A LIMITLESS LIFE

Text: Matthew 28:16-20 Speaker: Pastor Matthew Ude Festival: Trinity Passages: Matthew 28:16-20

Matthew 28:16-20

All Authority has been given to me

We very often make promises. We often make promises with every good intention Unfortunately we are limited. We are limited in ability. We are limited in strength. We are limited by our sinfulness.  No matter how much we might want to fulfill our promises sometimes we simply aren’t able.

Christ, before he tells us anything else, reminds us that he is unlimited. All power, all authority is his. Therefore when he makes a promise it is fulfilled.

Anyone ever tell you they would move heaven and earth? Christ actually can and has and will.

It is this strength that Paul talks about in Philippians 4.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

You can indeed do all things through Christ, for he who is unlimited in power and authority has promised to aid you and be with you. Therefore Christ gives you this promise of his strength so that through you he might always accomplish his will.

This passage is not for those who wish to oppose Christ’s will, nor for those who would wastes his promises on earthly pursuits. This passage is for those who know what Christ’s will is but are not sure they can do it. When it doesn’t seem possible to fix your marriage, and it would be so much easier to give up and move on, Christ will give you the strength you need. When you know you ought to forgive but there is too much anger inside you, Christ will give you the strength you need. When something bad happens and you are looking at years and years of slow hard work to build back, to recover, Christ will give you the strength you need.

This passage doesn’t promise that these things will be any easier, or that your life will be without suffering but what it does promise is that with Christ they will be possible.

As the hymnist wrote, “When tasks of life are hard and strong greet them with this triumph song thy will be done.”

Go Therefore

Who was it who met Jesus on that mountain in Galilee? Who was it who saw him ascend into heaven? Who was it who was gathered together on Pentecost? Who spoke in tongues?

The eleven apostles yes, but others also, possibly the women, Jesus’ brothers and others. There were those who would become evangelists and pastors, but there were others as well, fishermen and merchants, Pharisees and Sadducees, tax collectors and soldiers.

Wherever your life takes you, whatever path you choose, go with confidence, because the one who has all power in heaven and earth is with you.

Christ reminded Joshua of this truth.

Joshua 1:9  “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

What kind of swimmer are you? One who runs and jumps head first into the deepest part of the lake or pool. Or one who carefully dips a toe and slowly walks in a little at a time?

We can dive into whatever life we have ahead of us because we know that Christ is with us every step.

Go live your life, travel the world, climb mountains, get married, have kids or stay here and fill your hands with the dirt and the soil, but go without fear. Go with confidence, knowing that wherever you go Christ is with you.  

And while you go make disciples

As you go share his love with others. Just as he has unlimited power so he has loved you with an unlimited love.

1 John 4:19 We love Him because He first loved us.

His love isn’t dependent on what we do. His love comes first and is always there even when we hate him. His love is always first. His love comes first every day. Before we do anything to deserve it his love comes first. His love is unlimited.

Never be ashamed of who you are. That is something you probably have heard and will hear a lot in your life. However when most people say that they mean you should never be ashamed of who you are as an individual. Unfortunately there is a lot we do have to be ashamed of as individuals.

When I say never be ashamed of who you are I mean never be ashamed that you are a child of God, never be ashamed of your baptism, never be ashamed of  the one who loved you and died for you when he had no good reason to care about you at all.

The world will try its best to make you ashamed of Christ but proud of your sin. But Christ is the one who wraps you up in his unlimited love. Christ is the one who died for you. Rather be asheamed of your sin and proud of that you are a son of God.

And behold I am with you

The Greek is literally, “I am with you every day until the end of time.” Because Jesus Christ is with us always we always have hope. It is not a weak iffy hope. It’s not the kind of hope where, “well maybe things will get better.” This is a sure and certain and undeniable hope. This is an unlimited hope. The Lord of heaven and earth is at your side, things will get better.

Jeremiah 29:11  ¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

 Again this is a passage which promises difficulties, not an easy life. We would have no need of this passage if all our days were sunny and bright but why does the Lord say this?

He says it because he is planning to lead us through difficult and suffering, and he wants us to know that whatever it looks like from the outside, he is leading us through suffering into the promise.

Indeed these words were spoken through Jeremiah, at what is probably the darkest day in the history of the nation of Judah. The entire nation was destroyed and taken as slaves to the Babylon. From every earthly viewpoint it was the end.  Yet, the Lord do not be deceived, I am doing this in order to bring about your salvation.

Hopefully you will never be taken captive to Babylon, but there will probably be days that feel like it. On such days know this; He is with you no matter what it looks like from the outside. His has a plan to bring you into salvation.

This is our Lord and savior who is with us always. Jesus Christ of unlimited power, unlimited strength, unlimited love and because of his unlimitedness we have unlimited hope.

Amen