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Obedience to Resurrection Commands
Matt. 28:5-10 & 16-20

Introduction Better to Keep the Commandments
A church member went to his pastor, Phillips Brooks, to tell him he was going to the Holy Land. He said that it was his intention to visit Mount Sinai. "In fact," the man told the minister, "I plan to climb to the top of that mountain and when I get there read aloud the Ten Commandments."

Thinking this would please Dr. Brooks, the church member was surprised to hear his pastor say, "You know, I can think of something even better than that." The man responded, "You can, Pastor? And what might that be?"

Brooks replied rather bluntly, "Just this. Instead of traveling thousands of miles to read the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, why not stay right here at home and keep them?"
 
   

1.    Commands To the Woman. v 5, 6b, 7a & 10 b
5 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 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 tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." 8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. 9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

A.    The Women Received Commands from the Angels. v 5, 6 b, 7 a,

        1.    The Women Were Commanded "Do not be Afraid.
                v 5 a But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I
                know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

        2.    The Women Were Commanded to "Come and See".
                v 6b He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the
                Lord lay.

                a. Women were the first to come to the tomb. There testimony impressed the disciples,
                    and then some of the disciple came to see the empty tomb.

        3.    The Women Were Commanded to "Go quickly and Tell His Disciples".
            v 7a And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead,

        1.    The Women Were Commanded "Do not be Afraid". v 10 a
                Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid"

        2.    The Women Were Commanded "Go and Tell My Brothers". v 10 b
                'Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

Application

Christianity does not try to hide the teachings about Jesus but to display them.
 
 

2.    Command To the Apostles. v 16-20
       16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed
        for them.

Introduction
The Apostles took seriously the words of the Ladies. This would be unusual in this time because a woman's testimony was considered inferior. The took off for Galilee, simply because the women told them this is what Jesus told them to share.

Why didn't Jesus tell the Apostles Himself? The Apostles held a higher rank in early Christianity much more than these women. We can only speculate but it is interesting.

A.    The Apostles Received A Command to Go to Galilee.
        16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed
        for them.

Illustration Instant Obedience
Bible teacher Donald Grey Barnhouse (1895-1960) told the following story: A young son of a missionary couple in Zaire was playing in the yard. Suddenly the voice of the boy's father rang out from the porch, "Philip, obey me instantly! Drop to your stomach!" Immediately the youngster did as his father commanded. "Now crawl toward me as fast as you can!" The boy obeyed. "Stand up and run to me!" Philip responded unquestioningly and ran to his father's arms.

As the youngster turned to look at the tree by which he had been playing, he saw a large deadly snake hanging from one of the branches! At the first command of his father, Philip could have hesitated and asked, "Why do you want me to do that?" Or he could have casually replied, "In a minute." But his instant obedience without questioning saved his life!

Application

A.    All Believers Receive these Commands.

        1.    As You are Going. Make Disciples. v 19 a
                "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,"

        2.    After Disciples are Made "Baptize them". v 19 b - 20 a
                "baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe
                all things that I have commanded you;

        3.    After Disciples are Made "Teach Them". v 20 a
                "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;

            a. If they are not Baptized into our church how can we follow up and teach them?

Illustration
I have a man (Jim H.) who surrendered to preach while I was the pastor of Ellis Avenue Baptist Church in Huntington Beach California. He made a decision for Christ as a youth and was baptized in a Disciples of Christ Church. This church believes baptism completes salvation. Their doctrine says you are not saved until you are baptized. He wanted to move his membership from a Southern Baptist Church in Monterey California, and they had received him without asking he be properly baptized. (Baptist to show forth the dead, burial, and resurrection of Christ; and the fact that he had a new life in Christ.

I told him we would not receive him into membership unless he were properly baptized. He smiled and said "I thought you would say that, and we have already discussed this, and I want to be a member of this church so I am willing to be baptized. I made sure he knew why we were asking him to be baptized, and he said explain it more. I did and he said "I agree."

Later Jim surrendered to preach. Included in the discussions we had about the ministry he said "you know you made me take seriously the teachings of Christ. The church in Monterey had a pastor who watered down Baptist doctrine. I think your stand made me begin to take the teachings of scripture seriously.

Application

A Methodist Church in a Missouri town had several unhappy people worship.  They were leaving a Baptist Church, the Methodist Minister was so eager to get them into his church he said, "I won't preach on doctrines that you disagree with while you're here."

People need to follow every command of the Lord. We do not have the authority to change or water down the teachings of this book.
 

WE ARE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THE BOOK UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
 

Conclusion 25 Cents extra
One evening an evangelist preached with great zeal on the text, "Thou shalt not steal." He impressed upon his listeners the necessity of absolute integrity in everything. The next morning he boarded a bus and gave the driver a dollar bill for his fare. Counting his change, he found that he had received an extra quarter. Without hesitation he approached the driver and said, "You accidentally gave me too much change."

"It wasn't an accident," the driver replied. "I did it on purpose to see what you would do. Last night I was in your audience and wondered if you practiced what you preached. I made up my mind if you returned the quarter, I'd come and hear you tonight." --Moody