The Great Commission

THE GREAT COMMISSION MATTHEW 28:18 - All Authority Jesus promises that his followers—now his representatives on earth—would have his authority and power to proclaim and spread his message throughout the world (vv. 19-20). But first they must obey Jesus' command to wait for the Father to fulfill his promise and send the Holy Spirit to empower them (this promise was fulfilled at Pentecost). We cannot expect the power described in Acts 1:8 to accompany our efforts to take Christ's message to the nations without first following the pattern of Acts 1:4. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8) "Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 1:4-5) --- MATTHEW 28:19 - Go... Make Disciples... Baptizing These words are referred to as Christ's Great Commission—his primary command, instruction and task, along with the authority to carry it out. This command applies to all his followers of every generation. In his final instructions, Christ states the goal and responsibility of his church. They are to take his message to people of all nations and cultures. --- SIX KEY ASPECTS OF THE COMMISSION (1) GO INTO ALL THE WORLD The church is to go into all the world and spread the message of Christ as revealed in his own teaching and through the teaching of his apostles. This task includes the responsibility of sending missionaries into every nation (Acts 13:1-4). (2) PREACH THE GOSPEL The preaching of the gospel is centered on: - "Repentance and forgiveness of sins" (Luke 24:47) - The promise of receiving "the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38) - The challenge to live in a way that is uniquely different from the spiritually corrupt world (Acts 2:40) - We must also preach with an expectancy of Jesus' return for his church (Acts 3:19-20; 1 Thess. 1:10) (3) MAKE DISCIPLES, NOT JUST CONVERTS The primary purpose of Christ's commission was to make disciples (Gk. matheteusate)—disciplined "learners" and followers of Jesus who live by his commands and are continually growing in their relationship with him. To make disciples is the only direct command in this passage (the word "go" could be translated "as you are going"). Many people talk about the Great Commission as a call to evangelism. But Christ's words here are really a commission to the deeper aspect of discipleship—which goes beyond evangelism and on to solid teaching and continual spiritual nurturing that produces growth and progress. Effective evangelism cannot be separated from true discipleship. Christ does not intend for his followers to simply make converts to Christianity; he wants them to train and mentor other people who will faithfully follow Christ and lead others to him as well. If individuals who accept Christ do not grow beyond that starting point, they will almost certainly abandon their faith and likely become spiritually hardened toward God. A church's spiritual energies and efforts must not be focused merely on enlarging church membership, but in making true disciples—life-long followers of Christ who avoid evil, follow Christ's commands and pursue his purposes with all their heart, mind and will. (4) SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD Christ commands us to concentrate on reaching spiritually lost men and women with his message of hope, but this does not mean that believers are called to Christianize society or to expect that all of the world will become Christians. While we must strive to make a positive difference in the world, we also must understand that the world system will remain defiant toward God until he returns. Until then, God's people must separate themselves from the corrupt beliefs, behaviors and lifestyles that surround them. Believers should devote themselves wholeheartedly to God and his purposes (Rom. 13:12; 2 Cor. 6:14). Devotion to Christ includes not hesitating to expose the evil and shame in the world so as to encourage others to avoid it (Eph. 5:11-12). (5) BAPTIZE BELIEVERS Those who believe in Christ, who accept his message by faith and actively yield their lives to him—are to be "baptized" with water. (The word translated "baptized" literally speaks of being immersed, or put completely under the water.) This act of obedience serves as a public statement of faith in Christ—a sign that a person is identifying with Jesus in: - His death - His burial (going under the water; see Col. 2:12) - His resurrection (coming up out of the water) It represents a person's spiritual pledge to turn away from sin and immorality, to die to one's own sinful nature and, with God's help, to be raised up to live a new life (see Rom. 6:4). In this new life, the believer is completely committed to Christ and his purposes. (6) EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT Christ will be with his obedient followers through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. They will be able to fulfill their task to take Christ's message wherever they go, even to all people and all nations, only after they are "clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49). --- MATTHEW 28:20 - "I Am With You" This promise is Christ's assurance to his followers who are actively involved in reaching and "winning" those who are spiritually lost and teaching them to obey his standards of truth. Jesus has risen from the dead and is now alive and active in his followers' lives. God is personally interested in each one of his children and has promised to be with them in the person of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 26). God is also with us through his Word (John 14:23). No matter what your status or condition—rich, poor, weak, humble, famous or relatively unknown—he cares for you and watches every detail of your life with loving care. He knows and understands your difficulties and struggles, and he will give you the strength to endure anything with his help (see 2 Cor. 12:9). In fact, God's presence can fill every believer with joy in any circumstances (Ps. 16:11; 21:6). It is both challenging and comforting to know that we cannot escape God's presence (Ps. 139:7). Jesus' promise to be "with you" is the Christian's answer to every fear, every doubt, every trouble, every heartache and every discouragement.