The Not So Great Commision

Introduction (Matthew 28:18-20)

This morning, I want us to look at a passage that is often preached, talked about, but not applied. Many of us when we hear the great commission we cringe, and even roll our eyes… Dare I say, that to most of us, this wonderful passage has lost it’s power. Instead of The Great Commission being a powerful reminder of the Kindness of Christ towards us we see it as a drag. We do not see it as Great! We see it is as optional and more of a great inconvenience to our comfortable lives.

There are many of you this morning that understand the great commission, but have misconceptions about what it is and why it matters.

Many of you this morning, think: Misconceptions

Your testimony alone is the Gospel

Only Evangelists share the Gospel

“I share the gospel with my actions”

“I am an introvert, I do not talk to people”

“I do not know enough”

“I am not good enough”

“I am afraid of being rejected”

Many of us this morning are in the opposite spectrum

Sharing the Gospel is an argument and we must win the argument

If any of those resonate with you, you are in good company. Let’s look at our passage!

I. The Reason for The Great Command (Matt 28:18-19a)

Reason 1) Jesus has all authority in heaven and on Earth

Matthew 28:18 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Do you comprehend what this means friends? This means that the authority on heaven and on Earth does not belong to you. It does not belong to Satan neither. In the american church those are the two biggest authoritative figures. The self and the Devil. Friends, the Devil does not have all authority in heaven and on earth.

The Devil Arm wrestling Jesus

As Martin Luther once said, “Even the Devil is God's devil.” Therefore, he belongs to God and he is under the authority of God.

About the self, initially speaking of the human mind John Calvin put it this way

The human mind, stuffed as it is with presumptuous rashness, dares to imagine a god suited to its own capacity; as it labours under dullness, nay, is sunk in the grossest ignorance, it substitutes vanity and an empty phantom in the place of God. To these evils another is added. The god whom man has thus conceived inwardly he attempts to embody outwardly. The mind, in this way, conceives the idol, and the hand gives it birth.

So Friends, The Great Self and the Devil do NOT have all authority, Christ does.

Reason 2) Jesus Told us to GO!

Matthew 28:19 (ESV)

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Your testimony alone is the Gospel

Only Evangelists share the Gospel

“I share the gospel with my actions”

“I am an introvert, I do not talk to people”

In our text the Lord Jesus gives us a command. For us to GO, not to linger, not to vegetate, BUT TO GO. IT is an action. We have been commanded by our commander, our general to GO. In the military there would be consequences for deviating or even ignoring a direct order. However, as Christians we deviate and ignore this command often, but why do we do that? I would say because of the misconceptions and fears that we have. AND maybe just maybe it is because we do not think that we will be held accountable for not doing it.

But friends, if this text is not clear enough Luke 4:42-43 is!

Reason 3) Sharing the Gospel was Christ’s Mission!

Luke 4:42–43 ESV

And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”

Friends, if that was the mission of Christ that must be our mission as well!

II. The Great Command

Make Disciples

Baptize those Disciples

Teach those Disciples to Obey Christ

1) Make Disciples

Matthew 28:19 ESV

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Introducing Biblical Theology (The Great Commission)

This Mission aims to make followers of Jesus. To be a follower of Jesus, or to be a disciple of him, means to imitate him.

A Disciple is meant to be with Jesus, walk with him, eat and drink with him, listen to him, and watch him. Disciples are not called to do great things on their own, but to witness and participate in what Jesus does. To be a disciple is to be identified with Jesus Mt. 10:24–25

Matthew 10:24–25 ESV

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.

“I am afraid of being rejected”

Friends, true disciples of Christ are imitators of Christ. Just as Christ was rejected so will we!

True Disciples are imitators not fair weather fans. We have way too many fair weather Christians. We do not need anymore of those. Those who only go to church when it is convenient to them, those who only read the scriptures on Sunday mornings, those who only pray or even bring up their requests during the prayer time alone.

Expository Thoughts on Matthew Matthew 28:11–20: Christ’s Parting Charge to His Disciples

The plain practical lesson of the words is the necessity of a public confession of faith in Christ. It is not enough to be a secret disciple. We must not be ashamed to let men see whose we are, and whom we serve. We must not behave as if we did not like to be thought Christians, but take up our cross and confess our Master before the world.

“I am afraid of being rejected”

2) Baptize those Disciples

Matthew 28:19 ESV

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Question: If you have never physically baptized someone have you kept the great commission? YES, Why? Is he talking solely of water baptism?

No it is an outward expression of what has happened inwardly.

SO, we are called to immerse them in the name of our triune God!

This is not the only place in which this idea is utilized let’s take a look at 1 Corinthians 10:1-4

1 Corinthians 10:1–4 ESV

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

3) Teach those Disciples to Obey Christ

Matthew 28:20 ESV

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Question: How do we teach them all that Christ has commanded?

By going through scripture! Teaching them how to study God’s word.

“I do not know enough”

Friends, it is not difficult, you do not need to have degree in theology. Just teach what Christ said and model that as an example!

How are you supposed to teach them what Christ has commanded with a closed bible?

Also How are you supposed to teach something you are not acquainted with?

Friends, spend time in his word! Meditate on it, sing it, live it!

III. The Great Promise

Matthew 28:20 ESV

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Lastly, we have the greatest encouragement! He will be with us always till the end of the age!

“I am not good enough”

You do not need to be! He is. It is about him

Expository Thoughts on Matthew Matthew 28:11–20: Christ’s Parting Charge to His Disciples

He is with us daily to pardon and forgive,—with us daily to sanctify and strengthen,—with us daily to defend and keep,—with us daily to lead and to guide,—with us in sorrow, and with us in joy,—with us in sickness, and with us in health,—with us in life, and with us in death,—with us in time, and with us in eternity.