We'll look at the last five verses
here in Matthew chapter 28 that we read together a moment ago
when we read the entire chapter. But I want to work my way down
to the last verse, what I refer to as being the icing on the
cake. When our Lord said, and lo, I
am with you always, even unto the end of the world. What a
promise. What a blessed, blessed promise.
Who else would we rather have with us than the Lord Jesus Christ
himself? But look at verse 16 again. Then
the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, unto a mountain
where Jesus had appointed them. That's exactly as he promised
he would do. Look, if you will, turn back
a page or two here in Matthew's Gospel to chapter 26. Our Lord
made this promise over and over again. On the night that he went
to the garden, just before he did that, after instituting the
Lord's Supper, after telling them, take this cup and drink.
This is my blood which is shed for you for the remission of
sins. Here in chapter 26, verse 30,
we read, and when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the
Mount of Olives. Then said Jesus unto them, all
of you shall be offended because of me this night, for it is written,
I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall
be scattered abroad. But the story doesn't end there,
does it? No, that's not the whole story.
Verse 32, we have another one of those blessed interjections
of grace, interventions of divine and sovereign mercy, but notice
that, not if, not maybe, not perhaps, but after I am risen
again. There's no question about that.
After I'm risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Then look again, if you will,
in chapter 28. verse 10 that we read a moment
ago. Then said Jesus unto them, that
is the women, be not afraid but go and tell my brethren, oh what
a sweet word that is, go and tell my brethren that they go
into Galilee and there shall they see me. Jesus never fails
to do what he said he would do. Again, verse 6 in chapter 28. He is not here, the angel tells
them, for he is risen as he said. He always does what he says.
Come see the place where the Lord lay. Go and tell my brethren
Go into Galilee to that mount that he told them about that
night. I'll meet you there. After I've trod the winepress
alone, I'll meet you there. After you forsake me, I'll still
meet you there. After, Peter, you've denied me,
but I've turned you again, I've converted you, I'll meet you
there. Jesus always keeps his appointments,
doesn't he? always keeps his appointments.
He's never late. He's always exactly on time. Now, we use expressions like,
well, that happened just in the nick of time. That came just
in the nick of time. Oh, but the Lord Jesus Christ
is always on time, exactly so. And his time is the best time,
is it not? Turn, if you will, to Psalm 31.
Psalm 31, or listen while I read a few verses here. In the 31st
Psalm, it says in verse 14, but I trusted in thee. I trusted
in thee. O Lord, I said thou art my God. Thou art my God. Verse 15, that
being so, he's my Lord and my God. My times are in thy hands. My times are in thy hand. Deliver
me from the hand of mine enemies and from them that persecute
me. My times are in thy hand. All my times. All my times. Good times, bad times. Times
of poverty and times of wealth. Easy times and hard times. Every time. All times. I'm in his hands. Of all the
times, he setteth king forever. His throne, bless his name, his
throne is never vacated. He setteth upon the flood. He
setteth king and ruler over all things. My times are in thy hands. Those hands, he said, that no
man could pluck me from. Those hands of absolute sovereign
power. Those hands of absolute dominion. My times are in his hands. Hands of tender loving care. Hands of absolute sovereign control. My times are in his hands. Next, if you will, look here
in Matthew chapter 28, verse 17. And when they saw him, they
worshipped him. They worshipped him. And well,
they should. When God Almighty is pleased,
and I emphasize that, because no man knows who the Son is,
except those to whom the Father will reveal him. Blessed art
thou, Simon Barjona. You're smarter than the rest
of these fellas. Oh, no. Blessed art thou, Simon
Barjona, because flesh and blood has revealed to you who I am. Peter had said, you're the Christ.
You're the Christ, the Son of the living God. You're the Messiah. You're the one that all the Old
Testament prophets spoke of, foretold that should come. We
know that you're God's Son in the flesh. You're the anointed.
Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood didn't reveal
this to you. Oh, flesh and blood doesn't go
that far. Flesh and blood can't reach that high. Flesh and blood
did not reveal this to you, but my Father which is in heaven. As Thomas said, bowing down before
him, my Lord and my God. Turn back, if you will, to Psalm
95. Psalm 95. They worshipped him. And I said, well, they should. Psalm 95, verse 1. Oh, come, let us sing unto the
Lord. Let us make a joyful noise. Don't let us mourn. Oh, no, let's
make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Because he
said, upon this rock I'll build my church and the gates of hell
shall not prevail against it. That's worth rejoicing about.
Let us come before his presence with what? With sadness? With mourning? Oh, no. Let us
come into his presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto
him with psalms. He's worthy. Why should we do
that? 4 verse 3, because the Lord is
a great God. and a great king above all gods. And my time is in his hand. In his hands are the deep places
of the earth. The strength of the hills is
his also. The sea is his. And he made it. And his hands formed the dry
land. My times are in his mighty hands. Oh, come, let us worship and
bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord,
our Maker, for He is our God. And we are the people of His
pasture and the sheep of His hand. Oh, come and let us worship
and what? Proudly stand up and boast like
the Pharisee in Luke 18? Oh, no, no. A revelation of the
King of glory does the very opposite of that. He causes the soul to
bow down before him. Let us bow down. He had made us and not we ourselves. In the beginning, some people
would have us to believe the absurdity that in the beginning,
as the explanation of all that we see and behold, the wonder
of God's creation, how did it come about? In the beginning,
there was a big bang. No, no, no. In the beginning,
God. In the beginning, God said, let
there be light. And God said, let us make man. So God created man. And in the new creation, in that
spiritual creation of being made anew in Christ Jesus, in that
spiritual resurrection whereby dead sinners are raised up to
newness of life, how does that come about? God. God. It's His work. The flesh profits
nothing. You remember what we read of
in 2 Corinthians chapter 4? God, who commanded the light
to shine out of darkness, has shined into our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ. If any man be in Christ, he's
a new creation. Nicodemus, you must be born again
from above. from above. That which is born
of the flesh is flesh and that's all that it'll ever be. It'll
never rise above it. But that which is born of above
is from the Spirit of God Almighty. A new creation in Christ Jesus
and that requires nothing less. than the mighty power of our
wonder-working God. That same power, that same God
who spoke in the beginning and said, let there be light, that
same mighty God speaks and gives the knowledge of the glory of
God in the face of Jesus Christ. That requires a miracle. All
my life, if I heard anything concerning God's salvation, I
was told it's easy, it's simple, When God brought me under conviction
to realize what I was, when God Almighty, as old Barnard used
to say, got me lost, I didn't find it easy or simple. Did you? Did you, Louie? Oh, no. I wanted
to believe. I tried to believe. I couldn't
believe until God Almighty gave me the precious gift of faith,
and it took a miracle of His grace. One hymn writer expressed
it like this. It took a miracle to hang the
world in place. It took a miracle to put the
stars in space. But when he saved my soul and
cleansed and made me whole, it took a miracle of love and grace. Look at verse 17 here in Matthew
chapter 28. They went to the mount where
Jesus had appointed them. They met him, and when they saw
him, they worshipped him. But some doubted. Some doubted. What a contrast is set before
us here. There's the faithful great shepherd
of the sheep. who through the blood of the
everlasting covenant offered himself without spot to God.
There he comes before them, exactly as he said he would do, and yet
some doubt. Destroy this temple, he told
the religious leaders, and in three days I'll raise it up again. No man has power to take my life. That's my power. I have power
to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. Go before
me into Galilee, to this mountain, and I'll meet you there. And
yet they see the son of the living God stand before him, that one
whom they beheld upon the cross of Calvary. Heard him cry, my
God, why hast thou forsaken me? Now he stands before them, the
resurrection and the life, and yet some doubt it." What a contrast. The faithful shepherd and his
faltering, unbelieving sheep. God's saints in this world, this
should teach us. God's saints in this world are
sinners still. They're sinners still. We're
forgiven. Thank God we're forgiven. All
your sins, which are many, are all forgiven you. Forgiven, but
not faultless. Pardoned, but not perfect. Sanctified, but not without sin. Faith and doubt do exist in the
same person. Can anybody here tell me they
don't? Can any child of God honestly tell me that your faith is not
mixed in the same heart of unbelief? We should never have any doubts
concerning matters plainly revealed in God's Word. But the truth
is, we do. Yes, we do. But never forget,
God's saints in this world are sinners still. And salvation
is by grace alone. And our only standing, our only
standing, oh, how thankful I am for this, our only standing and
acceptance before God is the blood and righteousness of Jesus
Christ. The congregation of the Lord
in this world is a congregation of sinners in constant need of
that constant flow of His all-sufficient, reigning, prevailing grace. Oh, thank God for that grace
which cleanses us from all sin. Our Lord said, Why do you doubt? Why do you doubt? Why do we doubt? He said, it is your father's
good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Imagine that. It pleased God that in Christ
should all fullness dwell. It pleased God to make you his
people. It pleased God in the fullness
of time to send forth his son to redeem all those he chose
in Christ. This was the father's good pleasure.
Listen, I'm reading from Isaiah chapter 46. Remember the former
things of old, for I am God and there's none else. I am God and
there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning. and
from ancient times the things that are not yet done saying
my counsel shall stand and I will do some of my pleasure. That's
not how it reads. My counsel shall stand and I
will do most of my pleasure. No, my counsel shall stand and
I will do all my pleasure. If I really believe that, Oh,
what a comfort to know then, if that is so, it is well with
my soul. It must be well with my soul.
Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executed
my counsel from a far country. Yea, I have spoken it, and I
will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it, and I will
also do it. Therefore, When our Lord says
it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom, then
we can confidently say we should not fear. We should not fear. And he also said that too, didn't
he? Fear not, little flock. Did you notice the last brief
article in your bulletin by Stephen Charnock? What greater comfort
is there than this, that there is one presides in the world
who is so wise that he cannot be mistaken, so faithful that
he cannot deceive, so pitiful that he cannot neglect his people. I've engraved you on the palms
of my hands. I'll never forget you. And so
powerful that he can make stones even to be turned into bread
if he please. Till God, all wise, can make
mistakes. Until that happens. His power
abate and His love forsake. His children must not cease to
sing. The Lord Omnipotent is King. Thank God for the sovereign rule
of our blessed Savior over all things. Now back here in Matthew
28 verse 18, And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All
power, my soul, Really? What a statement. What a claim. All power is given unto me in
heaven and in earth. Not some power, all power. Not most power, but all power. Father, the hour has come, he
prayed. Glorify thy son that he may also
glorify thee. as thou hast given him power
over all flesh. All flesh. Ephesians chapter
1. Listen to these words. And what is the exceeding greatness
of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his
mighty power which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him
from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly
places, far above Hmm, far above, high and lifted up, far above
all principality and power and might and dominion, and every
name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that
which is to come, all power in heaven and in earth, and hath
put all things under his feet, and gave him, that is Christ,
to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body,
the fullness of him that filleth all in all. Philippians chapter
2. Paul says the very same thing
here. Philippians chapter 2 verse 9. Wherefore, because Christ
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, wherefore
God also hath highly exalted him, and giving him a name above
every name, that's the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow,
of things in heaven and things in earth, all power, and things
under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Then, if that
is so, When he says, they shall never perish, his sheep shall
never perish, none can pluck them out of my hand, then it
must be so. He said, all power in heaven.
He rules there. God said, set thou on my right
hand, until I make all your enemies your footstool. John said, he
saw a door open in heaven, and he was caught up, come up hither. And he saw a throne set in heaven. set by God's immutable decree. And he said, one sat upon the
throne. That throne is reserved for only
one. Christ earned that place. He
deserves that place. You know why? You know why that can only be
his throne? Why only he has the right to
set up on that throne? because he had trod the winepress
alone. He did it all by himself. Of
the people, he said, there was none with me. I looked and there
was none to help, none to assist. I did it all by myself. That's why he sets upon the throne.
Set thou by my right hand, my son, and I'll make all men to
bow before you. I've trod the winepress alone.
And we read in Hebrews chapter 1, when he had by himself, single-handedly,
oh, glory to his name, when he had by himself purged our sins,
Sounds like he got the job done. Sounds like he did exactly what
he came to do. When he had by himself purged
our sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on
high. All power in heaven and in earth. I hear people talk, usually religious
folks, and they talk and say that the devil is in control
of this world. When the Lord Jesus Christ was
upon earth, the demons bowed before him and said, we know
who you are. We know who you are. You're the
Son of God. Permit us, allow us. They can't
move or wiggle without the permission of the Lord Jesus Christ. This
world is not governed by blind fate. People seem to think that
God, in the beginning, when he created the heavens and the earth
like one of those children's toys, those tops, remember you'd
press them down and they would just spin around, they would
just spin out. They speak as though God created
the world in that fashion. Oh no, God that created all things
controls all things. Christ has all power to do this. Let me read a few blessed promises
to you. Christ has all power. He's able
to make all grace abound to you that you always having all sufficiency
in all things may abound in every good work. Ephesians chapter
3 verse 20. Now unto him that is able to
do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according
to the power that worketh in us. Philippians chapter 3 verse
21. We have another blessed promise.
For who shall change our vile body that it might be fashioned
like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is
able? He is able. Why would he not
be able? He has all power in heaven and
in earth. He's able to subdue all things. Now how far can that
reach? How far can we take that? How
far can we carry, run with that? According to the working whereby
he is able to subdue all things unto himself. He subdued this
rebel. My soul, what mighty power he
has. Hebrews chapter 7, he's able He's always able. Oh, dear dying
lamb, dear precious dying lamb, your precious blood shall never
lose any of its power. any of its efficacy, any of its
merit, any of its value, to all the ransomed church of God. Every
one of that vast multitude for whom you shed that precious blood
are with you in glory to sin no more. He's able to save unto
the uttermost all that come unto God by him. And Jude wrote, unto him that
is able, to keep you from falling. Oh, yeah. He's able to keep you
from falling and to present you faultless. Oh, my. He's able to do that. Able to
present you faultless. John said he saw them before
the throne of glory. Those that follow the Lamb wheresoever
he goeth. And they were without fault.
Without fault before the throne of God. Unto him that is able
to keep you from falling. and to present you faultless
before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. To the only
wise God our Savior be glory and majesty, dominion and power
now and forever. Amen. Verse 19 here in Matthew
chapter 28. Our Lord gives this command,
Go ye therefore in light of what he had just said. that all power
was given unto him as our great mediator in light of who he is
that's sending them. Not who they are that are being
sent, oh no, but who he is that's doing the sending. In light of
that, go and preach the gospel to every creature. It's no futile,
wasted mission that I send you on. All that the Father giveth
me said shall come to me. Other sheep I have, which are
not of this fold, them also I must bring. Paul said, I'm not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ. Why, Paul? Because it is. Not
that it used to be. It is the power of God unto salvation. It still is. That means by which
God is pleased to call out his elect. God is pleased through
the foolishness of preaching not to try and save, but to save
those that believe. You remember when Paul, we read
of it in Acts, was in Corinth. that wicked and adulterous city.
God spoke to him at night and said, Paul, don't be afraid. Don't be afraid to speak. Don't
hold your peace, but speak, because somebody might exercise their
free will. Well, now, if that's the case,
Paul, just keep your mouth shut, because nothing will happen.
Speak, Paul, because somebody might let me save them. Oh, no,
no. Somebody might give me a chance.
Oh, no, you speak, Paul, you speak, because I have much people
in this city. The Lord Jesus Christ says, speak,
Paul, because He shall save his people from their sins. Speak, Paul, because it's not
of him that willeth. Salvation is not by the will
of man, nor the will of the flesh, but by the will of the mighty
God. Last of all, look at verse 20.
I've been anxious to get to this and pray that God will make it
a blessing to you. What a glorious promise we have
here. Teaching them, our Lord says,
to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo,
I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. I am. The great I am. Emmanuel, I am. God with us. Nothing could be of greater comfort
to God's people in any age, at any time, in any place than these
blessed words, I'm with you always. They can face life's many trials
knowing Christ says, Christ promises, I would never, never leave you. I'm with you always. They can
look at death and say with David, yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Why? Because
thou art with me always. Thank God that that's so. This
is our Savior's word, a promise to his church. I'm with you always,
even until the end of the world. Amen. He is with us daily to
partner us and to forgive us and to sanctify us. He's with
us to lead, guide, and protect. He's with us to provide for us
and strengthen us and preserve us. He's with us in sorrow and
in joy. He's with us in trial and in
triumph. He's with us while we live. And
He'll be with us when that time comes for us to go down to the
grave. And even then, He'll be with us, oh, with us in a more
real way than even now when we see through a glass darkly, because
then no veil in between. We shall see Him face to face,
and we will be forever with the Lord, always. The word is all
the days till time shall be no more, all your days. Whether
you know it or not, whether you realize it or not, I have 63
volumes of Mr. Spurgeon's sermons. One volume
in particular is very special to me, volume 27. I carry that
with me. I took it with me years ago when
I'd left my family. Roger was just a young lad looking
for work in Kentucky. And Mr. Spurgeon, one night I
read one of the messages in his volume. Jesus knew what he would
do. And it was such an encouragement
to me because I was out of work. The place I worked for in West
Virginia had closed down. And man, I had been beating the
pavement to find a job. Missed my family. Had been gone
for a while. And one day I was looking for
a place in Lexington, Kentucky. Someone said they were hiring.
It was the old-fashioned days when you would go in and print
out an application. I mean, on paper, you could talk
to a person. Long time ago. But anyway, I
got lost. I couldn't find the place I was
looking for. And I looked over, and there
was a building that I recognized. I had picked up an application
there before. And I thought, well, might as well not waste
this trip. I'll turn in this application.
And it was one for the University of Kentucky. And then I went
back, was staying with Don and Shelby, and I said, look, Don,
I think I've given this a fair shot. I'm going back home. This
is in God's hands. The next day, the superintendent
of the shop that I applied for a job for at University of Kentucky
called me and said, we want you back down here right now. I said,
man, I'm back in West Virginia. Well, will you accept a position
over the phone? And I said, yeah, yeah, I will.
He said, be here Monday to start. drove back probably on Sunday
afternoon and I got back down there and Bob Poncer had cut
an article out of Saturday's paper the day before and it said
Hiring freeze goes into effect at UK, the first time in their
history. That's why that superintendent
was so bent on hiring me over the phone. The next day, he wouldn't
have been able to. God brought all of that about.
Just for me. Just for me. And I still have
that article from that paper, October 19, 1991. in that volume. Yes, I'm with
you always. He leadeth me. Oh, blessed thought. Oh, words with heavenly comfort
frog. Where I go, where I be, it's
still God's hand that leadeth me. Whether you feel it or not,
Whether you believe it or not, God abideth faithful. He cannot
deny himself. Sometimes mid scenes of deepest
gloom, sometimes where Eden's bowers bloom, by water still
or troubled sea, still tis his hand that leadeth me. And even when we fall and fail,
he says, lo, I'm with you always. Ask Peter. Ask Peter. Just a few days before this,
Peter stood cursing, trying to convince his accusers that there's
no way he could know Jesus of Nazareth. And the Lord tells
the women, Mark tells us, you go tell my disciples. And Peter. And Peter. Nothing's changed. Nothing's changed. You go tell
him. I'll meet him there. And when
we sin, we still have an advocate with the Father. Jesus Christ
the righteous asked David, asked David, against thee, thee only
have I sinned, O God, and done this evil in thy sight. And the
faithful prophet said, David, God's put away your sin. God's
put away your sin. While I live, all the days, and
when I die, I'm with you always. Would you believe me? And I hope
I'm being honest. Like Don told his doctor, I'm not afraid of dying. That's
not a problem. It's the process. It's the process
I might pass through. Oh, child of God, what a glorious,
glorious thing we have to look forward to. Martha found Mary when the Lord
came to raise her dead brother from the grave. And she said,
Mary, the master has come. and calleth for you. Oh, the
master is come and calleth for you. And one day, the master's
gonna come and call for each of his own. And he'll hold to our hand as
over this valley we go. And safe we will be in beautiful
heaven, I know. And lo, I am with you always. even as at the end of the world. This is the word of our faithful
God and Savior, the Amen. These things say it's the Amen,
the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation
of God. He which testifies these things
says, surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you all. Amen. We're exhorted to hope
in the grace that'll be brought to us at the second coming of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is by grace from beginning
to end. Grace planned the way. Grace
provided the way. Grace put us in the way. And
grace keeps us in the way. And God's grace is going to take
us all the way. Someone said that God was so
well pleased with his only begotten son that he determined to make
every other son just like him. And it will be glory for us when
we shall see Him as He is and be like Him forever. Amen. God bless you.