Matthew 28

“Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week” explains why we choose to worship on Sunday when possible. It’s not a command, it’s a choice! It’s a way to commemorate the resurrection and provide even more meaning to our worship.

Isn’t it interesting that nobody expected Jesus to be raised, even with all the miracles He did in his lifetime, and even though He continually told them it was going to happen!?!?!? It was apparently well known, since the authorities expected his disciples to steal the body to make it look like He had (Matthew 27:62-66). The authorities took precautions against a natural event, but not a supernatural event, and they are the ones who end up lying about it!

The disciples are good examples for us. They followed Jesus’ instructions precisely: “Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee”. In fact, they apparently got more information than is initially written down for us: “to the mountain where Jesus had sent them.” That’s an important reminder to us since it’s by comparing Scripture with Scripture that we get a better understanding, which is one of the reasons we have four gospels.

“Go and make disciples” is literally “while going, make disciples.” There are some Greek scholars who defend the imperative aspect of the participle (making it a command), but I think the literal translation is more meaningful. “While going.” “While living your life.” “While doing your everyday activities.” This makes it a natural extension of Christian life and experience. While we are following Christ we make disciples. It’s not something that is outside the ordinary. It’s something that should be a natural extension of who we are, and how we live.

Thought for the day: Are you living your life in such a way to make disciples?

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (WEB) “Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God. Yahweh is one. You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. These words, which I command you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the door posts of your house and on your gates.”