The Guards report to the chief priest)
[11] While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city. They reported to the chief priests all that had happened.
[12] When the chief priests met with the elders, they came up with a plan. They gave the soldiers a large amount of money.
[13] They told the soldiers, “We want you to say, ‘His disciples came during the night. They stole his body while we were sleeping.’
[14] If the governor hears this report, we will pay him off. That will keep you out of trouble.”
[15] So the soldiers took the money and did as they were told. This story has spread all around among the Jews to this day.
[16] Then the 11 disciples went to Galilee. They went to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
[17] When they saw him, they worshiped him. But some still had their doubts.
[18] Then Jesus came to them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
[19] So you must go and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
[20] Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And you can be sure that I am always with you, to the very end.”
• 1. The Story
• 2. The Lie
• 3. The Commission
Question 1
• Who is Jesus to you personally?
1. THE STORY
Jesus had large crowds following Him, and at one point He chose seventy of His followers and sent them out on mission.
From among His seventy disciples, He selected twelve to be His closest companions. These were to become His apostles, sent to the nations to proclaim the gospel.
However, one of them betrayed Him. Jesus was betrayed by one of His closest friends. He was then severely beaten, crucified killed, but on the third day He rose from the dead.
All His disciples were afraid when He was beaten and killed. They believed that their Messiah—their Saviour—was dead. However, He had risen and was alive!
This is the story of restored hope and victory.
It was an experience that would never leave
the disciples for the rest of their lives.
They would go on to proclaim this truth and ultimately die believing and testifying to what they had witnessed.
He overcame death and is alive again.
Jesus appeared to the disciples and told them that they would testify about Him to the whole world, doing so in the power of His authority.
They would have power over sin, fear, Satan, and the influences of this world. They were no longer to be merely Jewish ambassadors, but global ambassadors of God's Kingdom.
Through the victory of Jesus over Satan, this message of hope and God's love has spread throughout the world. As a result, we too can receive salvation.
Jesus reminds us that there is hope in Him. When life becomes difficult and there seems to be no hope, we can be confident that our future is secure in Christ.
Life can place us in dark tombs where we cannot see clearly, where we do not know whom to trust or what the future holds. Yet there is hope in Jesus.
He has overcome fear and death. He is the First and the Last. In Him, we have victory.
As Scripture says, “Whatever is born of God overcomes the world.” In Christ, we are more than conquerors.
Question 2
Have you ever been falsely accused or had someone spread lies about you, causing others to misunderstand you? How did you respond?
. 2. The Lie
After the resurrection, the soldiers were instructed to lie about what had happened. Their claim was that they had fallen asleep while on guard duty and that the disciples had come and stolen Jesus' body.
However, Roman soldiers were highly trained and disciplined. A single Roman soldier was trained to defend the area around him (6ftq) with great skill and precision. The military formations and tactics of the Roman army have influenced some of the world's greatest armies, including the British Army.
Sleeping while on duty was considered a very serious offence when caught and the soldier
was set on fire to wake him up. the punishment for neglecting such guard duty was death.
If you had fallen asleep while on guard duty and somehow escaped punishment, you wouldn’t go around announcing it.
Secondly, when Jesus was arrested, all the disciples fled in fear. Peter, who stayed behind, denied even knowing Jesus in order to protect himself. It is a joke to imagine that these frightened and discouraged men would suddenly find the courage and strength to overpower a squad of trained Roman soldiers.
Furthermore, the tomb had been secured with an official Roman seal. Breaking such a seal was a serious offence against Roman authority. Yet there is no record of any disciples being charged or pursued for violating the seal or stealing the body.
A lie is a betrayal of trust. I have had
people lie about me and spread false accusations because of competition, jealousy, hatred, fear, or misunderstanding.
Some people believed those lies, but God's purpose for my life could not be stopped. In the same way, we may not be able to prevent every falsehood spoken against us in this life, but we can take comfort in knowing that no lie can stop God's purpose for us.
Today, in the name of Jesus, sins are forgiven, lives are healed, and hearts are comforted
I spoke to Him today, and I know that He is alive!
He is the Truth that overcomes every lie.
We can trust Him and trust His Word.
Because He lives, we have hope. Because He lives, we can face tomorrow with confidence, knowing that He is faithful and His words never fail.
Question 3
How do you make disciples?
3. The Commission
[19] So you must go and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
[20] Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And you can be sure that I am always with you, to the very end.”
The Great Commission is about Jesus sending us into the world: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” God calls us to make disciples from every background, culture, and nation. He wants a diverse church.
A disciple is someone whom you walk alongside, helping them grow and mature in their faith in Christ. Discipleship is more than teaching information; it is investing in people's lives, encouraging them, and helping them become more like Jesus.
Make disciples—step beyond your comfort zones and bring others along in their journey with Christ.
Jesus promised that He would be with us always, so we do not need to be afraid.
A disciple in college, a colleague
We are not meant to follow Christ alone; we are called to help others follow Him too.
