Sermon manuscript:
Linda chose the hymns that we are singing today. She also
made known a favorite bible passage of hers that I’d like to speak about. It
was in our Gospel reading: Jesus said, “Surely, I am with you always until
the end of the age.” It is important to take into account when Jesus spoke
these words to properly understand their meaning. They come at the very end of Matthew’s
Gospel. In fact, they are the very last words of the book that the apostle
Matthew wrote.
So prior to this Matthew had already written about many
things that he saw and heard concerning Jesus. Already he has told of Jesus’s
baptism, his casting out of demons, his healing of the sick, and his teachings.
The last several chapters of this book speak about just one week of time—holy
week. Jesus was arrested, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died
and was buried. On the third day he rose from the dead and appeared to his
apostles on several different occasions.
The Gospel reading that you heard this morning is one of
those occasions. The resurrected Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples
(because Judas Iscariot was no more) on a mountain in Galilee. When they saw
him they worshipped him, but they weren’t all so believing and certain as they
would have liked to have been. These were strange and difficult times for the
apostles.
Then Jesus said this to them: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore
go and gather disciples from all nations by baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and by teaching them to keep all
the instructions I have given you. And surely I am with you always until the
end of the age.”
Sometimes these words are called the great commission. The
reason why they are called that is because what Jesus says here is a nice
summary of what the resurrected Lord Jesus would like his disciples to go do.
He commissions them to make disciples, by baptizing in the name of the Triune
God, by teaching people what Jesus had taught them.
Then we have those words that Linda said were her favorite:
“Surely, I am with you always until the end of the age.” What these
words indicate is that it was not as though Jesus were passing the baton to the
disciples with this commission and now it was all up to them. Through that very
baptizing and teaching whereby disciples are made, Jesus would be with those
who did these things and with those who received these things.
It is also important that we understand the nature of these
things that Jesus has commissioned his disciples to do. These things are truly
unlike all other things. Jesus’s baptism is a washing of rebirth and renewal.
It has divine power. Baptism communicates and delivers the forgiveness of sins,
rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe
this as Christ’s words and promises declare. For Jesus says, “Whoever
believes and is baptized shall be saved. Whoever does not believe will be
condemned.”
Jesus’s teachings, also, are not just words or philosophies
or even merely commandments. Jesus’s words have life and healing in them. Just
as Jesus was able to heal and save and raise from the dead simply by speaking,
so also his words have just as much divine power today. They deliver what they
say. Those who hear him when he says to them that he is the good shepherd, have
a good shepherd indeed. Those who hear and believe that he is the light of the
world will never walk in darkness. Whoever lives and believes in him will never
die.
So when Jesus says to his disciples, “Surely, I am with
you always until the end of the age,” it is not merely a matter of someone
being near, or someone holding one’s hand. This is the Son of God that we are
talking about here. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him.
And all that power and authority is directed towards one thing—the salvation of
sinners: sinners like Linda, sinners like you. The reason why God became man
was so that he could suffer and die in the place of all sinners. He is the Lamb
of God who takes away the sin of the world.
So these words that Linda appreciated, “Surely, I am with
you always until the end of the age,” have the greatest possible
significance. It is more than we can think or even imagine. It is not a small
presence, but an almighty presence. It is not a little aid to help a little bit
just so that we can get through those difficult moments. Rather, it is
absolutely everything, for what can possibly be greater than God? With his
presence he is strong to save. Having defeated death, the devil, and our sin,
he helps us completely with his presence. The words he has spoken, and
continues to speak through his disciples, give eternal life.
It is important that we do not underestimate the significance
of Jesus’s presence as we consider all of Linda’s life, but particularly the
last year and a half or so. If Jesus was present as just a little help, a little
comfort, whereas the rest was up to her, then there wouldn’t be much to thank
and praise God for with his being present. But if we understand Jesus as
powerful, that he saves with baptism, that he saves with the word that is
implanted in Christian’s souls, then that is a different matter. Then it is
like that old song goes: “I am weak but he is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me.”
Unfortunately, there wasn’t hardly a single part of Linda’s
life that was left untouched by the disease she was afflicted with. It affected
her physically, mentally, and emotionally. Her strength grew steadily less and
less in all these areas. This was hard to see for all who loved her. But don’t
you know that Jesus has loved her more than all of us combined?
Jesus tells us what he is like in one of his parables. He
said that when there is a shepherd who has a hundred sheep, and suddenly
discovers that one of them has gone astray, he leaves the ninety nine and goes
looking for that poor, lost sheep until he has found it. Having found it he
puts it on his shoulders and carries it back to the flock rejoicing. We know
from the Gospels that Jesus came not to save those who are well and have no
need of a physician, but for those who are sick. Linda became weaker. She
became more dependent. But this is no trouble for the great physician. He came
to seek and save the lost.
Let us all apply these favorites words of Linda’s also to
ourselves today and going forward. According to Jesus’s promise, he most
certainly is with us here today. We are not making these things up that we have
spoken of today. They are Jesus’s own words. So, surely, Jesus is with us. And
just like when Jesus appeared to the disciples on that mountain in Galilee, we
might wonder if we should worship him. Matthew says that some doubted. They
were living through difficult and dangerous times. We are living through
difficult and dangerous times. This last year has been so difficult—especially
for this family. Is Jesus strong enough to handle all this?
I assure you that he is. All authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to him. He was strong to save with his almighty presence
for Linda. He will be the same for you. Jesus says, “Come unto me all you
who are weak and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Cast all your
anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Then, through faith in Jesus, you
will not fear, even if you should walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, for Jesus is with you.
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