1. THE TEXT. THESE FINAL TWO VERSES HAVE BECOME UNIVERSALLY KNOWN AS THE GREAT COMMISSION THAT CHRIST GAVE HIS DISCIPLES BEFORE HIS ASCENSION INTO GLORY. ACCORDING TO THE GOSPEL PENNED BY MATTHEW, THESE ARE THE FINAL INSTRUCTIONS THAT CHRIST GAVE TO THEM.
a) A COMMISSION IS AN AUTHORITATIVE CHARGE GIVEN TO OTHERS TO BE CARRIED OUT.
b) JESUS COMMANDED AND AUTHORIZED HIS DISCIPLES TO GO INTO ALL THE WORLD IN ORDER TO MAKE DISCIPLES.
c) NOTICE THAT THEY ARE NOT JUST TO SEEK TO CONVERT OTHERS BUT TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF THEM.
d) IF JESUS WAS JUST CONCERNED ABOUT CONVERSION, THAT WOULD ONLY MEAN TO SAVE THEM WITHOUT DISCIPLING THEM.
e) BUT DISCIPLES, BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, PRODUCES OTHER DISCIPLES.
f) THEY WERE TO TEACH ALL NATIONS. THE WORD TEACH IN THE TEXT MEANS TO DISCIPLE. PEOPLE MUST BE TAUGHT HOW TO BE DISCIPLES.
g) THE DISCIPLES HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TEACHING THE WORLD ABOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS, BY TEACHING THE WORLD HOW TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
h) THEIR TOOL WAS THE WORD OF GOD AND THEIR PERSONAL TESTIMONY OF HIM.
i) THEY WERE TO BAPTIZE OTHERS IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY GHOST.
j) BAPTISM IS THE SYMBOLIC RITE; A PURIFYING OF THE HEART THAT AFFIRMS A PERSONS PRIVATE AND PUBLIC DEVOTION TO GOD.
k) PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS NO SAVING POWER IN THE WATER, BUT IT IS A PUBLIC DISPLAY TO THE WORLD THAT WE ARE UNITED IN CHRIST.
l) IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER SIGNIFIES THAT A PERSON’S SOUL IS BOUND TO OBEY HIS LAWS AND COMMANDS, AND THAT THEY ARE DEVOTED TO GOD.
m) IN THE NAME OF THE SON SIGNIFIES THAT A PERSON RECEIVES JESUS AS MESSIAH, ACCEPTING HIM AS NOT JUST THE SAVIOR OF THEIR LIFE, BUT LORD!
n) IN THE NAME OF THE HOLY GHOST IS TO RECEIVE HIM AS THE COMFORTER, SANCTIFIER, AND GUIDE OF OUR SOULS.
o) SO TO BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE TRIUNE GOD IS INDICATIVE OF BEING UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF GOD!
p) THE DISCIPLES WERE TO EXCLAIM AND PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS. WHAT HE TAUGHT THEM, THEY WERE TO TEACH OTHERS!
q) JESUS ASSURED THEM OF HIS ETERNAL PRESENCE WITH THEM AS THEY CARRIED OUT HIS COMMISSION, AND THAT HE WOULD BE WITH THEM UNTIL THEM UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD. HE CONCLUDES BY SAYING AMEN, WHICH MEANS LET IT BE SO.
r) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THESE ARE THE MARCHING ORDERS OF THE CHURCH.
2. EVERY BELIEVER HAS BEEN DULY APPOINTED, ANOINTED, AND COMMISSIONED TO CARRYOUT THE MANDATE OF CHRIST!
a) WE MUST BE BUSY ABOUT HIS BUSINESS!
b) THERE ARE A LOT OF PERSONS WHO PROFESS CHRIST, WHO ARE COMFORTABLE SITTING IN THE PEWS, BUT NOT GOING INTO THE WORLD.
c) AS YOUR PASTOR, YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THAT BEING A CHRISTIAN MEANS MORE THAN JUST COMING TO CHURCH.
d) BEING A CHRISTIAN MEANS THAT WE ARE MOBILE.
e) JESUS INSTRUCTED THEM TO GO. THE GREAT COMMISSION IS A GO MISSION!
f) AND AS YOUR PASTOR, I AM COMMITTED TO EQUIPPING YOU FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY AND TO MOVE YOU FROM SPECTATOR TO PARTICIPATOR AS OUTLINED IN EPHESIANS 4:12.
g) NO CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE SATISFIED WITH BEING JUST A SIDELINE SAINT, BUT SEEKING TO FULFILL JESUS’ EXPECTATIONS.
3. WE MUST BE COMMITTED TO CHRIST. TO BE COMMITTED TO CHRIST MEANS TO BE DEDICATED TO HIM, DEMONSTRATING OUR LOYALTY TO HIM BY CARRYING OUT WHAT HE HAS CHARGED US TO DO!
a) WE MUST BE WILLING TO SURRENDER OUR WILL TO HIS WILL.
b) COMMITMENT TO CHRIST REQUIRES FOCUS AND DETERMINATION.
c) WE MUST FOCUS ON HIM AND HIS TASKS AND BE DETERMINED TO FULFILL HIS TASKS AT ALL COST.
d) OUR COMMITMENT REQUIRES US TO BE STUDENTS OF HIS WORD.
e) IF WE ARE GOING TO SHARE HIS WORD, WE MUST KNOW HIS WORD; BECAUSE YOU CANNOT SHOW WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW!
f) 2 TIM. 2:15, “STUDY TO SHEW THYSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD, A WORKMAN THAT NEEDETH NOT TO BE ASHAMED, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH.” WHILE THIS SCRIPTURE PRIMARILY IS GIVEN TO THE PREACHER, IT HAS BIBLICAL APPLICATION FOR EVERY BELIEVER.
g) WE LIVE IN A DAY AND AGE WHERE PEOPLE TRY TO MAKE THE BIBLE SAY WHAT THEY WANT IT TO SAY INSTEAD OF WHAT INTENDS IT TO SAY!
h) EVERY CHRISTIAN WHO IS COMMITTED TO CHRIST MUST MAKE PRAYER A PRIORITY. LUKE 18:1 TEACHES, “THAT MEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO PRAY, AND NOT FAINT.”
i) I CANNOT STATE MORE EMPHATICALLY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE AND THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER.
j) OUR CHURCH THEME THIS YEAR IS “COMMITTED TO CHRIST AND HIS COMMISSION.”
k) AGAIN, WE MUST MAKE HIS BUSINESS OUR BUSINESS!
l) I TOLD YOU THAT THE GREAT COMMISSION IS A GO MISSION.
m) DO YOU KNOW WHERE JESUS WAS WHEN HE…(LAZARUS, WOMEN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD, FED 5,000, RAISED THE WIDOW OF NAIN’S SON, HEALED BLIND BARTIMAEUS, HEALED THE 10 LEPERS).
n) WE BELONG OUTSIDE!
4. WHEN WE ARE COMMITTED TO HIM…
a) WORKING FOR HIM GIVES DELIGHT TO OUR SOULS.
b) WE MAKE SACRIFICES FOR HIM AND FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS.
c) WE DO NOT BASK IN THE GLORY OF WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED, BUT WE STRIVE TO DO MORE FOR HIM.
d) WE SEEK THOSE THINGS THAT ARE PLEASING IN HIS SIGHT.
e) WE GOVERN OURSELVES BY HIS PRECEPTS.
f) BLESSING OTHERS IS NEVER A BURDEN.
g) WE SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO PERFORM MINISTRY!
h) WE DO NOT SEEK GLORY FOR OURSELVES, BUT WE ENDEAVOR TO BRING MORE GLORY AND HONOR TO HIM.
i) WE WILL BE EXCITED, DELIGHTED, AND IGNITED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE KINGDOM.
j) WE WILL COMMIT TO SERVING THE CHURCH WHERE WE ARE MEMBERS OF.
k) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE SHOULD COMMIT OURSELVES TO HIM BECAUSE HE COMMITS HIMSELF TO US!
5. THREE POINTS/CONCLUSION.
a) ONE, ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT WE HAVE HIS PRESENCE. HE SAYS, “AND, LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS”. HIS NAME, EMMANUEL MEANS GOD WITH US. THANK GOD THAT HE IS ALWAYS WITH US TO HELP US AND TO GUIDE US.
b) TWO, WHENEVER WE HAVE HIS PRESENCE, WE HAVE HIS POWER. THAT’S WHY PAUL COULD SAYS IN PHILIPPIANS 4:13, “I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHICH STRENGTHENETH ME.” WHATEVER WE ENDEAVOR TO DO FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD; WE HAVE THE POWER TO ACCOMPLISH IT!
c) THREE, WHEN WE HAVE HIS PRESENCE, AND HIS POWER, WE HAVE HIS PROTECTION. ISAIAH 43:2, “WHEN THOU PASSEST THROUGH THE WATERS, I WILL BE WITH THEE; AND THROUGH THE RIVERS, THEY SHALL NOT OVERFLOW THEE: WHEN THOU WALKEST THROUGH THE FIRE, THOU SHALT NOT BE BURNED; NEITHER SHALL THE FLAME KINDLE UPON THEE.” THANK GOD FOR HIS PRESENCE, HIS POWER, AND HIS PROTECTION!
d) SO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, LET US BE ON FIRE FOR THE LORD AND COMMITTED TO CHRIST AND HIS COMMISSION, TEACHING THEM ABOUT THE…
• LOVE OF JESUS
• FORGIVENESS OF JESUS TO US
• PEACE OF JESUS IN US
• JOY OF JESUS WITH US
• GOOD NEWS ABOUT JESUS FOR US
• GRACE OF JESUS FOR US
• SALVATION OF JESUS TO US
• HOPE IN JESUS FOR US
• FAITH OF JESUS TO US
• BLESSINGS OF JESUS TO US
• RECONCILIATION OF JESUS FOR US
• ETERNAL DESTINATION FOR US
• WE MUST TELL THE LORD THAT I’LL…
• GO WHERE YOU WANT ME TO GO
• DO WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO
• SAY WHAT YOU WANT ME TO SAY
• SERVE WHERE YOU WANT ME TO SERVE
• LIFT UP THOSE WHO ARE DOWN
• BE A FRIEND TO THOSE WHO NEED A FRIEND
• I’LL LEAD THEM TO THE CROSS
• AT THE CROSS, AT THE CROSS, WHERE I FIRST SAW THE LIGHT, AND THE BURDENS OF MY HEART ROLLED AWAY; IT WAS THERE BY GRACE THAT I RECEIVED MY SIGHT, AND NOW, I’M HAPPY ALL THE DAY
• USE ME LORD TO GLORIFY YOUR NAME
• USE ME LORD, USE ME
