Dispelling the Fog About the Great Commission
1. Many people have only a foggy notion of what the great commission is all about. (Matt 28:18-20) It is essential to realize that the first words that Jesus gave the disciples and last words focused on multiplication of disciples. In Matthew 4:19-21 Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men and they left all and followed Him.” In the great commission Jesus re-emphasized the importance of multiplying reproducers by insisting that the disciples following, obeying and becoming a disciple-maker they would be best fulfilling Christ’s will for their lives.
Illustration: - Some are reaping all they can ... But it is not enough!
- Jesus believed that results are proportionate to means used.
You can use a combine on the corn.
It’s people that harvest people.
How did you come to know the Lord?
.0001% .........TV or Crusade
1-2% ............. Cold turkey evangelism
2-4% ............. Church program
3-6% ............. Sunday School
4-6% ............. "Walk-in"
6-8% ............. Minister
74% ............. Friends and relatives
Too many Christians need to look more thoroughly at the reasons why they have failed to fully comprehend and obey the great commission of our Lord Jesus. It is our duty to reach the lost, it is not an optional part of God’s will. Jesus said, “Even the Son of man has come to seek and to save those who are lost.” (Luke 19:10) We need to be more like Jesus and do more to search out the lost and to do everything we can to bring as many as possible to a saving faith in our Lord Jesus before it is too late.
2. The following are just are few of the reasons why many believers in Christ are going to be poorly prepared for the judgment day when what they have done on earth will be tested by fire and only the gold, silver and precious stones will survive. (I Cor. 3:12-15) These people will not be able to hear Jesus said to them, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things: now I will put you in charge of many things.” (Matt. 25:23, 24)
1. Many people do not see God as a missionary Lord. God told Abraham, “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse, and ALL PEOPLES on earth will be blessed through you.” (Gen. 12:1-3)
2. Many people do not see Jesus as a missionary Lord. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15,16)
3. Many people do not recognize the Holy Spirit as a missionary Lord. Jesus said, “When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will be my witnesses, in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and unto the utter most parts of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
4. Most Christians do not follow Christ’s kingdom expansion priority thinking, believing or behaving. The Lord Jesus made it clear that He wants us to make a top priority over allowing Him to reign and rule in our hearts and in the hearts of everyone on the earth when He said, “O you of little faith, do not worry saying, “What shall we eat and what shall we drink or what shall we wear.
For the pagans run after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt. 6:31-33)
5. Most Christians are only investing a small amount into their eternal bank accounts. Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also ” (Matt 6:19-21)
Most churches give less than 2% of their giving to missions. Less than one-third of one percent of world wide Christian giving goes toward the reaching of the 2.7 billion people on the planet who are yet to hear a clear presentation of the gospel. If we sow little in the areas where that are ripest for the harvest it stands to reason that there will be little eternal fruit or reward that we can look forward to.
6. Many Christians resemble the one talent person instead of the ten-talent servant. The servant came back to the Master and said, “Sir, here is your talent, I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man, You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow. His master replied, “I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant!
You knew, did you, that I am hard man, taking out what I did not put in and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest? Then he said to those standing by, “Take his talent away from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. Sire, they said, he already has ten. He replied, I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.” (Luke 19:22-26)
7. Many Christians are well meaning but not informed about what are the priority purposes of God’s will. Jesus said to Peter, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (Matt 16:18) The best way to evangelize the world is to be involved with the planting and growing of churches around the world. Peter Wagner has said, “There is no better way to win the world for Christ than for the planting and growing of churches among all the people groups on the planet.
Too many believers are myopic thinking that if they are just faithful to their little tasks that the Lord will be pleased with them. We need the macroscopic as well as the microscopic obedience to the will of God in order to please the Lord in all respects and bear fruit in every good work while increasing in the knowledge of God. It is the sin of omission that many people are guilty of because they have failed to take into account the whole will of God. Jesus said, “God so loved the world…” (John 3:16)
Many Americans do not realize that the USA only represents 4% of the world’s population. Most Christians know very little about the facts in Operation World, the prayer guide written by Patrick Johnstone that gives specifics statistics about the condition of all 228 countries in the world and their spiritual needs. Presently there are less than 10% of the 6.3 billion people of the world’s population who are born again Christians.
8. Many people say they are not ready to obey God quite yet. They look around and insist that they are many others who have not been involved in missions and so they exclaim why should I have to do it when many other believers have not done it either. There are millions of people who have not obeyed God and that’s okay!
Paul wrote to the Corinthians about this same problem tendency to compare and excuse themselves by the actions of other people. “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” (2 Cor. 10:12)
Avoid the tendency to compare yourself with other people or use them as an excuse for failing to obey the priority purposes of God’s will. Jesus once faced this problem with Peter who had just been challenged to truly agape (love) Him with his whole heart. But Peter saw John coming down the beach and said, “Lord, what about him? Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” (John 21:21,22)
Do not worry about what others are doing. Remember you are the only one who will give account for what you have done with the will of God based upon the Lord’s revealed will.
9. Some people do not know the will of God enough to fully obey the full counsel of God neither do they know how to obey. Consider the Ethiopian Eunuch. When Phillip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading, he replied, “How can I unless someone explains it to me? So he invited Phillip to come up and sit and explain things to him.” (Acts 8:30-34)
Perhaps, you need a Phillip to personally explain to you the full will of God for your life. Seek these kinds of godly counselors out before it is too late. Some people are struggling and suffering because of incompetence. They are too prideful to admit that they need help. Some people lack the kind of knowledge about missions to help them invest in the areas that will most effectively help fulfill Matthew 24:14 where Jesus said, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come.” If we do not know the full will of God we are not aware of the consequences of the sins of omission. Ignorance of the law is no excuse as we are often told in traffic school. It is also true of God’s will found in the scripture. You have not understanding because you ask not. (James 4:1-4)
10. Some people do not see the importance of fulfilling the great commission. They think it is no more important than any other commandment. Some of the people who hear the word of God are like the ones who hear the word and then they turn away because they do not see the relevance of it to their own lives and interests. Jesus told about such people in the parable of the sower and the seed. Jesus began by explaining from the parable four different levels of listeners in Mark 4:1-22:
A. The resistant, closed and shallow listener were those who on the path or the roadside who are the hardheads who are closed to new insights. They prefer to remain impenetrable to anything that is new, different or calls for change. These individuals resist listening to God or His people about the will of God for their lives. Satan soon comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
B. The open but superficial listeners are those like the seed sown on rocky soil. They hear the word and at once receive it with joy, but since they have not root they last only a short time. These people listen for what interests them but soon find something more fascinating and drift on to other pleasures.
Many people listen for facts that are being shared from the scripture but fail to grasp the crucial principles of what God is saying to their own heart. For this reason the new ideas are quickly forgotten because the thoughts are not really understood or obeyed. Whenever the truth is not given sufficient opportunities to mature in our minds through reflection, correlation and application, the truth is quickly neglected.
C. The open but distracted listeners are represented by the seed that is sown about the thorns where people hear the word, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. These people are open to truth, but allow themselves to get distracted so that their minds are so cluttered that they cannot focus on the obeying the priorities of God’s will for their lives. Consequently, the word is not allowed to bring maturity and fruit in their lives and ministries. This is symptomatic of many Christians and even people in the ministry.
D. The responsive and obedient listeners are represented by the ones who like the seed sown on good soil, hears the word, accepts it and produces a crop – thirty, sixty and a hundred times what was sown.” These people listen, understand and obediently apply the scriptures to their lives by faith, perseverance and wisdom. They continually remain open to new insights. They search for new insights into ways to more fully complete the great commission in their Jerusalem, Judeas, Samarias and unto the utter most parts of the earth. They feed on the scriptures consistently for their spiritual and mental nourishment, growth and vitality. They are not just content to feed, but they seek out ways to multiply the seed of the word of God in fields that are ripe for harvesting around the world. They enlist, train and support people who can best sow the seed in fields where they may not be able to venture into.
11. Many people do not see the urgency of fulfilling the great commission. Many of us need to take a tip from the commission given to Paul. Yes, many Christians agree that the great commission is an important command but they do not see it as something they would classify as urgent. Urgency means that there is a deep need for action, an insistence, an importunity, a pressure to get something done of necessity.
Ananias said to Paul in Acts 22:14-18 “The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear the words from His mouth. You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name. Actually, Ananias used the word from the Greek, mello which means relax, comfortable, and complacent. Ananias is essentially saying to Paul, “Don’t be mellow about this command. Get on with it. Paul obviously took the commission from the Lord very seriously, we should too.
The following notes are from Tobin Perry and John Walker from pastors.com and they soley deserve the credit:
We believe stepping out on mission is as easy as ABC. So here’s a checklist to guide you as you move from your living room into a worldwide focus on the Great Commission.
Attitude: You’ll face all kinds of obstacles as you work to fulfill the Great Commission. Keeping a good attitude can be the difference between a good missions experience and a bad one.
Bible: The Bible is your essential handbook for missions. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible not only explains why we should be on mission but you’ll also find - particularly in the New Testament – examples of time-tested techniques for telling the world about Jesus.
Commitment: There’s nothing easy about obeying the Great Commission. It carries considerable cost – perhaps even your very life. When you’re on mission, you’re commitment to Christ will be tested.
Dependence: From the day God tells you to follow Him on mission, you’ll be forced to depend on Him for every step of the way.
Enthusiasm: Enthusiasm is contagious even on mission. As an ambassador of Christ, your enthusiasm for your Savior will go a long way toward showing people why they need a relationship with Him.
Flashlight: A good missionary follows the Boy Scout motto: “Be prepared.” When you’re on mission telling people about the Light of the World, bring a portable light source to help you navigate in dark places.
Good Health: While on mission, you might find yourself in a very strenuous physical environment. Make sure you understand all of the physical requirements for a trip before you go, and then talk with your doctor about what you need to do in order to be physically prepared for the trip.
Humor: When you’re on mission with God, expect anything and everything. As a good missionary remember to take God seriously while not taking yourself too seriously.
Intentional: Mission trips aren’t vacations. As a Kingdom messenger, you mustn’t forget your purpose! Be intentional about sharing the Gospel.
Jesus: What Would Jesus Do has become a cliché, yet that’s exactly what you need to be thinking as you share God’s love with hurting people in your community or around the world. You may be the only “Jesus” some people will ever see.
Kum-by-yah: You will find that some of the most memorable moments in your life will be the community – or should we say kommunity – that you develop while on mission, particularly among those on mission with you. But a word of warning – if you suggest singing Kum-by-yah fifty times in a row, you might find yourself walking back home. Ha!
Languages: When you talk about Jesus, it always helps if you can speak in the native – or heart - language of the people you want to reach. However, when that is not possible, keep in mind that LOVE is a universal language.
Map: Whether you’re traveling across an ocean or just across town, it helps to know where you’re going. Take the time to find a good map.
Nations: God’s concern for the nations goes all the way back to Genesis (Gen. 12:3). If God cares about the nations, so should you. Don’t limit your missions involvement to people who look like you and talk like you. Step out of your comfort zone and into a whole new culture – which might be just down the street!
On Your Knees: Nothing is more essential to being on mission than prayer. Spend a significant amount of time praying for the person or people with whom you’ll be sharing Christ. You’ll be amazed at how God answers those prayers!
Passport: Being on mission means you should be prepared to go anywhere. If God sends you overseas, you’ll definitely need a passport. But have no fear! If you’re a U.S. citizen, these important documents are a piece-of-cake to get.
Quality Time With The Lord: Spend quality time with God before you join Him on mission. Let Him tell you how you can be a part of His work and then join Him where He is working.
Real: As you share your faith in Christ, be real and authentic. Non-believers can tell when you’re being insincere or phony, and you’ll just end up losing credibility in their eyes.
Servant’s Heart: As you go on mission, be willing to do anything that God asks. Whether you’re leading someone to Christ, making breakfast for the homeless or cleaning toilets, you can be confident that you’re making a Kingdom difference! The prophet Jeremiah even says it’s among the mundane matters of life that you will often encounter God (Jeremiah 29).
Toilet paper: We know from first hand experience that every bathroom in the world does not necessarily come complete with … well … necessities. Be sure you have a pack of toilet paper stashed someplace that you can easily access.
Underwear: If you plan on going on mission overnight, bring clean underwear … as well as other toiletry items you might need. Being stinky – perhaps we could have called this underarm Ha! - isn’t the best attribute for a messenger of the Good News.
Vision: In order to be an On Mission Christian, you’ll need to embrace God’s vision for the world. Once you see missions through God’s eyes, you’ll never sit on the sidelines again. You’ll want to get in the game! Ask God to help you see the world through His eyes.
Willingness: For some crazy reason God chooses to use us to complete His worldwide mission. Your willingness to surrender to Him is an essential part of being on mission.
X-Treme: Going on mission with God means living life to the X-treme. And guess what? You were made for this X-treme. From the moment you were conceived, God planned for you to share His message throughout the globe. What a promise!
Yes!: Being on mission starts by saying “yes” to God’s global plan. Saying “yes” to God means saying “no” to a selfish status quo.
Zealousness: Your passion for Christ will make a monumental difference in how effective you are in sharing your faith. Ask God to make you zealous for Jesus and zealous for telling other about the Lord.
-Pastors.com-
