Matthew 28:16-20 - April 16, 2023

In the Gospel of Matthew, mountains are important. And look where we are today! While you could simply take my word for it, let’s take a moment to look at all the other cool, important things that happened at the top of a mountain.

Near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, he is tempted by the devil. And while that happens “in the wilderness,” the final scene takes place at the top of a “very high mountain” where the devil shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All of this I will give you,” the devil claims. Jesus says, “Nope.” And the devil departs.

The core of Jesus’ teachings was delivered in the Sermon on the Mount. When Jesus saw the crowds starting to gather, he went up the mountain to teach. 

Jesus was transfigured at the top of a mountain. Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain. There, his clothes became dazzling white, he shone like the sun, and God spoke, “This is my Son, the Beloved.”

And now today, we conclude Matthew’s Gospel on the top of a mountain. I think it is safe to say that what is about to happen here is pretty important. 

And yes, it probably is. Jesus is risen! He’s alive, no longer dead! This is going to be awesome! 

But we don’t start off awesome. In fact, the first couple of verses are kind of downers.

And the downers are in the details. 

First, it is the eleven disciples who gather - eleven. That number stands in stark contrast to what we’ve heard throughout the rest of the story. The Twelve. Jesus and the Twelve. Eleven is the reminder that one of their own betrayed. One of their own turned. One of their own is missing. Eleven is a reminder of brokenness and betrayal. 

Second, the Eleven gather on the mountaintop to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw Jesus, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Some DOUBTED. I mean, insert-your-own-exasperated-idiom-here. Really? After everything they went through, after the ups and the downs, after stress and fear gave way to empty tombs and resurrection… still there is doubt? 

And that may be understandable. These male disciples weren’t involved the past few days; they had abandoned their post and weren’t around to see all that had really happened. At this point, it’s all hearsay. Maybe that would lead to doubting Jesus right in front of them. 

Part of me wants to yell at them, shake some sense into them. Tell them to get beyond their preconceived notions about what did or should or even could happen. Open your eyes! Open your minds! God is up to something! God has worked and is still working. God is doing something here, and it is right in front of you! 

But… I’m reminded of that old elementary school adage: whenever you point a finger at someone, there are a whole lot pointed back at you. While it is easy to shake our heads at the disciples, we do the same thing. 

Our community, our world, our lives… as good as they may be, there is brokenness there. Things aren’t always whole and full; we get reminders of the “eleven” in our lives, of hurt and betrayal and people who are missing. We doubt Jesus, too. When we look at what God has in store, we can’t help but wonder... If it seems too good to be true, can it really be? And so do we retreat? Do we abandon? Do we doubt that God could actually do this new thing? 

In the midst of brokenness, imperfect community, and doubts, we might often focus on those details. We might look at what is wrong, at what is missing, at what isn’t whole. 

And what that does is it keeps us from hearing the rest of what Jesus says. Because what Jesus says, what God does, well, that’s pretty important. 

Jesus calls us to the mountaintop to tell us about abundant wholeness. Jesus tells us about “all.” Jesus commissions us, and sends us, to all and for all. 

“All authority in heaven and on earth” is given to him. This is what the devil thought he was going to give Jesus earlier, but now Christ truly has all authority in heaven and earth. And he didn’t get it by bowing down to the wrong things. He didn’t get it by fighting or violence. He didn’t get it by staying put at the top of a mountain. He got it by being faithful to God and where God was calling. Jesus cared about what God wanted more than himself. And God raised him up, giving him all authority. 

And with all that authority, Jesus tells us to go to all nations, all peoples. That means Jesus wants everyone in on this. And it also means we can’t stay where we are, as we are. It sure is swell to stay on a mountaintop with nothing needing to change - especially not ourselves. No need for us to grow or leave or do anything we don’t like. 

But Jesus means it. He wants us to go. He comes to us so we may overcome our doubts and leave the confines of where we are to see what else God is doing. And he wants us to teach everything - all the things - that he has been teaching us. I’ve heard it said (and fully believe) that the best way to learn something yourself is to teach it to someone else. So, by Jesus telling us to teach everything, I think he also expects us to know it and live it, too. 

And to make sure it happens, Jesus gives us himself. His presence. Out of all things, the only thing he gives is himself. And that’s enough. More than enough. 

His final words to the disciples, and to us, are a promise of his ongoing presence: “I am with you always - with you all the days, all the time.” Jesus is with you. This fulfills the promise we heard about four months ago at Christmas - Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. 

Jesus’ final words signal that even crucifixion cannot keep Jesus away. And resurrection doesn’t mean Jesus is separated from us either, in some heaven lightyears away. Instead, it opens the door for him to be here. He promises to be with us - all the days, all the ways. 

Jesus does not abandon his disciples as they did him; Jesus does not abandon us, either. You are not alone. Jesus promises this - here in scripture, and again in the waters of baptism which he tells us to do. We are marked with the cross of Christ, sealed by the Holy Spirit, forever. Always. All the days. And nothing that happens to you, nothing that you feel inside, nothing that you are, not even the doubts or betrayals or “elevens” of your life will change Jesus’ promise to be present. To be with you always. 

Into this multifaceted mountaintop experience, Jesus brings a bountiful grace, encapsulated in that word “all” he keeps using. Jesus’ grace is seen in his abundance, his acceptance, his all. 

All authority. All nations. All people. All the teachings. All the days until the end of days. 

That is our God. That is our Savior. 

That is all we need. To the end of the age.