Last week in part one of this study, we saw how the heart of God is not for religion or even dutiful service, but for genuine intimate relationship. We also saw how this relationship with God is integral and necessary for good service, since without the foundation of receiving love from God, every work is a dead work.
Today as we continue with part two of our study, we are going to see the contrast between the behaviors of different people as they encounter the truth of God. How the truth of Jesus can and should affect us, and we will see what the heart of Jesus for everyone is, even if they do not realize it.
So let’s pick up where we paused last week, in Matthew chapter 28, and read verses 10 through 15:
“Then said Jesus to them, Be not afraid: go tell my brothers that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and showed to the chief priests all the things that were done.
And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money to the soldiers,
Saying, Say you, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.
So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.”
In verse 9 last week, we saw that the two women had an encounter with the risen Christ. He came and met them. He intercepted them on their way to tell the others, and it is worth repeating because it is so very essential, that we should never be so busy – even in ministry – that we don’t have time to stop and fellowship with Jesus. He is the source of everything, including our strength for ministry service (John 15:5).
Now take a look at what Jesus says to them in verse 10, because it reveals another aspect of His heart towards us. He says: Be not afraid. Now we know from last week as we read verse 8, that the women departed from the tomb with fear and great joy. This was reverential fear, and when Jesus met the women, they held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. He is not saying that the worship is wrong, but what He is doing here is signifying a change of relationship. Bowing down with your face to the ground is something that a slave or a servant would do. And many times this is how God would be worshiped under the Old Covenant. However look at what Jesus says next: Go tell my brethren… This is so significant, so vital to understanding our relationship to God in Christ under the New Covenant today. Notice that He did not say “Go tell my slaves”, “Go tell my workers”, or “Go tell my “servants”; none of those, although He easily could have said any one of those. Instead He said “Go tell my brethren”, He does not want us to think of our relationship to Him as a master/slave relationship, nor as an employer/employee relationship, and not even as a king/subject relationship. Although He can take any of those roles, that is not what He has chosen to say. Please understand that Jesus never misspeaks and He always says exactly what He means to say. It was no accident that He said “brethren” – yet many believers still have trouble seeing God in a personal and intimate way, due to years of what I call “religious brainwashing”.
I am emphasizing this point because this is an aspect of Jesus’ heart that many people miss, or even reject because of so much bad teaching and wrong believing out there today. It may help to think of it this way… How many can understand that your relationship to your employees at work is different than your relationship to your own family – or at least it should be. If you tell your subordinate to do something, he will do it not because he loves you and he enjoys a close personal relationship with you, but he will do it because he is getting paid; he is trying to earn a living. There is a formality, a respectful distance between an employer and employee, and that’s okay; it’s right to be that way.
However, when it comes to family, yes there is an order and a structure of authority, but it is not the same as it is on a job. Directions are not carried out because of fear, but because of love. You would not want your child to come up to you and say “Oh merciful master, father, if it is your will, please I beg of thee allow me to take one cookie oh gracious lord, from the jar on the kitchen counter.” and do so with a look of fear on her face, as if you were about to punish her for having the audacity to make the request. No. That’s the mark of an abused child. A normal, healthy relationship would be if the little girl comes running and gives you a hug and a kiss on the cheek and says “Daddy! Can I please have a cookie!”
In the same way, Jesus wants you to feel completely unhindered and unrestrained when fellowshipping with Him. You don’t need to stand on formality or prostrate yourself on the ground in front of Him; He has angels that do that 24/7; that’s not what you were created for. You were created for relationship with Him – to love and be loved by Him.
Now look at verse 11 of our text. Some of the guards went and showed the chief priests what had happened. Whether they knew it or not, they became witnesses of the Resurrection. Now the chief priests were the Pharisees, the ones who were bound-up in self-righteousness and Law-keeping. They were not interested in Jesus, and played a large-part in His crucifixion. In verses 12 through 15, they bribe the guards to hide the truth. The chief priests gave the soldiers large money in order to conceal the truth, and the same sorts of things happen today. Whenever a pastor compromises the Gospel message in order to keep his tithing members happy, that is no different than what is being done here. It is altering and diminishing the truth of Jesus Christ for money. Every time a preacher bows to someone who says “Well I don’t believe in healing.” or “I don’t believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. And as long as you agree, I’ll continue writing my check to the church.”, that is the same as what is happening here in this verse.
Notice also in verse 15, it states that they took the money and did as they were taught. Again this is deliberate wording used by the Holy Spirit. It does not say that they did as they were told. But as they were taught. The guards witnessed the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, they saw the angel roll the stone away and sit on top of it, just as the women did… but after their encounter and counsel with the chief priests, they learned to deny the miracles they were witness to, and in this case were also given a bribe to ensure it.
Continuing now with verses 16 through 20:
“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.
Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you: and, see, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen.”
Verse 16, says that the disciples met Jesus at a mountain in Galilee which He designated. There is a lot of conjecture about which mountain this is (some say Mt. Tabhor, some say the Mt. of Beatitudes) the scripture doesn’t specify, and it doesn’t specify because which mountain they gathered at does not matter here in this verse… the whole point of this is that they were meeting at a mountain. This was the open air, this is totally opposite of religion. Where religion would meet in a synagogue, the disciples and Jesus are gathered to a mountain. Jesus is impressing upon His disciples that from here on out, under the New Covenant, life is no longer bound by religious practice but by the freedom of the Spirit
Verse 17 continues that when they saw Jesus they worshiped Him: but some doubted. This is mentioned for two reasons. First to let us know that Jesus knew. He knew that some were doubting, our innermost thoughts are laid open before the LORD always. (Psalms 139:4). And second, knowing that Jesus knew that some were doubting, take notice of how He reacted in the next verses 18 and 19… the same declaration and charge is given to everyone. Jesus did not cast the doubters out; He did not say “doubters, go home; leave the mountain!”, but His next words are meant to build up and strengthen everyone.
Notice in verse 18, that Jesus does not simply say to go, He first makes a statement. He says: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. Not just heaven and not just earth, but both. Make a note of that. He then continues in verse 19: Go you therefore… That statement right there, is delegated authority. Jesus is saying that all power is given to Him, and therefore, you go. He is delegating His authority to you so that you can go and accomplish the objective. So do not be deceived. Don’t buy into the idea that Christians are weak and helpless… You have the delegated authority of Jesus Christ, given to you so that you are able to accomplish! Use it! And what is the objective? Verses 19 ans 20: Teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you and Jesus ends this with an assurance: And see, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen.
Now one thing has to be addressed, because part of verse 20 is often misinterpreted and misunderstood: when Jesus says “observe all things whatever I have commanded you”, please do not misinterpret this to mean the Old Covenant Law of Moses. Whenever Jesus referred to the Law, He would either call it plainly the Law (Torah Shebichtav & Torah Shebe’al Peh) , or He would call it Moses (Moshe) – as any Jewish person would. But today, we get all tripped-up because we see the word “commanded” in this verse and our natural minds immediately jump back to the Ten Commandments; which shows us how one-dimensional our thinking is. Jesus Himself actually makes a distinction between His commandments and the Law of Moses in John 15:10-12. Why? Because that was a different covenant! You and I today are under a New and better Covenant with better promises in Christ Jesus. (Hebrews 8:6)
Look at the verse more closely, Jesus says that we are to observe all things whatever I have commanded. He did not say whatever things Moses commanded, or whatever things that the Law commanded. But He said “I”. These are His commands, and Jesus’ commands are actually Higher than the Law, because Grace is higher than the Law. (Galatians 5:4).
The heart of Jesus is not on the external performance or obedience, the Pharisees had plenty of outward obedience yet they were the furthest from Jesus. Instead Jesus’ looks on the inside, and it is only when you have a true relationship with Him, that He begins to manifest on the inside of you, and He is the one who performs in you and through you, and it will be a byproduct of His divine love.
Christ came to fulfill the Law, and having fulfilled it, He would not then replace what He has freed us from. (Acts 15:10, Galatians 5:1) So what then are these commandments of Jesus?:
Do unto others (Matthew 7:12)
Be born again: (John 3:7)
Love one another, as Jesus has loved you (John 15:12)
Feed My Sheep (John 21:15)
Watch for His return (Matthew 24.42)
Repent, Change your mind to agree with God (Matthew 4:17)
Rejoice (Matthew 5:12)
Keep your word (Matthew 5.37)
Remember Him with Communion (1st Corinthians 11:24-25)
It is worth noting that none of His commands can be accomplished without Him, and He knew this, which is why He makes the statement at the end that He is with us always.
Even so, we are to serve in newness of the Spirit and not the oldness of the letter. (Romans 7:6). Remember that the heart of Jesus is not performance, merit or effort, but relationship. If you focus on obeying rules or commands, you have totally missed the point, and you will be a goat. You will be one who at the end cries “Lord, Lord, I did all these things.” but He will say “I never knew you, depart from me.” (Matthew 7:23)
Notice that you will never find Jesus’ commandments listed one-after-another and itemized in the Bible as with the Ten Commandments or the Levitical Laws. Because the mindset of the Old Covenant was man-centered: You shall not, you shall not, you shall not.
In contrast, the New Covenant mindset is Christ-centered. Where God says “I will.” – “I will put my laws in their hearts and write them on their minds. And your sins and iniquities I will remember no more!” (Hebrews 10:16-17)
You see it is Jesus who accomplish these things in us. This is the covenant you are under today. This is why Jesus came. To usher you into this New Covenant. This law that He writes in you is the Law of the Spirit of Life, that sets you free from the Old Law of sin and Death (Romans 8:2).
Please do not miss His heart for you. When you read the Bible today, do not look at it like a rulebook and say “Okay, I have to do this, and this, and this… Oh, I missed that today!” If you read the Bible like that, you are reading it under the spirit of the Old Covenant and missing Jesus. But in closing today, turn with me to John 5:37-42:
“And the Father himself, which has sent me, has borne witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
And you have not his word abiding in you: for whom he has sent, him you believe not.
Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
And you will not come to me, that you might have life.
I receive not honor from men.
But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you.”
Here, Jesus is addressing the Pharisees, the one’s who gloried in their own performance and law-keeping. They read the Law and even made extra rules to keep. However Jesus says in verse 37: that they have neither heard His voice nor seen His shape. Nor do they have His word abiding in Him. The Pharisees have plenty of outward works and obedience, but they have no inward obedience to the truth Christ, why? Because in verse 38 they do not believe in Jesus!
You see my friends, true obedience as Jesus sees it, is on the inside by believing in Him. Then in verse 39 He tells them Search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life. They were reading the scriptures as a rulebook for their own performance; but then Jesus continues and says that those very same scriptures that the Pharisees were looking at as a set of do’s and don’ts, actually testify of Jesus!
That, my friends, is how you should be reading your scriptures today. Not reading them and saying “Okay what do I need to correct or obey today?”, but prayerfully reading your Bible saying “Holy Spirit, what will you show me about Jesus today?”. That is when the Bible becomes a Living Word to you, because Jesus is the Living Word. And as you see Him and His love for you in the Bible, you will receive His love on the inside of you, and that love will change you from the inside out, and that is when your obedience to His words becomes natural and effortless like breathing and blinking your eyes. Like a heartbeat, He performs it, not you.
When you focus on Christ, you will find that He fulfills everything in you and through you. And you will find His divine rest. This is His heart, and His love for you. In that He is the giver of every gift and the One who satisfies you, and He gets all of the glory, but delights in sharing His glory and love with you.
See His heart, receive from Him, and be completely at peace. Christ is Risen. Jesus is alive, and so are you, in Him.