A Commission Worth Repeating

Workshop Sermon

Intro:

It was July of 1961, and the 38 members of the Green Bay Packers football team were gathered for the first day of training camp. The previous season had ended with a heartbreaking defeat when the Packers squandered a lead late in the 4th quarter and lost the NFL Championship to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Green Bay players had been thinking about this brutal loss for the entire off-season and now, finally, training camp had arrived, and it was time to get to work. The players were eager to advance their game to the next level and start working on the details that would help them win a championship. Their coach, Vince Lombardi, had a different idea. Author David Maraniss wrote, “When Lombardi walked into training camp in the summer of 1961. He took nothing for granted. He began a tradition of starting from scratch, assuming that the players were blank slates who carried over no knowledge from the year before… He began with the most elemental statement of all. A statement that many of you have probably heard multiple times, as he held a football in his right hand he said, “Gentlemen,” (those of you who know this quote, finish it with me, “Gentlemen… “This is a football.”

Even though he was coaching a group of three dozen professional athletes who, just months prior, had come within minutes of winning the biggest prize their sport could offer, he started from the very beginning. Lombardi's methodical coverage of the fundamentals continued throughout training camp. Each player reviewed how to block and tackle. They opened the playbook and started from page one.

That is what we will be doing today. We want to celebrate all your past participation and victories in the area of missions. But we must get back to the basics, starting with questions like, “What is missions?”

So, let’s begin with some answers and then let’s open our Playbook, to see what our head coach, Jesus Christ, commands us to do and how he intends for us to do it.

Enduring Understanding: Christ’s repeated issuing of the Great Commission indicates that every Christian from the resurrection to the rapture has been entrusted with the sacred task of intentionally making reproducing disciples. A task that begins at home and ripples out to every place on the planet.

As we look at the Great Commission today, I know what some of you are thinking, because I would be tempted to think it too. “Here we go again, another missionary delivering another sermon on the Great Commission? What can we possibly hear about the Great Commission that we haven’t already heard?”

I think there might be quite a lot, because often we only look at the Great Commission from one passage of scripture at a time rather than examining all five passages side-by-side. So, please don’t tune out because today, I hope to help those among us who are new to the faith as well as those who have been involved in missions for a long time to see the marvelous plan of God for reaching the world through His Church.

To accomplish this goal, we will go through all five passages where the Lord utters the Great Commission to His disciples, and we will go through them in Chronological order. Then we will compare and contrast all five passages so that we can get a 360-degree view of what this commission is and how we should go about carrying it out. Without each of these passages, there may be something lacking in our understanding of what Jesus wants to do through His Church.

1. The Chronological Development of The Great Commission

Let’s begin by laying out the chronology of the Great Commission Passages.

See Chart

Jesus issued the Great Commission on 5 specific occasions and all of them happened within the 40-day period between his resurrection and his ascension into heaven. (Matthew and Mark’s account happen to the same event)

A. John 20:19-21

a. Time: Day 1: Resurrection Sunday

b. Location: Jerusalem

c. Recipients: 10 Assembled Disciples hiding in fear of the Jews (Thomas is Not with the others – vs. 24)

B. Matthew 28:16-20 (Most Prominent among the Great Commission Passages)

a. Time: Not exactly sure, but somewhere between Day 20-32

b. Location: Mountain in Galilee (AKA Galilee of the Gentiles)

c. Recipients: 11 Disciples (possibly 500 witnesses referred to in 1 Cor. 15:6, although it is possible that it could have been in Bethany as recorded in Acts 1:8 instead of here).

d. Why do some believe this is the occasion when Christ appeared to the 500?

i. Because the Great Commission applies to all of His Church, Jesus would surely have wanted to deliver it to the largest possible group of his faithful followers.

ii. Where would he find so many followers? In the area where he spent the most time. Not only were most of Jesus’ followers from Galilee, but this region was so secluded that it was a safe distance from Jerusalem, where most of Jesus’ enemies were.

iii. Because Galilee was commonly referred to as Galilee of the Gentiles. Since the commission extends to ALL the WORLD, this would be a fitting location to share it with the largest and most diverse crowd.

C. Mark 16:15-16

a. Time: Same event as Matthew

b. Location: Galilee

c. Recipients: 11 Disciples

D. Luke 24:44-49

a. Time: Day 40: Ascension Day

b. Location: Jerusalem

c. Recipients: 11 disciples

E. Acts 1:8

a. Time: Day 40: Ascension Day

b. Location: Bethany (small village 2 miles E of Jerusalem, near Mt of Olives

c. Recipients: 11 disciples (possibly 500 witnesses referred to in 1 Cor. 15:6)

Now, with the timeline of these passages laid out, let’s read all 5 passages that we will be examining:

But before we begin, I need to address a potential danger that we want to avoid. Our temptation in studying the Great Commission is to take these passages out of their context and treat them as excerpts from an Academic Textbook, but we must avoid that temptation. We must remember that all five of these passages are contained within a narrative style of writing. The Gospels offer us the historical account of Christ’s life and the book of Acts provides us with the historical account of how the Church was born and how it spread throughout the first century.

Therefore, it is important that we remember the relational context of how this message was delivered. Let’s make sure we realize that these events really took place in real relationships between Jesus Christ, who is God made flesh, and his flawed and finite followers known to us as his disciples and apostles.

2. The Practical Development of the Great Commission

a. John 20:19-21 (Model of Missions) This is the most basic version of the Great Commission.

Remember the emotional roller coaster they have been on in the last week. First, they accompanied Jesus in the Triumphal Entry where he was given a hero’s welcome. Then they were with Jesus as the tension heightened. This led them to witnessing the traumatic, violent death of their Master. Three days later they are in a state of panic at the news that Jesus’ body was missing. Now they stand stunned by shock as Jesus appears inside the room where they are hiding behind locked doors.

In this dizzying flurry of activity, they are not ready for too many details. They are already experiencing sensory overload. So, Jesus keeps it simple.

Be at Peace despite the political and cultural uproar in the City.

He says this twice (v. 19 & 21)

Then he gives them a command that must have been overwhelming to their already frightened hearts and minds.

I am sending you back out there….amongst that crowd….to carry on my mission.

Just as the Father has sent me, even so, I am sending you! Jesus was sent by the Father and is now passing the baton of the Great Commission to his disciples to follow in his footsteps.

And they do emerge from their hiding place.

The next recorded appearance of Jesus was 8 days after the resurrection when Thomas sees the resurrected Lord for the first time in John 20: 26.

The journey from Jerusalem to Galilee would have taken about 1 week, and after they arrived there some of the disciples decided to return to their old livelihood as commercial fishermen. Of course, that is when the Lord appeared to them again, repeating the miracle of providing a catch of fish that was too heavy to haul into the boat, just as he had done years earlier when he called them to follow him.

You see, as they processed this transition of Christ’s resurrection and the delegating of his mission to them, they needed a refresher on some of the basic lessons about his deity, sovereignty, and Lordship that they had been learning for the past several years.

Now, in Matthew 28, we find ourselves 20-30 days after the resurrection and the first giving of the Great Commission.

b. Matthew 28:16-20 (Mission of Missions) The reason that this is the most commonly referenced passage where the Great Commission is issued is because it is so clear. From the general nature of John 20 Jesus now gives more specifics.

He begins by reminding them of Who He Is and What that means for them. He is God, the Son…the One who has been given ALL AUTHORITY in heaven & on earth.

This is not meant to intimidate them, but to comfort them.

Again, let’s put ourselves into the story. They have obeyed the Lord by going to the mountain that Jesus had directed them to go to at some previous time. Now they worship him. So, they have all obeyed and all worshipped and yet some doubted.

What was it that they were doubting?

Perhaps some still doubted whether or not this was really the resurrected Christ.

But based on this context, I think it is more likely that they were doubting themselves and their ability to serve the Lord as his ambassadors on the Great Commission that Jesus spoke in John 20. And why wouldn’t they doubt their own courage and ability. They had all fled and forsaken Jesus when he was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. Peter had even directly denied knowing Him 3 times.

So, Jesus reassures them that He has been given all authority in heaven and earth and he is now issuing an authoritative command.

Go therefore.

In light of Christ’s authority, we are to go. We have been intentionally sent.  Part of our responsibility as a local church is to intentionally send.

Make disciples

This starts with evangelism

Once they are believers you are to baptize them so that there is a public identification of a new relationship with the Lord. These baptisms were done in public and when you were baptized everyone, including enemies of the Lord who would intentionally target these disciples for persecution, would know.

Next, disciple them to maturity – teach them to observe all things that Christ commanded. This is why missionaries are still needed in areas where the gospel has been proclaimed. (Example of our ministry in Ukraine) The Great Commission does not stop with evangelism. Missionaries are not just spiritual midwives to usher in a newborn Christian. None of us should stop there. We must all be committed to both evangelism & discipleship.

Now, this passage answers another question. Who should we reach to with this Great Commission? All nations– not just people of our ethnicity, our language, our skin tone, our nationality. All nations – all ethnic groups!

Finally, Jesus circles back around to where he started and reminds them, that He, the one with all authority in heaven and earth, will be with his followers until the end of the age. He did not abandon them, and he will never abandon us! There is no need to doubt!

c. Mark 16:15-16 (Mission of Missions) Mark records for us the same event as Matthew, but he words it in a slightly different way. This is to be expected. After all, Matthew was there to hear each time that Christ uttered the Great Commission, but Mark was not. It is believed that he was the disciple and scribe of the Apostle Peter. So, he is recording events from a second-hand perspective.

What does Mark’s perspective offer, that complements what Matthew has already reported?

They both emphasize the need to be intentional in our action – GO! However, they use different forms of the verb “go.”

Matthew – “As you are going”

Mark “Go” – Command to leave one place and go to another

They both focus on making disciples, but Mark further clarifies a method for doing so. He says, “proclaim.” We must speak the truth of the gospel. Our lives must match our message, but our lives without our words are not enough. Faith comes by hearing the word of God.

They both focus on the universal scope of the audience

Matthew says – all nations

Mark says – the whole creation.

So, in our evaluation of these 3 passages of scripture, we have seen 2 of the 4 occurrences where Jesus issued the Great Commission to his disciples. As we continue to compare and contrast them, we now make our way to….

d. Luke 24:44-49 (Message of Missions) We are now 40 days after the resurrection. The disciples have returned to Jerusalem as Christ instructed them to do.

This is the day of the ascension, but the disciples do not know that Christ has this amazing spectacle in store for them.

Luke now records important details that show just why this Commission is worth repeating. Each time Jesus issues the Great Commission he adds more clarity and precision to the command.

In John’s account Jesus said – Just as the Father sent me, so I am sending you. This is the model of missions.

In Matthew’s account Jesus’ focus was on making disciples – this is the mission of Missions. (What we are to do)

In Mark’s account Jesus’ focus was on the action of proclaiming – this is the mission (and a little bit of method) of missions.

Now, in Luke’s account the focus is on the Gospel – this is the message of missions that we are to proclaim

V. 47 we are told that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed

To all nations (Matthew, Mark, now Luke)

Beginning from Jerusalem (Christ intended that the work start from where the disciples were currently at).

V. 48 You are witnesses of these things

A witness proclaims what they saw…. or what they experienced.

He concludes in v. 49 with the promise that they would be clothed with power from on High.

Now, Luke provides us with important detail as we make our way to the final passage and final issuance of the Great Commission.

In verse 50 Luke says, “And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.” Luke records the ascension of Christ at the end of his Gospel narrative, but Luke also authored the book of Acts where he shares even more of what Christ said in Bethany right before his ascension.

e. Acts 1:8-9 (Method of Missions) — You will receive Power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.

In Matthew, Jesus said he would be with them unto the end of the age.

In Luke, he promises them power from on high.

You will be my witnesses (to testify what you have seen and/or experienced) (Who we are to be)

Now, Christ adds the final element that we need to faithfully carry out the Great Commission – He gives us a strategic pattern for how it should ripple out to all the world. The Lord told us what to do and how to do it. (Method of Missions)

Be my witnesses – just tell others what you know and what I have done for you.

Start in your Jerusalem (your hometown) - _________________

Next, spread out to your Judea (your state) - ________________

Then, reach out to your Samaria (a neighboring state with a different culture) – __________________

Finally, be witnesses to the very end of the earth – now for my family, that meant moving to Africa and Ukraine, but God does not send everyone out of their hometown to serve in a foreign culture or country.

Not every follower of Christ in Jerusalem went to Antioch, but the Church in Jerusalem sent and supported Barnabas.

Not every Christian in Antioch went to be a missionary in Europe and Asia, but the church in Antioch sent and supported Barnabas and Paul.

Then the churches that they planted eventually followed the same pattern of sending out members as missionaries. To keep spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth.

So it is today. Not every Christian is sent out to be a missionary; but we are all called to live on mission! What does that look like?

Representing Christ where we live… and sharing and living out the gospel with those in our circle of influence. (Lydia at the clothing store).

To bring them into our local church so they can grow

To disciple people in our church to live on mission as well.

God may send some of them out into cross-cultural mission work. When he does that, we…. (What does this look like for your church?) (Group Discussion)

To support them with prayer

To support them with encouragement – morale support

To support them financially

To visit them on the field to minister to them so they can minister to those in a culture we may not be equipped to reach

World War 2 – War Bonds, Rationing, Rosie the Riveter, soldiers on deployment – everyone did their part.

And that bring us to our final idea

3. The Mandatory Nature that Emerges from the Great Commission As we wrap up our time together this morning. perhaps you may be wondering, “Is the Great Commission really our responsibility today or was it only intended for the 11 apostles to whom Jesus physically spoke these words?” We are not the only ones asking this question…. We are not alone. Throughout church history this has been a question asked by each successive generation. In fact, it was a major question that the early reformers such as Martin Luther had to wrestle with. There was a period of time when they were so busy just trying to survive and reform the church from within that many would have answered, “No, that was fulfilled by the apostles.” However, when men like William Carey came along, they made a strong Biblical case that the Great Commission applies to all believers throughout the church age in which we find ourselves.

We must have an answer to guide our actions. So, we must go back to the Bible and ask, “What does scripture say?” We must think rightly about this because right thinking leads to right actions. It is important that we know our mission because mission makes every choice matter. If we are unclear about our mission, then we are headed for disaster. I would argue that scripture is clear that the Great Commission is Our Mission! Let’s look at Christ’s High Priestly Prayer in John 17 which he prayed prior to his arrest and crucifixion because the Great Commission builds on this very powerful prayer.

1. John 17: 14-21

a. Jesus prayed for unity amongst his followers so that the world may believe that the Father sent him.

b. As we have already seen in John 20:21, Jesus said, “As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.

c. But in case there was any doubt that this Great Commission was to be passed down from generation to generation until the Lord’s return, Jesus made his intention abundantly clear in John 17:20 when he said, “I do not ask for these only (the apostles), but also for those who will believe in me through their word.

i. That was the next generation with converts like Saul of Tarsus who became the famous Apostle Paul.

ii. That was the generation after that with men like Timothy & Titus.

2 Timothy 2:2 “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”

Then the Great Commission pattern was repeated… and the Gospel spread to the ends of the earth… until it reached us.

Conclusion:

I hope that today, we have all learned something new about our purpose on this planet.

I hope this morning has helped shape your theology of missions by getting you a firm grasp of the basics and that it compels you to invest all your energy into serving your Savior. If someone asks you the question, “Why do we call this mission the “Great Commission?” Here are at least 3 reasons:

We call it the Great Commission because of the Greatness of the one who commissioned us.

We call it the Great Commission because of the Greatness of the task that has been entrusted to us. It starts at home and ripples out to the most remote destination where mankind dwells.

We call it the Great Commission because of the Greatness of the message that we share.