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Living Hope SDA Church

Christian Martin

We Can’t Help but Tell

Father in heaven, we're here today, Lord, because we want to hear a word from you.

We want to hear your voice speak to our hearts through your word.

It has spoken to us already through song.

It has spoken joyfully and loudly through the baptism.

Continue to abide with us and speak to us now through your word and we thank you in Jesus' name, amen.

Under normal circumstances, when an appointment is made, and I'm going to assume, safely assume that we've all made appointments, it's expected to be kept, right?

And When 1 is reminded of an appointment, not just once, not just twice, but 3 times, you know, it must be very, very important.

And so it was with an appointment made between Christ and his disciples.

Christ himself makes an appointment and it's expected to be kept.

It's an appointment to meet at a particular place, at a particular time, and they were reminded of it 3 times.

The appointment was first made by Christ on the road to Gethsemane.

There we find the record of the appointment that I speak of.

Then Jesus said to them, all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night for it is written I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.

The disciples are a little confused and they can see in the countenance of Jesus that something is about to happen and it's not the best of times.

So Jesus makes a very solemn statement but then verse 32 begins with the word but.

When you say something, and then you say, but, that means that it's about to take a turn.

And it's about to take a more optimistic, more bright, more joyful turn.

Because in verse 32 it says, but after I have been raised I will go before you to Galilee.

The appointment is then repeated as the first day of the week begins to dawn.

We're not going to pause and go through what happens in the next, you know, 48 hours.

And early on the first day of the week, we find this record in Matthew 28.

So let's go a few chapters over to Matthew chapter 28.

Oh, in my Bible, the subtitle is, He is risen.

So in Matthew chapter 28, verses 5 to 7, we find the words of the angel.

The angel now answers and said to the woman, Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who was crucified.

He is not here, for he is risen, as he said.

Verse 7, and go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead.

But he goes on, and indeed he is going before you into Galilee, there you will see him.

And in my opinion when he said behold I have told you, you know what he's emphasizing?

Hey, I just reminded you of your appointment, okay?

So don't forget, behold, I have told you.

So the appointment has been reminded of twice now.

And If that wasn't enough, the appointment is repeated a third time by the Lord himself, Jesus himself.

Look at verses 9 and 10, same chapter, Matthew chapter 28 verses 9 and 10.

And as they went to tell his disciples, behold Jesus met them, saying, Rejoice!

So they came and beheld him by the feet, hailed him by the feet, and worshipped him.

Verse 10, Then Jesus said to them, Do not be afraid, here we go, go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.

Third remind, Again, there's no question in my mind that the reason this appointment has been repeated boom boom 3 times is only because there's a deep serious reason they need to be there.

If you miss it, You are going to regret it.

You're not going to want to miss this appointment.

Then the 11 disciples went away into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.

See, the Gospel of Matthew just, you know, reminds the reader that this is the place.

The place where Jesus repeated an appointment 3 times.

When they saw him, they worshipped him, and some doubted.

It's interesting that the moment has come.

This is the appointment that they were all anticipating and it's come and it was on this mountaintop that we just read, did you notice at the end of verse 17, that there are 2 types of followers in every congregation.

There are 2 types of followers in every gathering of people who are called by His name.

And in modern day world, it's you and me.

We've gathered here today in His name, in His presence, and as it was back then, it is today.

And every congregation that some worship him and some doubt him.

But did you ever ask yourself doubted what?

After all, their ultimate expectation was still, go to Acts chapter 1, you'll find it there.

Acts chapter 1 is after the resurrection, before the angels show up and say, hey, why are you looking up into heaven?

They were still anticipating that the Messiah would restore the kingdom of Israel.

And so they wondered, all right, he's the risen Savior, we'll give you that, but is he the 1 to take over the Roman Empire and give the kingdom back to Israel?

They did not understand that the Messiah had not come to do that.

He had come to restore them from the bondage of sin.

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We Can’t Help but Tell

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