The Great Commission

This morning we are going to look at four separate passages on what is known among believers as The Great Commission. The Great Commission is all about missions, since the word “commission” contains the word “mission” in it. Now, that word “commission” means, “charge, order, or mandate.”(1) This means that what Jesus gave us is not the great suggestion. Amen?

What we are going to discover this morning is something makes many pew-warmers uncomfortable, and that’s because Jesus actually “mandates” that we get up and get out there among the lost bringing them the life-saving knowledge of faith in Christ. The fear that many people have concerning The Great Commission has led to it becoming the great omission in many of our churches.

Three of the gospel writers – Matthew, Mark, and Luke – provide us an account of The Great Commission. We are going to discover that each of these writers provides different details; and I want to stress from the start that the presence of different details does not indicate contradictions. We need to realize that the gospel writers are individuals – separate and distinct in background and personality – and as they walked and talked with Jesus, they remembered certain details of what He did and said that left a specific impression on them. When we look at what each of the gospel writers shared, we gain a more complete account of what Jesus said.

From the three gospel writers we actually find “four” accounts of The Great Commission – the fourth being in the book of Acts, which was written by Luke – and as we examine each of the four accounts we need to be be asking ourselves the questions: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How? This will help us gain an understanding of what Jesus requires, and what we are able to accomplish through the Lord’s help. So, let’s begin by looking at Matthew 28:18-20.

Make Disciples, Baptize, and Teach (Matthew 28:18-20)

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Right here is the most commonly quoted version of The Great Commission. Who was Jesus speaking to here? He was speaking to “them,” meaning the eleven remaining disciples, as we learn back in verse 16 of this chapter. Jesus was also speaking to believers today. You see, in the New Bible Dictionary we discover that a disciple is a pupil of a teacher.(2) All of us who are saved are students of our Great Teacher, Jesus Christ; therefore, we are all, in essence, His disciples. And I believe that Jesus is telling each of us this morning that we should go.

What is Jesus telling us to go and do? Make disciples, baptize, and teach. When are we to perform these tasks? Quite possibly Jesus means now or immediately. You see, in the original New Testament Greek the word “go” is better rendered “going,”(3) or “as you are going.” The translation, “as you are going” holds the implication that we are expected to be doing these tasks of discipling, baptizing and teaching right now, each and every day. Where are we to go? To “all the nations” (v. 19), which in the Greek is the word ethne, meaning all ethnic groups, or all people groups. Why are we to do this? Because Jesus said so (v. 19).

How are we to do this task? According to verse 18, we carry out The Great Commission by the authority found in Christ. Jesus stated, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” In Luke 9:1, we read of how Jesus gave His authority to His disciples in order to carry on the work of the ministry; and we too can boldly carry on with The Great Commission by the authority of Christ in the Holy Spirit working through us. Now, let’s look at Mark’s version of The Great Commission found in Mark 16:15-18.

Preach, Baptize, and Perform Miracles (Mark 16:15-18)

15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”