THE GREAT COMMISSION, NOT THE GREAT OPTION
MATTHEW 28:16-20
I. INTRODUCTION: INTRODUCE SERIES ON MISSIONS.
II. TALK ABOUT OUR MISSIONS OFFERINGS: PRAISE THEM FOR MAKING BOTH GOALS.
III. JERRY RANKIN FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS BOARD STATEMENT: “ IF YOU DON’T HAVE A VALID PASSPORT AND HAVE NEVER HAD A VISA YOU ARE LIVING OUTSIDE OF GOD’S WILL.”
IV. THAT’S A PRETTY STRONG STATEMENT AND HE TOOK A LOT OF HEAT FOR IT BUT IT MAKES US THINK.
V. WE ARE IN THE LAST DAYS, TIME IS GETTING SHORT, NOW MORE THAN EVER MISSIONS IS SO VITAL.
VI. SETTING OF THE TEXT: AFTER THE RESURRECTION JESUS HAD DIRECTED THE DISCIPLES TO THIS MOUNTAIN IN GALILEE.
VII. THE LORD APPEARED TO MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE AT ONE TIME AT THIS PLACE.
VIII. SOME OF THE PEOPLE PRESENT DOUBTED HIS RESURRECTION. JESUS’ ASCENSION DID NOT TAKE PLACE AT THIS TIME BUT LATER AFTER HE HAD MINSTERED TO HIS DISCIPLES IN JERUSALEM.
IX. THIS TEXT IS KNOWN AS THE GREAT COMMSSION. THIS IS NOT THE LAST STATEMENT JESUS MADE BEFORE HE RETURNED TO HEAVEN.
X. THIS DECLARATION APPLIES TO US AS BELIEVERS SO WE NEED TO TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT WHAT JESUS IS SAYING NOT ONLY TO THEM IN THAT TIME BUT TO US TODAY.
CONNECTION SENTENCE: AS WE DIG INTO THIS THE FIRST THING WE SEE IS THIS:
I. THE POWER. VERSE 18.
A. TALK ABOUT POWER BEING OUT. TVA DID GREAT JOB BUT THE POWER WE GET FOR OUR HOMES CAN BE UNRELIABLE.
B. OUR POWER WILL GO OUT BUT THE POWER FROM GOD NEVER WILL.
C. KEY: ALL AUTHORITY: FROM GREEK: OFFICIAL RIGHT OR POWER.
D. SINCE JESUS CHRIST TODAY HAS ALL AUTHORITY, WE MAY OBEY HIM WITHOUT FEAR.
E. NO MATTER WHERE HE LEADS US, NO MATTER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES WE FACE HE IS IN CONTROL.
F. BY HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION JESUS DEFEATED ALL ENEMIES AND WON FOR HIMSELF ALL AUTHORITY.
G. WE HAVE THE ASSURANCE OF CHRISTS SUPREME AUTHORITY TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THAT HE HAS CALLED US TO DO.
H. GOD WANTS TO MOVE IN OUR CHURCH, WILL YOU LET HIM AND WILL YOU TRUST HIM? (EXBOUND).
I. CHRISTIANITY IS A MISSIONARY FAITH. GOD IS LOVE AND GOD IS NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH.
J. OUR LORDS DEATH ON THE CROSS WAS FOR THE WHOLE WORLD.
K. IF WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD THEN WE WILL WANT TO TELL THE GOOD NEWS TO THE LOST WORLD.
L. DO YOU HAVE A BURDEN FOR THE LOST? PRAY AND ASK GOD FOR IT AND HE WILL GIVE YOU THE POWER TO SHARE.
CONNECTION SENTENCE: AS WE CONTINUE WE SEE NOT ONLY THE POWER BUT THIS:
II. THE TASK. VERSES 19-20.
A. VERSE 19: GO: THESE ARE THE FIRST TWO LETTERS IN THE WORD GOSPEL.
B. THE GREEK VERB TRANSLATED GO IS ACTUALLY NOT A COMMAND IT ACTUALLY TRANSLATES AS GOING OR KEEP GOING.
C. THIS TELLS US THAT THIS IS NOT JUST A ONE TIME THING WE NEED TO KEEP GOING, KEEP SHARING AND KEEP MINISTERING.
D. TALK ABOUT LONG TERM NEEDS OF STORM VICTIMS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
E. MAKE DISCIPLES: THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE COMMANDS IN THIS TEXT. MEANS MORE THAN A CONVERT OR A CHURCH MEMBER.
F. A DISCIPLE ATTACHED HIMSELF TO A TEACHER, IDENTIFIED WITH HIM AND LEARNED FROM HIM.
G. OUR LORD CALLED TWELVE DISCIPLES AND TAUGHT THEM SO THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO TEACH OTHERS.
H. IT SAYS ALL NATIONS: WHEN THE LORD SAID THIS TO THEM IT MEANT NOT JUST ISRAEL AND WHAT IT SAYS TO US IS NOT JUST AMERICA.
I. TALK ABOUT GETTING OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONES AND OUT OF THE CULTURE OF JUST NORTH ALABAMA.
J. TALK ABOUT JACES WILLINGNESS TO GO TO MONTANA, HIS FAITH TO GO. (EXBOUND).
K. WHO ARE YOU DISCIPLING? WHO ARE YOU INVESTING IN? (EXBOUND).
CONNECTION SENTENCE: LETS LOOK AT MORE OF THE COMMANDS OF THE GREAT COMMISSION:
A. BAPTIZING THEM: A DISCIPLE IS ONE WHO HAS BELIEVED IN JESUS CHRIST AND EXPRESSED THIS FAITH BY BEING BAPTIZED.
B. BAPTISM IS AN OUTWARD SYMBOL OF AN INWARD CHANGE. IT SHOWS TWO PICTURES: SINS BEING CLEANSED AND THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION.
C. WE MUST UNDERSTAND BAPTISM IS NOT WHAT SAVES US BUT IT IS A PUBLIC PROFESSION OF OUR FAITH.
D. WE MUST MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT.
E. FIRST WE GO THEN WE MAKE DISCIPLES THEN WE BAPTIZE THEM.
F. TEACHING THEM: WHAT WE TEACH IS NOT SIMPLY FACTS ABOUT JESUS BUT OBEDIENCE TO ALL OF HIS TEACHINGS.
G. KEY: TO OBSERVE ALL THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU.
H. CHRISTIAN MATURITY INVOLVES A REPENTANT FAITH PROFESSION, A LIFE OF CHRISTLIKE LIVING AND A GROWING UNDERSTANDING OF DOCTRINE AND CORRECT BIBLICAL TRUTH.
I. BUT WE CAN’T PROFESS WHAT WE DON’T POSSESS.
J. YOU AND I MUST BE LIVING THESE THINGS OUT IN OUR DAILY LIVES SO THAT OTHERS WILL BE DRAWN TO JESUS CHRIST.
K. IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO WIN PEOPLE TO THE SAVIOUR, WE MUST ALSO TEACH THEM THE WORD OF GOD. THIS IS A COMMAND OF THE GREAT COMMISSION.
CONNECTION SENTENCE: AS WE GO AND DO THE TASKS THE LAST THING WE SEE IS A WHAT KEEPS US GOING:
III. THE PROMISE. VERSE 20.
A. I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS
B. TO THE END OF THE AGE.
C. ALWAYS MEANS EXACTLY THAT, NOT JUST SOMETIMES BUT ALL THE TIME.
D. END OF THE AGE MEANS UNTIL THE END OF TIME BUT IT EVEN GOES FURTHER THAN THAT BECAUSE FOR BELIEVERS HE IS WITH US IN ETERNITY ALSO.
F. THE ONE WHO HAS ALL AUTHORITY AND WHO IS WITH US ALWAYS HAS COMMANDED US TO EVANGELIZE AND DISCIPLE WITH HIS PRESENCE AND HIS POWER.
G. THE COMMAND IS TO MAKE DISCIPLES, BAPTIZE THEM AND TO TEACH THEM.
H. IN THIS TEXT THE COMMAND IS NOT TO GO. ANYONE CAN GET ON A PLANE OR VEHICLE AND GO BUT WHAT WE MUST UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE REAL TASK AND THE COMMAND HAPPENS AFTER WE GO.
I. SOME OF US HERE ARE UNABLE TO GO BUT YOU CAN GIVE FINANCIALLY SO THAT OTHERS CAN GO.
J. TALK ABOUT AFRICA TRIP, IT WAS 3,000 AND I DID NOT PAY ONE DIME OF IT. GOD PROVIDED.
K. YOU CAN ALSO PRAY FOR OTHERS WHEN THEY GO. HAVE YOU STARTED PRAYING FOR JACE AND THE PEOPLE HE WILL BE MINISTERING TO IN MONTANA? (EXBOUND).
CONCLUSION: YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GO FAR AWAY BUY YOU CAN SHARE THE GOSPEL IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, YOUR WORK PLACES AND YOUR SCHOOLS.
THE COMMAND IS THAT WE SHARE THE GOSPEL MESSAGE, THAT WE MAKE DISCIPLES AND WHEN WE DO THIS WE HAVE THE PROMISE OF HIS POWER AND THAT HE IS WITH US ALWAYS.
THE GREAT COMMISSION REPORT FROM 2010 OF OUR SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION TOLD US THAT THERE WERE STILL APX 6,500 UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUPS IN THE WORLD, NOT PEOPLE BUT PEOPLE GROUPS ALL ACROSS THE WORLD.
THIS MEANS THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN PRESENTED WITH THE GOSPEL OR HAVE ANY KIND OF MATERIALS IN THEIR LANGUAGE. THAT SHOULD BOTHER US AND BURDEN US.
95% OF THE WORLDS PREACHERS LIVE IN AMERICA, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION OF THE WORLD LIVES SOMEWHERE ELSE.
IN NORTH AMERICA ALONE THERE ARE APX 260 MILLION LOST PEOPLE TODAY.
HOW CAN WE SAY NO TO GO AND SAY NO TO SHARING AND MAKING DISCIPLES?
BECAUSE IT IS THE GREAT COMMISSION NOT THE GREAT OPTION.
WHAT WILL YOU DO TODAY? WILL YOU STEP FORWARD AND SURRENDER OR WILL YOU STILL TRY AND FIND AN OUT TO THE GREAT COMMISSION?
