Resurrection Mission

Matthew 28:18–20 NIV

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Introduction: When we think of implications of Easter, I am not sure that we always think of the great commission. How many believers think of it as the great suggestion?

Jesus is Christ Because of the Resurrection.

Jesus is has always been Christ - the Annointed one, the Messiah. He was before his resurrection.

- The Resurrection Vindicates Jesus as the True Messiah.

- It shows that he truly has the power and Authority over even death.

- Because of His Obedience (Philippians 2) - He has given all authority in heaven and earth.

- What does he do with that Authority - He makes a Kingly Decree. Not to wage a Jewish war over the Romans. Not to conquer lands and take over the World in the same manner of Pinky and the Brain, or all of the Empires that have come before and after (Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persion, Alexandrian, Roman, Ottoman, English, German, USSR, etc...) but rather a Decree to make disciples of all nations who will be and do like Jesus. - Enter into peoples worlds, Proclaim the Good News, Heal the Sick, Cast out demons, and Sacrificially Loving God and Loving Neighbor.

1. The mission of the church, the resurrection of Jesus, and the kingdom of God all coalesce. They are not segregated; they flow from one another. The mission to spread the gospel is also associated with the preaching of the kingdom of God during this age in the life of God’s people. “Post-resurrection, the biblical story opens up fully to the nations. The scope of God’s mission becomes explicitly for all nations. The entire world of Genesis 1–11 is the target of the gospel. In the Old Testament, Israel’s mission was one of being and living as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. With few exceptions (e.g., Jonah) the nations had to come to Israel to learn about God. Now there is a grand reversal. Jesus’ disciples ‘Go and disciple’ (Matt. 28:18–20) by engaging all peoples with the gospel” (Brian Russell, “Jesus’ Cross, Resurrection, and Mission,” Seedbed, April 12, 2015, https://seedbed.com/jesus-cross-resurrection-and-mission/).

And as such -

Christ Compels Our Commission.

-Tim Vink - We should be the most courageous people in the world - He said this about the Sovereignty of God, but I think it also applies to the Resurrection.

Some of the 11 worshipped, but some doubted (Hesitant), Why?

• Trauma of Jesus’ Death, Surprise of Jesus’ Appearances

• The Fear Rampant because of Res.

• Guards Scared of what they say

• Religious Rulers feared reputation so a lie.

• Those Crazy Women telling stories of Res., and sending them to Galilee - Will Jesus Show up?

• Everyone starts with dis-belief, and shock over the Gospel.

• So, It might be normal to be hesitant to Make Disciples.

• Maybe we fear losing our friends, being called a Jesus freak.

• In this day, and especially catipulted by the recent elections, if you are a White Evangelical Christian, you fear being labeled a racist, homophobe, bigget, narrow-minded.

• Maybe you are hesitant because of your personality - Introvert, not an extrovert, you do not have the gift of evangelism

• Fear that you do not have enough Bible Knowledge, or a super testimony.

• Maybe you are embarrassed by the Church.

• Fears from Internal reasons - We are unsure of ourselves

The Resurrection Addresses all of these - Someone came back from the dead. - That King has commanded us.

1. “Because Jesus’ future reign (28:18) has begun in the lives of his followers in the present age (v. 20), his people should exemplify his reign on earth as it is in heaven, as people of the kingdom, people of the future era (compare 6:10). Most significant in this passage, because Jesus has all authority, because he is King in the kingdom of God, disciples must carry on the mission of teaching the kingdom” (Craig S. Keener, Matthew, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series 1 [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997], 326).

Great Commandment - Love God and Love Neighbor

Great Commission - Make Disciples

What is the Commission?

The Commission is to Disciple all People Groups.

As you Go -

contemporaneous participle: A participle which expresses action happening within the same relative time frame as the main action. This differs from the simultaneous participle in that the action expressed is not portrayed as occurring at the same exact time as the main action.

or

participle of attendant circumstance: meaning it picks up the imperatival force of the main verb.

Commentary on how we have flipped the teach - Baptize process - Baptism is the Goal, not the beginning.

Leadership Pathway as Jesus' Pathway - Baptism being the Trailhead.

Jesus gives us the How....

By Immersion into God’s Kingdom.

Lay out the different groups of people on the Discipleship Journey - Uninterested, Exploring, Growing, Close, Centered. - Baptism focuses on Uninterested and Exploring

Missional Community - Block Parties, serve people in the community etc. We are called to love the uninterested. To Bless them.

Personally - Making friends, praying for them and with them, believing for Christ’s miracles in their lives, planting seeds

Big Days - Invitation to Explore Jesus - Here the Gospel.

Personally - Hear their story, tell your story, and connect them to Jesus’ story

Get a Water Tank to Illustrate Baptism

By a Lifetime of Obedience to the King.

Teaching focuses on Growing - Centered

Most people in the churches surveyed are stuck in the Growing.

South Blendon - This is why we.

Missional Community, Life Groups, Sunday School, Bible Studies - Help people learn how to Grow in their relationship with Jesus - How to foster the Up Relationship, serve each other in the Church, and Out relationship.

Kingdom Ambassadors - People Close and Centered - Equipping people ready to make more disciples who make disciples.

Missional Community - Modeling Discipleship across generations.

Conclusion: Where are you at in your discipleship Journey.

Are you Uninterested or Exploring - I invite you to explore who Jesus is and the power of the resurrection. - Maybe a next step is Baptism and learn how to grow in your faith.

Are you Growing - Learn how to foster your relationship with Jesus. Maybe the next step is to learn how to share your Faith with others.

Close/Centered in Jesus - Next step is how can I mentor anyone else on the journey.