TEXT: Matthew 28:19-20
I. Defining the Great Commission (Three parts)
A. Winning the Lost Through the Preaching of the Cross
• 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
• Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
1. The “Preaching of the Cross” is about more than Salvation.
2. The Biblical meaning of the word “SOZO” means to Save, Heal, Make Whole, Deliver.”
a. John 3:16 – Before the Cross – Salvation
b. Acts 3:16 – After Pentecost – Healing (referencing the lame man at the “Gate Called Beautiful)
B. Water Baptism
1. Baptizing them in the “name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.” Matthew 28:19.
2. Peter declares that we should baptize in the “Name of Jesus.” Acts 2:38
3. Answer: Both! Expound – If I baptize them in the name of the Father, The Son, and the Holy Ghost, am I not baptizing them in the name of Jesus? Did we leave “the Son” out? No!
a. Further Exposition: All of the scriptural references used for the “Jesus name baptism defense” are found in the book of Acts. (Acts 4:7-10, Acts 4:17-18, Acts 5:28, Acts 5:40, Acts 8:12, Acts 9:27-28, Acts 16:18) The reason is because the Apostles were defending the power and authority of the name of Jesus. The Scribes, Pharisees, Greeks, and purveyors of the Law were still in opposition to the fact that Jesus really is the Son of God.
b. When given the choice to obey God or man we should always choose God.
Acts 5:25-29 (29)
25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
26 Then went the captain with the officers and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
c. It was Jesus (God the Son) who said to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. When we follow this formula, we are baptizing in the name of Jesus.
C. Discipleship
1. Disciples are not born, they are made!
2. Called to Koinania
a. Koinonia is a Greek word that occurs 20 times in the Bible.
Definition: fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation
b. Here are examples of how we can practice koinonia.
• Encourage one another (1 Thess. 5:11; Heb. 3:13; 10:25)
• Admonish one another (Col. 3:16; Rom. 15:14)
• Confess your sins to one another (Jas. 5:16)
• Forgive one another (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13)
• Accept one another (Rom. 14:1; 15:7)
• Serve one another (Gal. 5:13; Rom. 12:10)
• Build up one another (1 Thess. 5:11)
• Be hospitable to one another (1 Pet. 4:9)
3. Testimony, Time, Talent, Treasure
II. There are Many Moving Parts to the Great Commission.
A. The Great Commission Takes Strategy & Mobilization (Go Ye…)
John 9:1-7 (4) ESV
1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.
2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud
7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
1. There is a way to win the lost!
a. “to seek and to save that which was lost,” Luke 19:10
b. Luke 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
B. Three Musts…
1. We must work together
2. We must stay in our lane
3. We must maximize our collective giftings
III. Committed to the Great Commission
A. King David said, “Is there not a cause?”
1. Every lost person is someone’s family member.
2. Jesus addressed His “Cause” in Luke 4:18-19
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
3. The “cause of Jesus” must become the cause of His church!
B. Committed to the harvest without passing judgment (The addicted harvest, The tattooed harvest, the woke harvest)
1. Jesus was a managerial nightmare to the church hierarchy of his day. (He had the audacity to eat with publicans and sinners, why He even had conversations with non-Jews!)
2. Don’t let the carnality of the “organized church” influence your Great Commission Mission. (We are not called to impress men; we are called to obey God.)
Closing: The Urgency of the Great Commission
• Not everyone is old when they die. (Accidents, Wars, Illness, etc.)
