THE GREAT COMMISSION IN

TEN PARTS Part 10

PART TEN: THE MOTIVATION: THE EMPTY TOMB

The five accounts of the Great

Commission are in:Matthew 28;

Mark 16;Luke 24;John 20;Acts 1.

We have covered 9 parts of the

Great Commission:1 The authority behind

it: Jesus Christ.2 The obligation: Go.

3 The place: All the world and everyone in it.

4 The method: Teach.5 The message: Hear, believe, repent, confess Christ, and be baptized.

We have covered 9 parts of the

Great Commission:

6 The act of obedience: Immersion.7 The perpetuation: Teach.

8 The Confirmation: Approved witnesses and miracles.

9 The summation: They looked stedfastly.

We have covered 9 parts of the

Great Commission:

Now we will study three points about

“The Empty Tomb.” Keep in mind the words of

the Lord in

John 13:19 NET I am telling you this now, before it happens, so that when

it happens you may believe that I am he.

Before that Day

They did not comprehend the things He said were going to happen to

Him (John 2:18-22; Luke 18:31-34).They had no desire to believe it

(Matthew16:21-23).They did not believe it (Matthew 12:38-42).

Before that Day

They did not comprehend the things He said were

going to happen to Him. John

2:18 NET So then the Jewish leaders responded, "What

sign

can you show us, since you are doing these things?" 19 Jesus replied, "Destroy this temple

and in three days I will raise it up again." 20 Then the Jewish

leaders said to

Before that Day

him, "This temple has been under construction for forty-

six years, and are you going to raise it up in three days?" 21

But Jesus was speaking about the temple of his

Before that Day

body. 22 So after he was raised from the dead, his disciples

remembered that he had said this, and they believed the

scripture and the saying that Jesus had spoken.

Before that Day

Luke 18:31 NET Then Jesus took the twelve aside and said to them, "Look, we are going

up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by

Before that Day

the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be

handed over to the Gentiles; he will be mocked, mistreated, and spat on. 33 They will flog

him severely and kill

Before that Day

him. Yet on the third day he will rise again." 34 But the twelve

understood none of these things. This saying was hidden

from them, and they did not grasp what Jesus meant.

Before that Day

They had no desire to believe it.

Matthew 16:21 NET From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many

things at

Before that Day

the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on

the third day be raised. 22 So Peter took him aside and

began to rebuke

Before that Day

him: "God forbid, Lord! This must not happen to you!" 23 But

he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me,

because you are not

Before that Day

setting your mind on God's interests,

but on man's."

Before that Day

They did not believe it Matthew 12:38-42 NET Then some of the experts in the law

along with some Pharisees answered him, "Teacher, we

want to see a sign from you."

Before that Day

Before that Day39 But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign

of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.

Before that Day41 The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them — and now, something greater than

Jonah is here! 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the

ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon — and now, something greater than

Solomon is here!

They feared when they heard Him speak of the things that

were coming.

Before that Day

Mark 9:30-32 NET They went out from there and passed through Galilee. But

Jesus did not want anyone to know, 31 for he was teaching his disciples and telling them, "The Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." 32 But

they did not understand this statement and were afraid to ask him.

Before that Day

In summary, unbelief characterized the early reaction

to the news of the death, burial, and resurrection.

Before that Day

On That Day

Here we note the reaction of the apostles and others to the

resurrection when it occurred.Love enough to visit the tomb

(Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:1; John 20:1).

On That Day

Here we note the reaction of the apostles and others to the resurrection when it

occurred.Love enough to visit the tomb

Matthew 28:1 NET Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other

Mary went to look at the tomb.

Mark 16:1 NET When the Sabbath was over, Mary

Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought aromatic spices so that they

might go and anoint him.

On That Day

Luke 24:1 NET Now on the first day of the week, at early dawn,

the women went to the tomb, taking the aromatic spices they

had prepared.

On That Day

John 20:1 NET Now very early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene

came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been moved away from

the entrance.

On That Day

“Disappointment” at the empty tomb (Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:6,7; Luke 24:2,3; John 20:11-13).

Perplexity (Luke 24:4a).

Fear (Matthew 28:2-5,8; Mark 16:5,6,8).

Confidence (Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:6; John 20:8-10).

On That Day

“Disappointment” at the empty tomb

Matthew 28:6 NET He is not here, for he has been raised, just as he said. Come and see the place where he was lying.

“Disappointment”

Mark 16:6-7 NET But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You are looking

for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been raised! He is not

here. Look, there is the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his

disciples, even Peter, that he is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see

him there, just as he told you."

“Disappointment”

Luke 24:2-3 NET They found that the stone had been rolled

away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did

not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

“Disappointment”

John 20:11-13 NET But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she bent

down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus'

body had been lying, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her,

"Woman, why are you weeping?" Mary replied, "They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put

him!"

“Disappointment”

Luke 24:4 NET While they were perplexed

about this, suddenly two men stood beside them

in dazzling attire.

Perplexity

Matthew 28:2-5 NET Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an

angel of the Lord descending from heaven came and rolled away the

stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and

his clothes were white as snow.

Fear

Fear4 The guards were shaken and became

like dead men because they were so afraid of him. 5 But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know

that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

Matthew 28:8 NET So they left the tomb quickly, with fear and great joy, and

ran to tell his disciples.

Mark 16:5-6 NET Then as they went into the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to

them, "Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who

was crucified. He has been raised! He is not here. Look, there is the place

where they laid him.

Fear

FearMark 16:8 NET Then they went out and ran from the tomb, for terror and bewilderment had

seized them. And they said nothing to anyone, because they

were afraid.

Confidence

Matthew 28:6 NET He is not here, for he has been raised, just as he said. Come and see the place where he was lying.

Mark 16:6 NET But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You

are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been raised! He is not here. Look, there is the place where

they laid him.

Confidence

John 20:8-10 NET Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb

first, came in, and he saw and believed. 9 (For they did not yet

understand the scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead.) 10 So the disciples went back to their homes.

Confidence

Hope (Matthew 28:8; Mark 16:8; Luke 24:4b-7; John 20:14-18).

Joy (Matthew 28:8; Mark 16:8; Luke 24:8-10).

Unbelief (Mark 16:11-14; Luke 24:11).Wonder (Mark 16:8; Luke 24:12; John

20:1-7).

On That Day

Hope

Matthew 28:8 NET So they left the tomb quickly, with fear and

great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

Mark 16:8 NET Then they went out and ran from the tomb, for terror and bewilderment had

seized them. And they said nothing to anyone, because they

were afraid.

Hope

Luke 24:4-7 NET While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood beside them in dazzling attire. 5 The women were terribly

frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but

has been raised! Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise

again."

Hope

John 20:14-18 NET When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing

there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you

weeping? Who are you looking for?" Because she thought he was the gardener,

she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I

will take him."

Hope

Hope16 Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and

said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni" (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus replied, "Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my

Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to

my God and your God.' " 18 Mary Magdalene came and informed the disciples, "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them what Jesus had

said to her.

Joy

Matthew 28:8 NET So they left the tomb quickly, with fear and

great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

Mark 16:8 NET Then they went out and ran from the tomb, for terror and bewilderment had

seized them. And they said nothing to anyone, because they

were afraid.

Joy

Luke 24:8-10 NET Then the women remembered his words, 9 and when they

returned from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene,

Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told

these things to the apostles.

Joy

UnbeliefMark 16:11-14 NET And when they

heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not

believe. 12 After this he appeared in a different form to two of them

while they were on their way to the country.

Unbelief13 They went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. 14 Then he appeared to the eleven themselves,

while they were eating, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen him

resurrected.

Luke 24:11 NET But these words seemed like pure nonsense to them, and they did not believe

them.

Unbelief

WonderMark 16:8 NET Then they went out and ran from the tomb, for terror and bewilderment had seized them. And they said nothing to anyone, because

they were afraid.

Luke 24:12 NET But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent

down and saw only the strips of linen cloth; then he went home, wondering what had happened.

Wonder

John 20:1-7 NET Now very early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance. 2 So she went running to Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus

loved and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know

where they have put him!"

Wonder

Wonder3 Then Peter and the other disciple set

out to go to the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other

disciple ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent

down and saw the strips of linen cloth lying there, but he did not go in.

Wonder6 Then Simon Peter, who had been following him, arrived and went right

into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen cloth lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been around Jesus'

head, not lying with the strips of linen cloth but rolled up in a place by itself.

The appearances of Jesus, the commission, and the

ascension followed.

After That Day

What the resurrection meant to the first century

Christians, and what it should mean to me.

After That Day

The empty tomb made them “GO!” They went from

Jerusalem to the world with the gospel of Christ (Luke 24:44-48; Acts 2; 3:14,15;

8:4; Colossians 1:23).

They went from Jerusalem to the world

with the gospel of Christ.

After That Day

After That Day

Luke 24:44-48 NET Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about

me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be

fulfilled."

After That Day45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures, 46 and said to them, "Thus it stands written that the Messiah would suffer and would rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins

would be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48

You are witnesses of these things.

Acts 3:14-15 NET But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a man who was a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the Originator of life, whom God raised from the dead.

To this fact we are witnesses!Acts 8:4 NET Now those who had been

forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word.

After That Day

Colossians 1:23 NET if indeed you remain in the faith, established and

firm, without shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has also been preached in all creation

under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.

After That Day

The empty tomb made them bold! There are many examples in Acts of this (4:7-13, 29-31; 9:27-29;

13:46; 14:1-3; 18:26-28; 19:8).

The empty tomb made them give life (Acts 7; 12; 14:19; Revelation 2:10).

The empty tomb made them win! (Romans 8:31-39; Revelation 19:6).

The empty tomb made them bold!

There are many examples in Acts of this.

Acts 4:7-13 NET After making Peter and John stand in their

midst, they began to inquire, "By what power or by what name did

you do this?"

The empty tomb made them bold!

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, replied, "Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are

being examined today for a good deed done to a sick man — by

what means this man was healed

The empty tomb made them bold!

10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified, whom God raised from the

dead, this man stands before you healthy. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was

rejected by you, the builders, that has become the cornerstone.

The empty tomb made them bold!

12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven

given among people by which we must be saved." 13 When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and discovered that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized these men

had been with Jesus.

The empty tomb made them bold!

Acts 4:29-31 NET And now, Lord, pay attention to their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your message

with great courage, 30 while you extend your hand to heal, and to

bring about miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your

holy servant Jesus."

The empty tomb made them bold!

31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled

together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit

and began to speak the word of God courageously.

The empty tomb made them bold!

Acts 9:27-29 NET But Barnabas took Saul, brought him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, that the Lord had

spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name

of Jesus.

The empty tomb made them bold!

28 So he was staying with them, associating openly with them in

Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He was speaking and debating with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they

were trying to kill him.

The empty tomb made them bold!

Acts 13:46 NET Both Paul and Barnabas replied courageously, "It was necessary to speak the

word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider

yourselves worthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles.

The empty tomb made them bold!

Acts 14:1-3 NET The same thing happened in Iconium when Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a large group of both

Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the

Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

The empty tomb made them bold!

3 So they stayed there for a considerable time, speaking out courageously for the Lord, who testified to the message of his

grace, granting miraculous signs and wonders to be performed

through their hands.

The empty tomb made them bold!

Acts 18:26-28 NET He began to speak out fearlessly in the

synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately.

The empty tomb made them bold!

27 When Apollos wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and

wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he assisted greatly

those who had believed by grace, 28 for he refuted the Jews vigorously in public

debate, demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

The empty tomb made them bold!

Acts 19:8 NET So Paul entered the synagogue and spoke out fearlessly for three months, addressing and convincing them about the kingdom of

God.

The empty tomb made them give life

Acts 14:19 NET But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and after winning the crowds over, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, presuming

him to be dead.

The empty tomb made them give life

Revelation 2:10 NET Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer.

The devil is about to have some of you thrown into prison so you may be

tested, and you will experience suffering for ten days. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself.

The empty tomb made them win!

Romans 8:31-39 NET What then shall we say about these things? If God is

for us, who can be against us? 32 Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how

will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?

The empty tomb made them win!

33 Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

34 Who is the one who will condemn? Christ is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also

is interceding for us.

The empty tomb made them win!

35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness,

or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, "For your sake we encounter

death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be

slaughtered."

The empty tomb made them win!

37 No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us! 38 For

I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor

things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor

depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of

God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Revelation 19:6 NET Then I heard what sounded like the voice of a

vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting:

"Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the All-Powerful, reigns!

The empty tomb made them win!

The Empty TombIs Still Empty!

Jesus arose! Hallelujah! That tomb has the same power for the faithful today. The burden of more than six billion souls is on the heart of God,

and it is our responsibility to tell them the story of the empty tomb.

What is your response to the empty tomb right now?