The Challenge. Matthew 28:16-20.
Matthew was a very reserved writer. He focused on the truth about Jesus Christ and paid only a little attention to the faults of the disciples. As for the disciples, the gospels of Luke and John reveal these men had some pretty good squabbles, short comings, with lapses of faith. Matthew did not want to make the message about them, he wanted people to know about Jesus.
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. Matthew 28:16-17 (NKJV)
We are told in Luke that only a fraction of the miracles Jesus did were recorded. Luke said if they could be written, there would be too many books. So in the gospels we get a specific message the authors wanted to communicate and this last passage is a good example.
Matthew says they went away to Galilee; Luke tells us Peter pretty much caved to the pressure of being a disciple and with Jesus presumed dead, Peter said, "I'm going fishing;" to which some of the disciples said, "we will go with you."
Even though they retreated from the public eye and returned to their old way of life, it was a place where God could continue His work in their lives; for it would be here Jesus would show Himself to them and have a conversation to get them going in the right direction for building the kingdom.
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)
Matthew skips to the part about Jesus and the commissioning of the group; however Luke tells us as they were fishing they were catching nothing and from the shoreline a man yelled to them to cast the nets on the other side of the boat.
When they did the nets were filled to overflow and with so many fish, they could not drag the fish into the boats; they had to drag the fish to the shore. Yet in this miracle, they recognized the man on the shore was Jesus and Peter jumped into the water and swam to the shore to see his Lord. He was risen and this must have brought great joy to the men.
Luke goes onto tell Jesus made the breakfast of a few of the many fish they caught and then He focused on Peter. He asked Peter, Peter do you love me with unconditional, unfailing, love, like the Father loves us and do you love me more that the other disciples or the fishing business you can have?
Peter answered, you know I love what you represent and what you are doing. To that answer, Jesus told Peter to step up and lead my people like a flock of sheep.
Luke tells us Jesus asked again, Peter do you love me? Again Peter answered the same; for inside Peter he had much remorse. When he denied Jesus three times, as the roster crowed, he found the depth of his commitment and failed to love Jesus with his whole heart. Peter did not think he had it within himself to love the way Jesus wanted.
If that is the way it is, Jesus told Peter, "then nurture my lambs." At least Peter you can care for new Christians.
Yet even after saying these things Jesus looked and Peter and said "Peter do you love me?" and Peter got very upset and barked back his same answer. Peter loved Jesus with a lesser love and though Peter did not see the potential within himself, Jesus did.
Jesus answered back, Peter lead and guide my sheep. This was as if to say, "Step up as my leader, Peter."
There are many times we feel our love for God is not enough to step up into ministry or even offer advice to those who need it. We see the failings in our own life and cannot understand how we can help. Yet if we let God into our heart and do not walk away from a challenge, we will find within ourselves is great potential and the love of God will flow out of our heart and out of our life in ways we did not know possible.
Jesus did not want Peter to quit and Jesus did not want His other disciples to quit. Instead, Jesus wants us to do what Matthew records from this encounter on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
This challenge was spoke to the disciples and recorded so it would be spoken unto us. Jesus will be with us always. He will be our strength. He will work the miracles when they are need.
We are not to rely on ourselves or even our reputation; we are to rely on Him and the filling of His spirit.
No matter what we have done or if we have denied Jesus, we are to lead the sheep, feed the sheep, and nurture the young in Christ. We are to go out and introduce people to Christ. We are to fill our churches with people and if we do, our waking hours will be filled with God's work.
Where Luke focused on the insecurities of the disciples and the doubts of some, Matthew just focuses on the message. This is an important observation for there are times for dealing with our short comings, but we must return only to the message, our commission, and the work of the Lord.
We are not our own. We are bought by the blood of Christ and we belong to Him. Therefore, we are servants to follow His instruction, His leading, and His example.
We are to let Him be our confidence; Him be our reason. We are to turn our lives over to Him to do the great work He does.
Jesus is restoration. He is the creator. Jesus is our provider and our strength. Therefore, we are not to look inward asking the question, "Do I have it in me to do this work for God." We are to look outward relying on God to do it through us.
All we must do is surrender our lives to Him. He forgives our sins. He heals our wounds. Jesus picks us up and cleans us up. Then He fills us with His spirit.
Paul the apostle wrote, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me" and this we must never forget.
Matthew closes with this challenge; to go unto all the world and preach the gospel. Baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Mathew writes to motivate us to know the Old Testament, know the story the Messiah, and live our life to the glory and honor of God.
Matthew closes with the word "Amen" for it is a word which means, "May the power of the Lord go forth."
Let this power go forth from your life and teach others to do the same.
This is the end of The Christian Worker's Spiritual Food study in the Gospel of Matthew. Join us for further studies in God's word.
