Evangelism - The Prime Directive

Back in the late 60’s, one television series I looked forward to watching, was Star Trek. In the Star Trek series Captain James Kirk led the voyages of the starship Enterprise, “Its five-year mission: To explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before.”

During this television series a term called the “Prime Directive” was often used and was Starfleet's General Order #1. The Prime Directive was the most prominent guiding principle of the United Federation of Planets.

The Prime Directive dictates that there can be no interference with the internal affairs of other planetary cultures. The crew of the Enterprise was not allowed to share its advanced knowledge or technology with primitive cultures lest this exposure alter the natural development of the society.

Did you know that the church has been given a mission and a Prime Directive? There are billions of people who are dying on this planet upon which we live.

The crew of the Enterprise could not give or expose any information regarding advanced technology lest this exposure alter the natural development of the society.

Our directive is to expose the inhabitants of planet earth to “advanced knowledge” that will alter the natural development of the society.

* There are people who are “sin sick” that need to be healed by this advanced knowledge.

* There are people who are in bondage and need to be set free by this knowledge.

* There are people who are on their way to a fiery, dark hell and need to be rescued by this knowledge.

Our Prime Directive is found in the New Testament book of Matthew, chapter 28, verse 18-20.

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

Mat 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

Mat 28:20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

In Matthew 28:18, Jesus approaches His disciples and says to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

Depending on the translation you are using the second word Jesus uses in this statement is either “power” or “authority.” The KJV uses the word power in verse 18 - “…all power is given unto Me.”

A better translation of this word would be “authority.” In the Greek language there are two different words for “power.”

dunamis, doo'-nam-is; force (lit. or fig.); miraculous power or miracle. We get our English word “dynamite” from dunamis. In the New Testament, where Jesus or one of the apostles does a miracle or mighty work, they are doing it by the dunamis of God.

exousia, ex-oo-see'-ah; privilege, i.e. (subj.) force, capacity, delegated influence:--authority, jurisdiction or right. In Matthew 7:29 Jesus is described as one who taught with authority.

In Matthew 28:18 the Greek word is exousia. It means authority or right. Jesus says, “All exousia/authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

When we think of authority, we think of the head of a government, like a president or prime minister, a governor or a mayor. This person has the privilege of telling others what to do.

A police officer has authority. The Scripture says in Romans 13:4 that they police are ministers. Paul writes, “for he is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.”

Our president has authority. Our Constitution says that He can declare war; he can veto legislation; he can authorize financial assistance when disaster strikes our cities and states. The president has the authority to pardon criminals. As Commander in Chief, our Constitution gives the president full control of the military.

The police officer and president has an authority that exceeds what the average US citizen has, but don’t think for a moment that any of these people would be crazy enough to say “all authority in heaven and on earth is mine.”

But Jesus says, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

Why does Jesus declare this to His disciples? He declares to His disciples that He has “all authority” because of the instructions that will follow.

What Jesus is about to tell His disciples of that day and those who were to come is based upon and backed by the authority of the risen and exalted Lord who promises to be with His people until the end of the age.

This is God the Son, the Creator of the universe sending His disciples on a mission.

Mat 28:18 “…All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.