ATTENTION: Please note that this is The Adult Sunday School Lesson, Christ is Risen! aka Go and Tell, on Matthew 28 for the 4-24-11 International Sunday School Lesson. You will find the 4-17-11 lesson, Hosanna! Aka Praise the Lord, directly beneath this message and on the right side.
Jed
Christ is Risen!
Or
Go and Tell
Matthew 28
International Sunday School Lesson
April 24, 2011
Commentary
By
Jed Greenough
Last Sunday April 17th we studied the Triumphal Entry. In it we saw as the people proclaimed “Hosanna in the highest!” according to Matthew 21, “the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
During the week that followed, as Christ had only days to live we can see how Jesus filled that week. We know that on Monday, Jesus cleared the temple. Remember how he arrived late in Jerusalem on Sunday but went and looked around the temple? Do you suppose that Jesus thought that whole night about what He had seen?
On Tuesday, the authority by which He was doing these things was questioned by the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders. In an answer of sorts He taught them in ways that made them decide not to question Him further.
Wednesday, Judas agrees to betray Jesus.
Thursday on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread Jesus and the twelve disciples ate the Last Supper. Afterwards, they went together to Gethsemane where that night, His soul in anguish, He was arrested. His disciples scattered and fled and He was brought before the Sanhedrin.
Friday He was cruelly and horribly treated concluding with His crucifixion and finally death on the cross. Before sundown of this the start of the Jewish Sabbath, Christ was entombed.
Saturday, this Sabbath day of rest would have been one of great sorrow for those who had been close to Jesus.
Sunday at dawn, this is where we find ourselves now, seeing and feeling what those there saw…an empty tomb, an earthquake, an angel and finally, Jesus. What results is only natural, no one could keep quiet, even the guards went back and reported this greatest of events to have ever been witnessed. What would you expect but that all who witnessed and heard of this would do as our lesson this week is entitled and “Go and Tell”, “Christ is Risen”!”
Matthew 28:7a “Then go quickly and tell His disciples: He has risen from the dead…”
Matthew 28:10a “Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers…”
Matthew 28:11 even the guards went and reported what had happened.
Matthew 28:19 “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.”
Week after week we gather together in preparation for our time of worship and the study of God’s word. Week after week of study or teaching in anything should prepare us to be masters of whatever it is that we are studying or else either we are poor students or poor teachers or both.
How are you doing as a student or as a teacher? In the days since last Easter, how have you grown in your ability and efforts to go and tell?
“Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed His word by the signs that accompanied it.” Mark 16:20
For Discussion:
1. Read the parallel accounts in Mark 16, Luke 24 and John 20.
2. Compare Matthew 28:17 and Luke 24:41
3. Romans 1:4
4. In the parallel account found in Mark 16 it is reported in the NIV that the earliest manuscripts do not contain the verses 9-20. What do you think?
5. 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
6. Challenge each person in your class to find a way to go and tell in the year ahead.
7. In what ways do you support those who do go and tell?
8. May you have a blessed Easter Holiday!
5-1-11: Be Like Jesus (The Christ Hymn) Philippians 2:1-11
5-8-11: Heavenly Worship (Perpetual Praise) Revelation 4:1-2, 6b-11 or Rev 4 respectively.
5-15-11: Thankful Worship Revelation 7:9-17
5-22-11: All Things New (New Order of Things) Revelation 21:1-8 or 21:1-8, 22-27 respectively.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment