With our gospel meeting with Jonathan Glaesemann coming up next month, I thought it appropriate to consider the text of Matthew 28:5-7. It reads, “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he rises from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.” This text tells us about the encounter the women had when they came to the tomb on the morning of the first day of the week. The women arrived to find the stone rolled away and an angel of God sitting on the stone. He spoke four words in particular that need to be considered.
First, the angel told the women to “come”. This was an invitation often given in the scriptures. Ever since the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned against a righteous and holy God, God has had His arms open, saying “Come”. The Lord gives great invitations to come in Isaiah 55:1-3 (“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David”)and Revelation 22:17 (“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely”). Jesus made that same great invitation in Matthew 11:28-30. A gospel meeting presents a unique time to invite someone to hear the gospel of Christ.
Second, the women were told to “see”. Certainly, we are to “see” that Christ is risen from the dead and is alive forever. In seeing Christ, we see and do our best to bring others to see Him as Savior. After seeing Him as Savior, one must believe and confess. Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.”
Third, the women were told to “go”. Jesus did not intend for anyone to stare continually into the empty tomb. After we come to a point of seeing the empty tomb and believing in Christ as Savior, we are to go. First and foremost, we must go to a lost and dying world. In Acts 1:8, Luke recorded the words of Jesus to His apostles: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The apostles spread this word but we also see how, later in Acts, individuals went forth as well (8:4; 11:19). Again, the gospel meeting is a golden opportunity to talk to others about Jesus Christ.
Fourth, the women were supposed to “tell” the disciples of the resurrection. Someone has said that the gospel is like one beggar telling another where to find bread. There was once a demon-possessed man who was healed. He wanted to travel with Jesus. Instead, he was told to go home and tell the great things the Lord had done for him (Mark 5:19). It is our job to tell others what great things the Lord has done for us (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; 1 Peter 3:15). Psalms 107:2 says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.”
I hope that everyone will learn from the lessons during the gospel meeting. However, I also hope and pray that the gospel meeting is a success because of the effort that is expended by the members. If we will take to heart the message told to the women, it will make us better workers for the Lord.
Kyle Campbell
