"The Last Command"
Matthew 28:19-20
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Introduction: The inspiration for most of my sermons comes from things that I have heard, or read, or experienced and in this case it is what I have read about the faithfulness of the church to carry out the Great Commission that draws my interest this morning. In recent years we have learned that there are thousands of evangelical churches in America today that are in decline, and perhaps as many as 80% are either dead or dying. Thousands report no baptisms, no conversions; no measurable growth of any kind. Closer to home we have approximately 130 FWB churches that reported only 175 baptisms in 2013. I thank God for the 175 but I suspect that most of that growth came from 20% of our churches. Hardly a day goes by that I don't hear of one of our churches that is closing its doors or is in real trouble.
ILL -- I heard a story about a family who had an experience years ago, while traveling down Highway 23 in eastern Kentucky, they would pass by a beautiful brick church. It was in an ideal location.
The church was closed and the windows were broken out, there had not been services there for many years.
I pondered one day -- wonder what happened to that church? Why is it closed, and the windows broken out and the weeds all growing around?
On one trip, I pondered this aloud? My oldest son, then 9 or 10, said, I know Dad, I know why it is vacant.
I said, well OK, tell me?
He replied, LOOK THE GRAVE YARD IS FULL ALL AROUND THE CHURCH, ALL THEIR MEMBERS DIED! They never reached out to the next generation?
My heart was broken, for there was probably an element of truth to this lesson. Wade Hughes Sr.
Our denominational agencies are seeking to address this problem and our North American Missions Department and our Executive department is in the process of implementing a program of revitalization and for the first time in its history our Missions department has employed a director of church revitalization! What is the reason for this trend? I believe it has everything to do with how Christians view the Lord's last words to the church.
I've titled this message the Last Command for obvious reasons. A reading of the text tells us that Jesus had instructed the disciples to "...go before him into Galilee..." and that his words to them were just prior to his ascension which is recorded for us in:
Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven,
and that it is reasonable to believe that the 11 disciples were not the only ones assembled on this occasion judging from what Paul writes in:
1 Corinthians 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
Our Lord ascends to the right hand of the Father where he intercedes for all to come to the Father by him and where he waits for the Father's command to return to judge the world. There are several things that came to mind as I considered this passage that I hope and pray will bless you today.
First, there is:
I. The Mandate to Make Disciples
One of the things that I have noticed over the years is that there seems to be the idea that Jesus did not care anything about commandments when quite the opposite is true. Jesus commanded us to do several things. Some of the most important things he said were in regard to commandments. For instance, Jesus was asked what the "greatest commandment" was and he said that it was to love God with all our heart. We actually refer to this statement as the great commandment for that very reason. But the Lord said that we were to "love one another" and he commanded us to "love our neighbor as ourselves" and we are "love our enemies" I don't think that there is anyone in this sanctuary today that would disagree with what I have just alluded to but even though we consider these things divine directives from our Lord there is one commandment that we seem to think is optional. The command is simple and straight forward. "Go ye...." is the directive. Why then would anyone who professes to be a Christian think that this is optional? This is not a divine suggestion or preference. It is a command.
II. The Message Disseminated
The word "teach" means to make disciples of and the who of this disciple making is "...all nations..." Friend, do you want to why our churches are dying? It's because we are not "making disciples"! Someone said:
ILL - It is easy to determine when something is aflame. It ignites other material. Any fire that does not spread will eventually go out. A church without evangelism is a contradiction in terms; just as a fire that does not burn is a contradiction.
SOURCE: Christian Theology in Plain Language, p. 162.
ILL - A 1980 Gallup poll indicated that out of all evangelical, American believers, "only two percent had introduced another person to Christ."
SOURCE: J.K. Johnston, Why Christians Sin, Discovery House, 1992, p. 140.
Jesus said that we are to start at "...Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth! All nations means all nations my friend. One of the great things about attending a denominational meeting is to hear of the reports of missionary efforts around the world. Our IM team is in Korea this week teaching and training Korean missionaries. Would it interest you to know that Korean FWB are sending missionaries around the world and that they have sent one to Atlanta. The "nations" have come to America in the last 50 years and we must reach them with the Gospel! Listen my friend and hear what I'm about to say, we want a church that is a reflection of what heaven is going to be like! That means that everyone is welcome here no matter what their skin color or place of origin or language or station in life. Rich or poor, red, yellow, black and white, they all are precious in His sight!
ILL - Experts say that 3 people die every second. If this fact is true, then 180 people die every minute, 10,800 people die every hour, 259,200 people die every day, and 94,608,000 people die every year. Of the six billion people on earth today, experts also sayt that 2/3 of them have never heard the Gospel one time. If these percentages hold true, then 63, 103,536 people die every year without ever hearing the Gospel one time! Not everyone that has heard the Gospel one time accepts the Gospel. Therefore, many more people die every year without hearing the Gospel!
III. The Marking of Disciples
Now as Baptists we tend to downplay the importance of baptism because we don't want to give anyone the idea that they can be saved by being baptized. The Bible makes it plain that we are saved by grace through faith and that not of ourselves but it is also plain from a careful reading of the Bible that baptism is very important in the whole scheme of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. The truth is that when a person becomes a Christian they should be baptized for in baptism we identify ourselves with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus was baptized but not because he was a sinner. He told John that it would be to "...fulfill all righteousness..." or every ordinance. Christ as the high priest is ceremonially washed in baptism not because he was morally defiled but to fulfill all the demands of the law.
Matthew 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
ILL - Nascar driver Jeff Gordon was baptized in October 1994. He had won his 1st two Winston Cup races, which were great thrills; but following his baptism, he said "This is the happiest day of my life."
If you are a Christian you should be baptized period! Almost anyone can be baptized. I personally baptized a 91 year old woman in a physical therapy whirl pool. If she could do it so can you! If you are here this morning and you profess to be a Christian but have never been baptized then you should meet me here at the altar and make a commitment to follow the Lord in baptism.
IV. The Maturation of Disciples
"Teaching them" -- This is teaching in the more usual sense of the term; or instructing the converted and baptized disciples. Do we need to do a better job of discipling new believers? The answer is yes!
10% of church members cannot be found?
20% of church members never attend church
25% admit that they never pray
35% admit that they do not read their Bibles
40% admit that they never contribute to the church?tithe or offering
60% never give to missions
70% never assume responsibility within the church
85% never invite anyone to church
95 % have never won anyone to Christ
BUT! 100% expect to go to heaven
(The Choice, by Thomas Trask, Zondervan Pub. House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1999)
A conversion happens in an instant but discipleship takes a lifetime. What are we to teach them? The answer is "...Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you..."
That:
* The way up is down
* The way in is out
* The way first is last
* The way of success is service
* The way of attainment is relinquishment
* The way of strength is weakness
* The way of security is vulnerability
* The way of protection is forgiveness (even to 7 x 70)
* The way of life is death -- death to self, society, family
* Know your strengths. Why? Because that's the only way that you can lay them down.
* God's power is made perfect...where? In our weakness.
* Want to get the most? Go to where the least is.
* Want to be free? Give complete control to God.
* Want to become great? Become least.
* Want to find yourself? Forget yourself.
* Want honor? Honor yourself with humility
* Want to 'get even' with your enemies? Bless, love and pray for them
(Leonard Sweet, Jesus Drives Me Crazy)
V. The Master's Declaration
Finally we have the Lord's own word that those who seek to obey His command to take the gospel around the block or around the world can count on the promise of his:
Presence:
"...I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen..."
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Power:
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me...
Peace:
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Conclusion: Our obedience to the Lord's last command will make a difference.
ILL - BRINGING MY FRIENDS TO JESUS
Albert McMakin was a 24-year-old farmer who came to faith in Christ in 1934.
He was so full of enthusiasm that he filled a truck with people and took them to a meeting to hear about Jesus.
There was a good-looking farmer's son whom he was especially keen to get to a meeting, but this man was hard to persuade. He was too busy falling in and out of love with different girls. He did not seem to be attracted to Christianity. Eventually, Albert McMakin managed to persuade him to come by asking him to drive the truck.
When they arrived, Albert's guest decided to go in and was "spellbound" and began to have thoughts that he had never known before.
He went back night after night until one night he went forward and gave his life to Jesus Christ.
Since then, the young truck driver has spoken to at least 250 million people about Christ during his lifetime, and went on to become a spiritual advisor to the last nine US Presidents.
The young truck driver just celebrated his 96th and was, of course, Billy Graham.
We are not all called to be Billy Grahams but we can be Albert McMakins, bringing our friends to Jesus.
SOURCE: From "Questions of Life" by Nicky Gumbel, p.193-194.
ILL - In 1858 a Sunday School teacher, Mr. Kimball, led a Boston shoe clerk to give his life to Jesus Christ. The clerk was Dwight L. Moody who became an evangelist. In 1879 while preaching in England the heart of a pastor named F.B. Meyer was set on fire, who later came to an American college campus to preach. Under his preaching a student by the name of Wilbur Chapman was saved. He engaged in YMCA work and employed a former baseball player named Billy Sunday, to do evangelistic work. Billy Sunday held a revival in Charlotte, North Carolina. Because the revival stirred the hearts of many, some 30 business men wanted to devote a day of prayer for Charlotte. In May of 1934 a farmer lent the men some land to use for their prayer meeting. The leader of the business men, Vernon Patterson prayed, "Out of Charlotte the Lord would raise up someone to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth." The business men then called for another evangelistic meeting asking Mordecai Ham, a fiery Southern evangelist who shattered the complacency of church-going Charlotte. The farmer who lent his land for the prayer meeting was Franklin Graham and his son Billy became a Christian during the meeting.
