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Following Jesus – A Time For LIFE! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the April 20, 2025 sermon, “Following Jesus: A Time For LIFE!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 28

 

“He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’”
Revelation 21:5 (NIV)

As one called by Jesus to “Come, follow me”, Matthew gives us great teaching on what it looks like to live a life which follows Jesus.  It is in the resurrection of Jesus that we discover true life, and have the opportunity to have life to the full.  It is in that fullness of the resurrection, we too can experience a time for . . .

  • Love:  Matthew 28:1-4

    • At the heart of the resurrection was the fullness of God’s love being shown to mankind through the life of His Son, Jesus.  Love will always compel us to do things which nothing else could motivate us to do.  As the women head to the tomb early on the first day of the week, they do so motivated by love.  Even when the circumstances become so frightening that the Roman guards pass out as dead men, the love of Mary Magdalene and Mary drive them forward to the tomb where they discover there is not a dead body present for them to finish burial preparations.  When we follow Jesus in a fullness of life, we discover a time for love which overcomes all fear. 

  • Insight:  Matthew 28:5-10

    • The life of Jesus continually gave insight into the kingdom of God through everything that was being said and done.  His resurrection gives us an insight into the wonderful teaching Jesus would share about Him being the resurrection and the life.  As the women encountered an angel at the tomb, they were given insight into what they were experiencing being just as Jesus said it would be.  When we follow Jesus in the fullness of life, we find that He gives us greater insight into His Word as His Spirit helps us to both understand and practice the truth of all its commands and instructions.

  • Faith:  Matthew 28:11-15

    • The Bible makes it clear that without faith it is impossible to please God.  As Jesus lived among mankind, He consistently called His followers to grow in faith as they would choose to believe in the unseen.  Because it would mean disaster for the religious leaders to admit Jesus had indeed resurrected from the dead, they used their influence and money to spread a story about the body of Jesus being stolen.  While this story spread and gained popularity among the Jews, those who had not personally seen the resurrected person of Jesus would have to believe by faith that He indeed was alive.  When we follow Jesus in the fullness of life, we must do so by a living faith which trusts that the Word of God is true and that Jesus not only rose from the dead but that He has ascended back into heaven to prepare a place for all who would put their faith in Him.

  • Expansion:  Matthew 28:16-20

    • Much of the life of Jesus was spent proclaiming the kingdom of God to be near and calling people everywhere to believe and be saved.  In Biblical context, belief is more than just agreeing that something is true — it is an obedient response to that which is true and a response which is reflected in our actions.  It was the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus which opened wide the invitation for all who are thirsty to come and drink of the living water.  The expansion of the kingdom of God was at hand and Jesus calls all who would follow Him to be involved in taking the good news of the resurrection everywhere they went.  When we follow Jesus in the fullness of life, we are called by Him to join in the expansion of the kingdom as we go and make disciples according to His instructions.

Today, how will you live a risen LIFE?