Sermon
delivered on September 27th, 2015
By: Pastor Greg Hocson
Matthew 28
records the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and how His
disciples really saw Him. There were multiple appearances of Christ, but
Matthew, passes over other appearances of Christ, recorded by Luke and John,
and moved quickly to the last words of Jesus Christ before He ascends into Heaven.
Matthew 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee,
into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 28:17
And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18:
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power
is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 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.
In
the Disney movie "Adventure of Alice
in Wonderland", Alice one day
came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. She asked the cat, Which road do I
take? To which the cat
responded, That depends, where
do you want to go? Alice answered, I don't really know
where I am going. Then said the cat, If you don't know
where you are going then it doesn't really matter which road you take.
Sadly,
there are many people, like Alice, who have no clue where they are going. When
we live that way, life is reduced to mere existence.
It
is absolutely essential to know who we are and why we are here or we will fail
in our mission in life. We must know the point and purpose of our existence as
a Church. But we live in a busy society and this is one of the traps of the our
modern society and if we are not careful, we become so busy that our lives
becomes shallow and so unfocused as to who we are and why we are here. In the busyness of life, it is easy to forget what we are about.
The
text we read this morning is called the Great Commission. There are four other
places in the Scriptures where the Great Commission appears, namely, in the
Gospel according to Mark, Luke, John and in the book of Acts.
In
the Great Commission we are told who we are and why we are here as a church. We
have been commissioned. We have a mission to carry out. Our Lord tells us
what our mission is, in this world as Christians and as church family.
I - We are commissioned with great
authority
But
by whose authority do we carry out the Great Commission? What right do we have
to disrupt others lives? What makes our beliefs more important and unstoppable?
Who are we to go into all the world and tell men and women how to live their
lives.
18: And Jesus came and spake unto
them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Our
Lord begins with a statement about His power and authority. This power and
authority was given to Him by the Father. He deserves it. He earned it when He
went to the Cross and voluntarily gave Himself up to save sinners from their
sins. This is one of the rewards of His suffering.
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus: 6: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be
equal with God: 7: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the
form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8: And being found in
fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross. 9: Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given
him a name which is above every name: 10: That at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the
earth; 11: And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to
the glory of God the Father.
Since
Jesus has all the power and authority when He speaks we listen and obey. And on
the basis of His power and authority He now gives us the Great Commission. Jesus
gave us the authority and ability to us. Like Jesus we can now carry out the
Great Commission.
II - We are commissioned with great
assignment
1. What makes our assignment great?
a.
The extent is great
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.
The
last time I checked, the current world population is
7,369,923,973
and counting. How could we possibly reach 7 billion plus people?
b.
The opposition is great
The
world, the devil and the lost will oppose. If you think it is easy to convert a
sinner to Christ you most likely have not attempted to witness to an
unbeliever. But once you take this Great Commission seriously and attempt to
witness, you will soon see the radical depravity and the blindness of men.
c.
The task is great
The
work is overwhelming. It is difficult. It seems impossible.
2. What is the main task in the Great Commission?
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.
The
main action in this Great Commission is not "go." The "go"
in this statement is not even a command. The word "go" (poreuomai) means "having gone."
Therefore
having gone, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
The
Lord assumes that His disciples will be going about, and while they are going
about their daily lives and activities, they are to carry out the Great
Commission.
As
you go, wherever you go, teach all nations. Our daily business takes us to many
different places and most of those places have people. There is where the
"go" command is fulfilled.
So
the main instruction in the Great Commission is "teach all nations"
which means "make disciples." This is the command of the Great
Commission.
3. What is a disciple?
A
disciple is someone who studies and adheres to the teaching of another.
If
I say I am a disciple of Confucius, it means that I study the teaching of
Confucius and conform my life according to his teaching. I am not just a
student, because you can be a student without being a disciple. What I am
saying is that, I not only study the teaching of Confucius and I am also
committed to follow and adhere to his teaching.
A
disciple not only learns, but becomes attached to one's teacher and to
become his follower in doctrine and conduct of life.
And
this what our Lord said to His disciples, their task is that of making
disciples - a committed follower of His teaching and life.
The
assignment is not just to gather people who will come to church every Sunday to
hear and study about Jesus. The task is not just solicit decision or
professions. The goal is to make disciples - teaching them that they become
committed follower of Christ in doctrine and conduct and life. That is really
intense. But that is the
kind of follower Jesus told His disciples to make.
4. How do we make disciples?
What
does "making disciples" look like?
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.
Our
Lord is saying, as you are going and making disciples, baptize them and teach
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.
a.
Baptizing them
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:
The
first step of making a disciple is to baptize them. Please don't
misunderstand me, "the goal is
not to convert them to become Baptist." No, that is not the
goal. The goal is not just to see people become Baptist, because, sad to say,
there are many Baptists and Baptist churches who are not committed followers of
Jesus Christ. Rather, the goal is to see
men and women become committed unashamed clearly identified followers of Jesus
Christ.
But
having said what I said, the way to make disciple is to baptize them. Who are
"them"? The word "them" refers to those who have been made
alive to God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work.
Baptism
is the public profession of faith in Christ. It is the "first" act of
obedience. Baptism marks you
out as an unashamed committed follower of Jesus Christ. Baptism is the
mark of becoming a disciple.
Baptism
does not only allow you and I, to make a public stand for Christ but calls us
to make a public stand with the people of Christ. Those who are baptized publicly
display their submission to Christ, a willingness to do God's
will and identification with God's people in their
localities.
A
public declaration of faith and devotion to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is
a pretty good sign that someone has become a disciple.
b.
Teaching them
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.
Our
part in the Great Commission is not just about getting people to say a prayer,
sign a decision card, or take a dip in the baptismal. It is also about "teaching them to
observe all that Jesus commanded."
Baptism
is a one-time event. Teaching takes a lifetime.
Be
careful not to reduce the "making disciples" into a five-week
discipleship program. No, "making disciple" is a lifetime task. Baptism is just the
beginning.
It
is not enough to mark them out or to identify them, they must be taught to
observe all that Jesus Christ commands us to do. Commands about marriage,
family, parenting, relationships,
money, ministry, time, talents, treasure, priority, thought life, Bible,
prayer, church, worship, evangelism,
service, use of our tongues, work, forgiveness, loving neighbor, etc.
Our
Lord did not say teaching them to know and to study whatsoever I have
commanded you, He said, "teaching them to observe whatsoever I have
commanded you."
It
is not enough to teach them and give them information. We are to teach them to
obey His commands.
Again,
how are disciples made?
Disciples
are made not by putting a knife
on their throat or gun on their heads. It is not by swords or bomb threats or
guillotine, not by deception or manipulation but by ...
Acts 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3: Opening
and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from
the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
Reasoning
with them from the Scriptures, opening and alleging, that, explaining and proving, that
this Christ is worthy of their trust, love and devotion. It is by faithful
preaching of the gospel of Christ and setting forth of the beauty and worth of
Jesus Christ, that they would see Him as He is and so that they cannot help
it but be drawn to Him and trust Him and love Him and serve Him and obey
whatever He has commanded.
What's
my goal and prayer as I shepherd you and teach you as your Pastor? What is your
goal as you go about your daily lives?
That
God, by His grace, will use you and me to give them a sight of their own sin
and the glory of Christ and that their heart will be captured by Him and that
they can do nothing else but follow Him and serve Him.
Who
is sufficient for these things?
The
task is overwhelming - we are sent out into the world to call out people to
believe and to become a committed follower of Christ.
Do
you realize how difficult that task is?
To
tell atheists, evolutionists, intellectuals, agnostics, skeptics, immoral,
irreligious, cults, philosophers, people who are hostile to the Bible, God and
Christianity to turn from their ways and to turn to God in Christ Jesus.
To
tell men and women to repent and believe the Gospel. To tell men and women who
love their sin to renounce their sinful way of life and put their faith and
trust in Jesus Christ whom they hate. To tell men and women who do not even
believe in God to submit to the Son of God. To tell men and women who rejects
and mocks the Bible to submit to it. To tell your high school teachers or
college professors who do not believe in absolute truth, that Jesus is the way,
the truth and the life and no man cometh to the Father but by Him. To tell men
that there is an absolute truth and it is found in Jesus Christ.
What
is our hope that they will listen to us? What is our hope that we will have
success? What is our hope that we will stick to this task and not be
discouraged and not be distracted? This is not an easy job. This is not for
faint-hearted.
This
is a great assignment! This is a great task! And such a great assignment
demands a great authority. But not only that, it demands a great assurance,
which leads me to my last point.
III - We are commissioned with great
assurance
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.
He
concluded it with an assurance, with a promise of His abiding presence.
Such
a challenging command demands a great promise and assurance, and so it has.
Jesus promised ...
I
am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
Amen.
Remember,
as you go, He will be with you all the days of your life. You are not alone!
The One who has all power and authority will be with us as we carry out the
Great Commission.
Let
God be praised for always being there with us, every moment of every day.
Closing Thoughts
So
what are going to do with this truth that we heard this morning?
Are
you a disciple? Have you first of all, obeyed His call to salvation? Have you
believed and trusted Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour
and Lord? Have you been biblically baptized? I am not asking you if you are a baptist. My question is, have you unashamedly confessed Him
through the water of baptism? Are you honestly seeking to observe all that He has clearly
commanded in His word?
If
so, are you making disciples? Where are your disciples?
May
God write these truths in our hearts and grant us grace to become a committed
follower of the Lord Jesus Christ!
AMEN!