The last words of Jesus
Matthew 28:18-20
Luke 24:46-49
Acts 1:8
Mark 16:15-18
We call these the Great Commission, it is our marching orders. In EMS we call these protocols. It is what we are to follow, no questions asked, just do it. Whenever we are in a situation, all we need to do is refer to the protocols and follow them. Here is how they break down
ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH IS GIVEN TO ME
1.Jesus is the ultimate authority
2.He is Lord we do what he says
3.no one has the authority to change/alter/or delete his commands
Many say that the way to salvation is believe and confess. The believing is in Jesus Christ as The Son of GOD. Without this belief there is no foundation for anything else. This is part of the uniqueness of Christianity. Not believing Jesus was a good man, or that he was a prophet, but believing that he is THE Son of GOD. The next part is also as unique and simple. Confessing that He is our LORD and SAVIOR. Again this is unique to only Christianity. Only in Christianity is Jesus seen as Lord and Savior.
This brings me to one of my points for this week. If we believe that Jesus is the Son of GOD, if we confess him as LORD AND SAVIOR, then we should do everything he commands us to do. The final words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 28:18-20 start with All authority has been given to me in Heaven and on Earth. Simply stated Jesus is saying He is the final authority, the supreme boss of Heaven and Earth.
The next paragraph says THerefore GO! We might ask, "GO WHERE?" Again the answer is simple, go anywhere Jesus is not known, go anywhere Jesus is not LORD yet, go anywhere the Gospel needs to be proclaimed. But there is more, the idea of going means not to hide it. We are not to keep it to ourselves, we must live it and live it in a way that there is no doubt where we stand, no doubt in anyone's mind that Jesus is LORD and SAVIOR of our lives.
How are we to GO?
1.Anywhere Jesus is not known
2.Anywhere we go is a mission field
3.We go by living as well as speaking the Words of Jesus.
The next step is to MAKE DISCIPLES
The Discipleship movement within the churches has gotten a bad reputation because of some of the high handed practices of a few. All of the self-help groups encourage this discipleship/mentoring in order to grow. So it is in Christianity. This is why we need the fellowship, this is why small groups grow. Discipleship is simply teaching and encouraging on a one to one basis or a small group setting.
Jesus had the 12, out of the 12 he had an inner circle of 3. The three were Peter, James and John. They were close, fishermen by trade, may have even been partners in the fishing trade. Jesus grew these men to take over. In discipleship the idea is to grow. The problem is many have taken the task to make "mini me's" instead of taking the words of the Apostle Paul, "follow me as I follow Christ." Discipleship is designed to make us more like Jesus, anything else just will not do.
The Next Protocol is
BAPTIZE THEM
In Matthew and in Mark we have to order to baptize in order to be saved.
Matthew 28:19 baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Mark 16:16 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
We understand the necessity to believe, as we already discussed. The need for Baptism is disputed by some. Again I refer to the opening statements; ALL AUTHORITY has been given to Jesus, if he said it we do it.
How do we Baptize?
1.The word used here is baptizma which means immerse
2.There was no dispute of this in the early church.
First, it is important to note that at least for modern scholarship, there is no question concerning the form of baptism practiced by Christ and the Apostles and in general in the New Testament period: it was complete immersion, symbolic (in Paul's teaching certainly) of the death and resurrection of Christ and the washing away of the sinful old man (forgiveness of sins) and putting on the new man of Christ.(2) The New Testament's clear command is that it is to be done "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost"(compare the commission of Matthew 28:19) and moreover that it is clearly necessary for all (Matt. 5:17) since it was even required of Christ
So whend did it become sprinkling or pouring?
It was somewhere in the 4tha dn 5th Centuries when the Roman Church held sprinkling as the mode of baptism. It became a matter of convience, one could be immersed, poured over or sprinkled. This becomes more evident during the days of the bubonic plague. But again, by what authority? Jesus said, believe and be baptized (immersion) we have no authority to change it or add to it.
The Next protocol is
TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I COMMANDED. (Matt 28:20)
YOU ARE MY WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM, JUDEA, SAMARIA AND THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. (Acts 1:8)
Sometimes we put this in reverse order, we hold off baptizing anyone because we are not sure they “know” enough in order to be baptized. What requirement is there for baptism?
1.Repent of their sinfullness
2.Believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of GOD
3.Confess their need for a Savior.
The protocol is teach them everything I have commanded. What has Jesus commanded?
1.Love the LORD your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (Matt 22:37)
2.Love your neighbor as yourself. (Matt 22:37)
What else is there?
God is still calling every one of us into missions. The field is ripe for harvest, but the laborers are few. Would you answer God’s call to missions today like Isaiah did, and say boldly like him that, “Here am I, send me?” (Isaiah 6:8). Our mission is global. Our mandate is very urgent because many people are dying in their sins daily. I pray and hope that we would all become involved in global missions such that we would be able to proudly say at the end as did the African carrier of David Livingston during his African mission. While their statement was shallow with limited knowledge of world geography, their perspective was worthy of note. They said, “We went on till we had finished the whole world. We only turned when there was no more land.” May God help us to assume this mandate from God today, believing that God has giving us the power for our missions; he has given us the plan for our missionary enterprise; and he has provided us with the promise of his eternal presence. This is all we need. Remember that “to whom much is given, much will be required.” May God find us faithful when he comes. This is our hope. This is our prayer. Now we have our orders, let us go and do.
