February 14, 2016 – The Great Commission – A Study of Matthew – Going and Coming

Matthew 28:18-20 – New International Version (NIV) – The Great Commission

¹⁸ “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ 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, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Going and Coming

Matthew 28:1-10 – New International Version (NIV)

¹ “After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

² 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. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ 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.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

When did Mary Magdalene and the other Mary go to look at the tomb (verse 1)?

Why was there “a violent earthquake” (verse 2)?

Who looked “like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow” (verse 3)?

Why did the guards shake and become “like dead men” (verse 4)?

In your opinion, why did the angel tell the women “do not be afraid” (verse 5)?

How did the angel identify Jesus (verse 5)?

What did the angel say about Jesus (verse 6)?

Who were the women to tell “He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee” (verse 7)?

How did the women feel when they “hurried away from the tomb” (verse 8)?

What did the women do when Jesus met them and said “greetings” (verse 9)?

In your opinion, why did Jesus tell them “do not be afraid” (verse 10)?

Why are His “brothers” to go to Galilee (verse 10)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

Genesis 3:17-19 - New International Version (NIV)

¹⁷ “To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’

“Cursed is the ground because of you;
    through painful toil you will eat food from it
    all the days of your life.
¹⁸ It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
    and you will eat the plants of the field.
¹⁹ By the sweat of your brow
    you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
    since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
    and to dust you will return.”

What was God’s command about the fruit of the tree that Adam ate (verse 17)?

How is the ground affected by Adam eating the fruit (verse 17)?

What will it take to produce food for “all the days of your life” (verse 17)?

What will the ground produce “for you” (verse 18)?

When will the eating of the food “by the sweat of your brow” end (verse 19)?

In your opinion, what does it mean to say “for dust you are and to dust you will return” (verse 19)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how was the curse to Adam and his descendants in Genesis 3:17-19 that “dust you are and to dust you will become” changed when Jesus had risen from the tomb, but risen in Matthew 28:1-10?

1 Corinthians 15:1-10 – New International Version (NIV)

¹ “Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. ² By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

³ For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. ⁶ After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, ⁸ and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”

Who does Paul want to remind “of the gospel I preached to you” (verse 1)?

What must be done to keep from believing “in vain” (verse 2)?

How does Paul describe the fact that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve” (verses 3 through 5)?

How many people did the risen Christ appear to at the same time (verse 6)?

In your opinion, why does Paul say that the appearance of Christ to himself was “as to one abnormally born” (verse 8)?

Why does Paul say he does not deserve to be called an apostle (verse 9)?

What allows Paul to be what he is (verse 10)?

What allowed Paul to work “harder than all of them” (verse 10)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how is the curse of Adam and his descendants in Genesis 3:17-19 affected by the message of “first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” that Paul delivers in 1 Corinthians 15:1-10?

In your opinion, how are the promises of the angel and of Jesus in Matthew 28:1-10 fulfilled by the testimony of Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:1-10?

Revelation 22:12-17 – New International Version (NIV)

¹² “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

¹⁴ “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. ¹⁵ Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

¹⁶ “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”

¹⁷ The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.”

When is Jesus coming (verse 12)?

What is He bringing that He “will give to each person according to what they have done” (verse 12)?

In your opinion, what is Jesus trying to convey in the statement that He is the “the Alpha and the Omega” using the statements that He is “the First and the Last” and “the Beginning and the End” as additional emphasis (verse 13)?

How are those “who wash their robes” described (verse 14)?

What do those “who wash their robes” have a right to (verse 14)?

Who is outside the city (verse 15)?

What did Jesus send His angel to give (verse 16)?

Who says “Come” (verse 17)?

Who is instructed to say “Come” (verse 17)?

What “free gift” will be taken by the one who wishes (verse 17)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how does the gospel that “Christ died for our sins” which Paul shares in 1 Corinthians 15:1-10 lead to the blessing of Revelation 22:12-17 that those who wash their robes have a right to “the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city”?

In your opinion, how is the curse “dust you are and to dust you will return” in Genesis 3:17-19 perfectly lifted by the invitation that Jesus makes in Revelation 22:12-17 to “Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life”?

In your opinion, why do you think that the message that Jesus sent to the disciples in Matthew 28:1-10 was to “Go” but the message that Jesus in Revelation 22:12-17 is “Come”?

In your opinion, what do these passages, from Matthew, Genesis, 1 Corinthians and Revelation show us about the Great Commission?

Next, back to Matthew 28:11 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)