16).

• Athanasius - Jesus and God are equal. There is a unity of love in which power “is not self-possessive and self-preserving like that of the Gentiles, who "lord it over" others and tyrannize them (Mark 10:42).” Rather the power of God and Jesus are self-giving.

• These views both persist in our congregations and change how we both view and interact with the world. It might be helpful to explore this - how does our understanding of who God is change how we live and act? In other words - why is the trinity important?

Thoughts and Questions

• Commission is different than a commandment.  As commissioned, we are given not only a task, but the tools to succeed.  Jesus is with us on this journey - “even to the end of the age.”

• Jesus is commissioning his followers to go out and save the world.  Right now churches are hoping that people will come in and save the church

• They’ll come in and be good tithe-ers, good church-members, good volunteers.

• Jesus didn’t tell the disciples to go and build great churches.  He told them to go and make disciples.

Thank you listeners and get in touch:

Thanks to our Psalms correspondent, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com,@pomopsalmist). Thank you to Scott Fletcher for our voice bumpers, Dick Dale and the Del Tones for our Theme music (“Miserlou”), Nicolai Heidlas (“Sunday Morning”,"Real Ride"and“Summertime”) and Bryan Odeen for our closing music.