Matthew 28:11 says, Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. While the women were on there way to tell the disciples what had happened, the guards went to the chief priests to tell them what had happened. For them, this was not good news. Many people today on hearing the gospel refuse to believe it, and for them it is not good news. Verse twelve declares, And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, The chief priests and elders assembled together and decided to pay the guards a large sum of money. The religious leaders of God's chosen people were willing to do anything to discredit Jesus. Verse thirteen adds, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. The guards were paid to tell everyone that Jesus' disciples came and stole His body while they slept. Now, it had better have been a large sum of money, since sleeping on guard duty was not a good thing for a soldier to admit to. Verse fourteen continues, And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. The religious leaders told the guards that if this report got back to the governor that they would protect them. I am not sure how they thought they would be able to do this, since they were not in power over the governor, but it just shows how far they were willing to go to discredit Jesus. People today may tell us that we are safe if we don't believe in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, but if they do it will be based on a lie. Just as the religious leaders were not in charge of what happened at the resurrection, neither is anyone today. The resurrection is real, and no amount of money or lies will change that fact. Verse fifteen states, So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. The guards took the money, and the Jews, God's chosen people, believed the lie, and I guess they still do today as a group of people. Verse sixteen declares, Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. While the chief priests and elders were attempting to discredit Jesus, the eleven remaining disciples went where He told them to go through the angel speaking to the women. We, as followers of Christ, can only go where Jesus tells us to go, or else we will be buying into the lies of the world. We can never afford to allow money or the teachings of religious leaders that are not in accordance with God's word to come between God and us. Verse seventeen adds, And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. This is still talking about the eleven disciples, and it says when they saw Jesus, they worshipped Him, but some of them still doubted. We cannot be an effective Christian if we have doubt about Who Jesus really is. Verse eighteen declares, And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Jesus spoke to the disciples, and that would include those of us today who have accepted Him as our Savior and Lord though His written word, and told them that all power in heaven and earth was given to Him. Jesus had not and never will be defeated. Verse nineteen adds, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: That was the commission for the eleven disciples then and for us today as followers of Christ. We are to go everywhere and share the gospel and baptize those who accept it in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, the One God Who is manifested in three different ways. This does not mean that there are three different Gods, but only One. Verse twenty-nine concludes, Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Once someone has accepted Jesus as his or her Savior and Lord, his or her work in sharing the gospel has not ended. We are then to teach those who accept Him to observe all that Jesus has taught. Then there was a promise made that Jesus will be with us until the end of the world. Nothing will ever separate those who put their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord from Him.
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