Because He Lives: Go...Because He Lives

 

Because He Lives

Introduction:

Good morning church. Happy Easter. Happy Resurrection Sunday to each and every one of you. If you are visiting this morning, we welcome you to Eastern Shore Baptist Church. We love Easter. We love it so much we put it in our name! Not only do we love Easter, we are thankful for Easter. No, not thankful for the name, thankful for the event! Every Christian, of all denominations by the way, celebrates and commemorates this day marking Jesus’ victory over the grave. For those that are unbelieving, they must wrestle with why that tomb in Jerusalem is empty. 

Could it be that the Romans failed at their job of killing Jesus? Maybe Jesus wasn’t really dead? Perhaps he swooned or fainted on the cross? This clearly isn’t true because the Romans were exceptionally good at killing and crucifying individuals. 

Could it be that Jesus’ disciples came late at night and stole the body of their dead Master? Could they have then fabricated that He, that being Jesus, was still alive? Several problems with that narrative. First, the disciples were scared and scattered. We are expected to believe that these frightened, leaderless men somehow rallied over a known lie. Then they made their way to the tomb where they overtook trained Roman soldiers. They then broke the seal to the tomb and rolled away a stone weighting roughly 4000 pounds? Not likely!

And as far as lying that Jesus is alive, also not likely. James was beheaded. Andrew was crucified. Phillip was stoned to death. Bartholomew was skinned alive. Matthew was stabbed to death. Thomas was run through with a spear. James, son of Alphaeus, was tossed from the top of the temple then beaten to death with a club. Thaddaeus was killed with arrows. Simon the Zealot was sawed in half. 

Each man died for their belief that Jesus was the “firstborn from among the dead”, the “Son of the Living God”, and the “Savior of Mankind”. Why would each man die so horribly if they knew it was all a lie? Why would they put themselves through such grief, suffer such heartache, and walk through such despair if they knew it was all a farce?

One more thing? How could they have kept the lie going for so long? How could they have kept the lie alive when so many people knew it was all untrue?

No friends, the only explanation is that Jesus did indeed rise from the grave. It’s the greatest story ever told. It’s the stuff of Hollywood blockbusters. It’s a story that deserves to be told. Here’s the good news, you and I have a chapter in this story. We, all of us, have been commanded to take this story of Jesus’ defeat of death to the furthest reaches of the globe. 

We should go! Go because He lives!

Friends, that is the title of today’s message. Go because He lives. 

Today’s Message:

“Go…Because He Lives”

Oh brothers and sisters, today Jesus is calling. He is calling me and you to share the story. Share His story. Share our story of how He impacted our lives. Share our story of how He saved our lives. We are called to share the story of our redemption through what Jesus did for all of us on the cross. 

Fill in the blanks for me under “Today’s Thought”. Jesus’ Call? Communicate the cross with clarity and conviction! 

Today’s Thought:

Jesus’ Call? Communicate The Cross With Clarity And Conviction!

J.D. Greear is the pastor at The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, NC. He is a former President of the Southern Baptist Convention. I love what he said about our role, our mission, to share the Gospel with the lost world. This is from his book entitled “Gaining by Losing”. 

Today’s Quote:

“The church is God’s plan A for reaching the world—and there is no plan B. Every believer is sent, every member is a missionary, and every church is a launchpad for the Gospel. God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips those He’s called. The Great Commission isn’t reserved for the few—it’s a mandate for the whole church to reach the whole world with the whole Gospel.”

—J.D. Greear’s “Gaining by Losing”

“God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips those He’s called. The Great Commission isn’t reserved for the few...”. 

At the preaching of this message, April 20th, 2025, we are 110 days into 2025. That means that we are nearly a third of the way through the year already. 

Curious? How many times have you shared your testimony? How many conversations have you had about Jesus Christ with a friend, neighbor, classmate, or family member? How many people have you invited to church? Sadly the statistics tell us that most of us have done very little in telling anyone about Christ. Statistics reveal that most “Christians” will not share the Gospel, tell anyone their testimony, or invite anyone to church. 

I want you to remember these numbers: 10, 60, and 78. Got em? 

10. 

60. 

78. 

Less than 10% of regular Southern Baptist church members personally lead someone to faith in Christ in a typical year. 

Over 60% of Southern Baptist Church members report never sharing the Gospel with anyone IN THEIR LIFETIME. 

Lifeway once reported that 78% of churchgoers had not share the gospel with anyone in the past 6 months. 

Here is one last number…15.  

15% of Southern Baptist church members have shared their testimony at least once in the past year. The number goes down dramatically when sharing with someone unchurched or non believing. 

Background and Context:

Oh friends, the glory of the resurrection is only glorious if it is heard. The story is only as powerful as the person willing to share it. I think that most believers are putting their hope in “pot-hole” evangelism. Do you know what “pot-hole” evangelism is? Ever hit a pot hole? Has anyone ever hit a pot hole? You never see it coming do you? You hit that pot hole on accident? I think that most Christians pray that a lost person or someone unchurched runs into Jesus like we run into a pot hole. Accidentally and not involving me or you or us. We just hope that someone apart from Christ stumbles into a church. Maybe they will fall into a Bible study group. Maybe they will run into my pastor at the grocery store check out line. How many of us have prayed that the spirit of Billy Graham, D.L. Moody, or Charles Spurgeon will come to our lost friend like Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol”? Maybe the ghosts of long dead evangelists will be enough to save that classmate or co-worker?

Well folks, God can save who He wants, when He wants, with whatever method He likes. However, God’s greatest tool for sowing the seeds of salvation is me and you. Did you hear me? ME AND YOU! We are called and commissioned to take the good news of the Gospel to the neighborhoods and the nations. Why? Because the Gospel is the power of God unto the salvation of all men. Do not be ashamed of the Gospel! 

Friends, this morning we are reading the last words of our Lord while He was physically present in this world. We are reading from Matthew 28:16-20. Jesus is living in His resurrected and glorious body. He is alive. He has defeated death. Matthew the Apostle reveals to us that still, some doubted and questioned. I think that Matthew brings up this point for a very important reason. Just because we do not understand, just because we have questions, doesn’t exempt us from the command to share the testimony of the Risen King. We are called to baptize people from all corners of the world. Making them disciples of Christ is our primary mission. Replicating the Spirit of Christ from heart to heart, man to man, person to person. We do this until the Second Coming of Christ. 

Friends, do you know the one thing that you cannot do in heaven? Do you know? The one thing that you cannot do in heaven is evangelize. Everyone is saved! So, as my grand father used to say, “we better get while the getting is good”. Time is running out and the clock is ticking down. There is a real heaven to gain and a real hell to miss. 

So, let’s turn in our Bibles to Matthew 28:16-20. The Great Commission of Christ to His followers. 

Statement of Belief:

We believe the Bible to be inspired, God breathed, infallible, and authoritative. We believe the Bible is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training believer’s in righteousness. God’s Word gives life. It provides peace in trouble and protection in tribulation. It is alive, active, and cuts to the core of the human soul. Since there is no other book like it, let us stand to show our reverence and respect.   

Today’s Scripture:

Matthew 28:16-20 ESV

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. [17] And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. [18] And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Pastor: "This is the Word of the Lord.”

Congregation: "Praise His name, Praise His holy name."

The Risen Christ: Our Confidence, Calling, and Commission

So friends, are you thankful for the resurrection of Jesus Christ this morning? Can I get an “Amen” if you are thankful that Jesus lives yesterday, today and evermore?

Amen and Amen indeed. 

Friends, today of all days, I want you to have confidence in the risen Christ. That is our first point this morning. 

I. Confidence In The Risen Christ vs. 16-17

“Jesus meets His disciples—even in their doubt. The resurrection gives us confidence to worship and trust Him.”

They worshipped Him but some doubted. What does that mean that they doubted? 

Well you have to wrestle with the Greek word for “doubt”. The Greek word used here for “doubt” is distazō which is different than the word unbelief. It means to waver, to hesitate, or to be uncertain. So this was not outright disbelief, it was a moment of hesitation. They paused because they didn’t understand or rather that they were unsure of the plan. 

The disciples were hesitating but not rejecting. They knew that Jesus was the Son of God. They believed. They were not denying Jesus rather they were just processing the moment. They were probably thinking, “is this really happening”?

Here is the good news for us this morning. This moment in Matthew 28 reminds us that doubt and worship can coexist. We don’t always have to understand the plan, we just have to be obedient to follow through. Even the most faithful among us have moments of fear, hesitation, or even confusion. Just because you feel that way today doesn’t mean that you are disqualified tomorrow. God can and will still use you. Those doubting disciples chose trust over twisting in knots. 

I love what the author of Hebrews says in chapter 10 and verses 22 and 23. 

Hebrews 10:22-23 CEV

So let's come near God with pure hearts and a confidence that comes from having faith. Let's keep our hearts pure, our consciences free from evil, and our bodies washed with clean water. [23] We must hold tightly to the hope that we say is ours. After all, we can trust the one who made the agreement with us.

Here is our second point this morning. We can have confidence in the risen Christ. Next, we have been commanded by the risen Christ. He has given us a mission this morning. Fill in that blank this morning from verses 18 and 19. Commanded by the risen Christ. 

II. Commanded By The Risen Christ vs. 18-19a

“Jesus has all authority. Because He lives, we go—not in our strength, but in His power.”

I bet that you have never heard the story, the true story of Brother Andrew van Der Bijl. To those that love and honor him, he is know simply as Brother Andrew. 

In the 1950’ and 60’s, during the height of the Cold War, a young Dutch missionary named Brother Andrew felt a call from God to minister to Christians suffering under the iron boot of Communist regimes in Eastern Europe. 

Churches behind the Iron Curtain were isolated. Bibles were strictly banned. Preachers were imprisoned and persecuted. Still, Brother Andrew believed that he was solidly commanded, his orders given from heaven itself, to go and strengthen the Body of Christ, even if it meant risking his life. 

Armed with only a small, beat-up Volkswagen Beetle and a Bible, Brother Andrew began making trips into dangerous territory — smuggling Bibles and gospel tracts across highly guarded Communist borders. He would pray:

“Lord, in my luggage I have Scripture that I want to take to Your children. When You were on earth, You made blind eyes see. Now I pray, make seeing eyes blind.”

Time after time, guards would open the trunk, look directly at stacks of Bibles — and then wave him through as if they saw nothing. No explanation. Just divine intervention.

He would go on to deliver millions of Bibles to persecuted believers in Eastern Europe, China, the Middle East, and beyond. His organization, Open Doors, is still active today — reaching into the hardest places on earth with the Gospel. 

In an interview with a Christian outlet, the question was asked, “Brother Andrew, why did you continue to put yourself and your family at risk to do something that was so dangerous? Why would you risk your life for people that you had never met?”

Andrew simply replied, “I was under orders”. 

Friends, if Jesus is Lord, that means He is our commanding officer. We are foot soldiers in His army. Paul reminds us in Philippians 2 that everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. This confession will bring glory to God. 

What is holding you back from sharing the good word of Jesus’ resurrection? 

Preacher I don’t want to be seen as a Bible thumper. 

Preacher I won’t know all the answers. 

Preacher I don’t want to embarrass myself. 

Preacher what if they mock me?

Preacher what if they refuse me?

My only response is that I’d rather been seen as a Bible thumper than  stand before the Lord one day and be asked, “Why didn’t you share My story when I gave you the chance?”

Being labeled isn’t fun — but being faithful is far more important than being fashionable. 

You may not have all the answers. That’s ok. You don’t have to. You’re not called to be omniscient, just obedient. Even the blind man in John 9 didn’t know theology, but he said, “One thing I do know: I was blind but now I see.”

That’s testimony. And that’s powerful. Point people to the One who is the answer.

Embarrassing. Let me tell you something that was embarrassing. the cross was embarrassing. Public. Humiliating. Bloody. But Jesus endured it… for you.

If He could carry a cross for me in front of the world, surely I can carry His name in front of a neighbor, a friend, or a coworker.

Besides, obedience is never embarrassing in heaven’s eyes.

What if they mock me? They mocked Jesus too. They spit on Him. They laughed. And yet He still loved them.

Being mocked means you’re starting to sound a little more like Jesus.

Luke 6:22 says, “Blessed are you when people hate you… and insult you because of the Son of Man.”

That’s not rejection. That’s confirmation.

Oh, let me tell you something that set me free a long time ago from feelings of inadequacy. Feelings of failure. Feelings that came along when people left, or when people refused the offer of the Gospel. Jesus was refused, too — by men, by women, by children, by villages, by towns, by religious people, by non believers, by the sick, by the healthy, by entire towns. But He kept going. Why? Because someone else down the road would believe.

Don’t let one “no” keep you from the “yes” God is preparing in someone else’s heart. You’re not responsible for the response — just the invitation.

Be bold. Be brave. You are not just called to share the Gospel, the good news of Jesus’ resurrection, you are commanded to share the good news of Jesus’ resurrection. 

Ok, here is our last point. We can have confidence in the risen Christ. We are commanded by the risen Christ. Lastly, we are commissioned for the Risen Christ. 

III. Commissioned For The Risen Christ vs. 19b-20

“We’re sent to make disciples, but we’re not alone. His presence gives us purpose and courage.”

Go back to verse 19 and 20 this morning. 

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Oh friends, you and I are not alone. The Lord is with us. We have the promise of the Father, the command of Christ, and we are fueled by the work of the Holy Spirit. 

All of that is enough but God gives us so much more. He gives us the gift of each other. The gift of the body of Christ. 

A long time ago, I heard a story about a pastor who was flying from Heathrow Airport to Australia. When he arrived on the flight, he sat next to a woman leaving for a long business trip. The two sat for a while in silence. Finally the pastor asked the lady what she did for a living. She gave a very detailed explanation of her work. She was very important. She was very wealthy. She had years of education. She explained that she was critical to the inner workings of her business and that if you subtracted her from the operation, the company would fold. 

The pastor sat in his seat impressed. 

“Wow”, he stated. “You may very well be the most impressive person that I have ever met on a plane.”

She smiled back at the pastor and asked confidently, “well, what do you do”?

Well, I work for a global enterprise, she said. Do you? I said, Yes, I do. I said, We’ve got outlets in nearly every country of the world. She said, Have you? I said, Yes, we have. I said, We’ve got hospitals and hospices and homeless shelters. I said, We do marriage work. We’ve got orphanages, we’ve got feeding programs, educational programs. I said, We do all sorts of justice and reconciliation things. I said, basically, we look after people from birth to death and we deal in the area of behavioral alteration.

She went, “Wow”!

And it was so loud. 

Her. “Wow”! 

Loads of people turned around and looked at us. She says, 

What’s it called? The pastor said, “It’s called the church”.

That’s the point friends. We are not just a part of a global enterprise. We are a part of Jesus Himself. This entity that we are members of is not just global. No sir. It is multi-dimensional and intergalactic. It includes angels thriving in the spiritual dimensions and the souls of people who have gone to heaven before us. 

Isn’t it wonderful to know that we are never alone in this disciple making adventure. We have the Lord and we have each other. I have said for many years that we need Jesus and each other. 

That’s true. 

Luke recalls this commissioning in Acts 1:8. 

Acts 1:8 AMP

But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.”

We are witnesses brothers and sisters. Do you believe? Are you confident in Christ? Have you heard His command? Are you living as a commissioned committed Christian?

If the answer is “yes”, run tell others about the resurrection. It’s the greatest news that there ever was. 

R.U.N. Tell Others About The Resurrection!

I made an acrostic for RUN. Check this out. 

R – Receive His Authority

Jesus has all authority—so we go with His power.

U – Use Your Voice

Tell others what Jesus has done.

N – Notice the Mission Field

The world is waiting—open your eyes and run to it.

Let’s pray together this morning.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the power and promise of the resurrection. Thank You that because Jesus lives, we can face tomorrow, walk in confidence today, and stand firm in the mission You’ve given us. Thank You for meeting us — like You met those disciples — even in our doubt, our hesitation, our weakness. And thank You that You still call us, still command us, and still commission us, just as You did on that mountain in Galilee.

Lord, stir in our hearts a renewed courage. Help us not to be silent about the Savior who was not silent about us. Embolden us to communicate the cross with clarity and conviction. Forgive us for the times we’ve been quiet when we should have spoken, distant when we should have gone, hesitant when You simply asked us to trust.

Father, I pray right now for the one who is here today and knows that they’ve never placed their trust in Jesus. If that’s you, right where you are, I invite you to pray:

“Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God. I believe You died on the cross for my sin and rose again. I ask You to forgive me, to save me, and to be the Lord of my life. I give You my heart, my future, and my all. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

If you prayed that today, I want to invite you — come down this aisle. Talk to me or one of our pastors. Don’t leave today without telling someone.

Maybe today, your next step is baptism. Maybe it’s church membership. Maybe it’s saying “yes” to the call to serve, go, or share. Whatever the Spirit of God is prompting in you — respond.

Lord, move now in this place. Do what only You can do. And remind us all: Because Jesus lives, we go.

In the mighty name of our risen Savior we pray,

Amen.

_____________________________________

*Do Not Include*

R – Receive His Authority

Jesus has all authority—so we go with His power.

U – Use Your Voice

Tell others what Jesus has done.

N – Notice the Mission Field

The world is waiting—open your eyes and run to it.