Untitled Sermon (3)

Commit to the Great Commision

Commit to the Commission

Well happy New Years Eve Church. Today if you have your Bibles, we will be in the book of Mathew. Specifically, Mathew chapter 28 starting in verse 16. Today we will be talking about the great commission. We’ll be talking about how we can commit to the great commission as a church. Commitment is such an important thing. Especially this time of year where everyone is making their new year’s resolutions. Does anybody have any? Well according to Forbes 48% of the population has made goals to improve fitness in the New Year. 48% is nearly half. So, when you think of the national population of America, which is around 330 million around 160 million people have committed to go to the gym. However, the statistic continues around 8% of respondents will stick to their goals for one month, while 22% last two months, 22% last three months and 13% last four months. The General population does not stay to their resolutions past March. The problem is not in the task or the year however, it’s in the person. We try to make the new year a time to do that thing we’ve been wanting to do. While there is nothing wrong with this, commitment has nothing to do with time, it has only to do with the mind. True commitment doesn’t need a new year to work, it needs a new heart. A heart that has been changed by Jesus. That is ready to abide and live by what Jesus has commanded, but also to share and teach it as well. So, let’s read what this commitment is for.

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Mt 28:16–20.

Mathew was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. As we know he was a tax collector for Herod Antipas. Although all of the original manuscripts for the four gospels had no name, it is believed by all the early church fathers that this first gospel was written by Matthew. Since then, there has been nothing found to believe otherwise. The book of Mathew is believed to have been written after 70 AD, or after the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem. The central theme of this book is not only the life of Jesus, but to show who Jesus was the promised Messiah. This is why chapter one gives us the genealogy from Abraham to David to Jesus. Over the whole book we can see the life and ministry of Jesus, from the lens of one of his disciples. From the fulfillment of the promise to the resurrection we can see the perfect picture of who we are supposed to be. This is why Jesus before he ascends leaves us with the great commission. The great call and challenge to do just what he did. Weber puts it this way, “At the heart of our mission is the reproduction in others of what Jesus has produced in us: faith, obedience, growth, authority, compassion, love, and a bold, truthful message as his witnesses.” Can that be said of our lives in the life to come? Well let’s dive in.

Commit to his Lordship.

The first thing that we take from this passage is that Jesus is in charge. Verse 16, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”. Many of us today forget that Jesus is Lord, even though we say it. We might be doing “good deeds”, but apart from his will and guidance they get nowhere. We keep doing what we want to do, because we forget when Jesus prayed thy will be done Lord, on earth as it is in heaven. A great example of this in the Bible is the sons of Sceva. They were doing the “right things”, but apart from God’s will they were powerless. God is in charge. His kingdom comes on heaven and earth is more than a repetitive prayer. You think of the angels, where there is perfect obedience towards God. That is what he wants on earth and that is what Jesus is claiming right here.

Commit to the Call

The second thing I want you to see this morning is that everyone is called. Everyone is called to share the gospel, to be an evangelist. You notice in verse 19 he says, “go therefore”. He didn’t say those who are called to be an evangelist go. He didn’t let those who have more time in their week go. He didn’t say just the youth and the youth pastor go. He said go. I’m not very good at English, but that sentence is in the imperative form. The subject is not in the sentence because it means, “you go”. It doesn’t specify anyone because it’s a command to all Christians.

Commit to Go

The third thing we see in these verses is to go and spread the good news. We look at the verse there it says, “Go therefore”. There are two things from each of those words we can understand: first being that we go. A lot of us today come here on Sunday morning and Wednesday night and we learn, learn, and learn, when we need to go, go and go. We are stuck being intellectuals of Christ rather than being imitators of Christ. Christ went and preached not only to those he called to be his disciples but to the pharisees, those who thought they were the most, and to the drunkards and prostitutes. As Brother Chris has said in the past our problem is not in the knowing, but in the going. However, it is important to remember the why. It says, “go therefore”. There is a reason why we go. Anytime you see the word “therefore” in scripture it always means to look back. Go back just a few verses with me to verse 1: “Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.” Mary Magdeline and Mary, the mother of James, saw the risen savior and rejoiced and went and told the disciples. Even the guards of the tomb had to go and tell someone about this great work. As Matthew says, people have talked about this great work until this day. We tell people because it’s good news. Every time it is preached, he has come, he has died, and he has risen we should rejoice. We should tell it on the mountain, as the song says. His mercies are new every morning, and most if not all of us need that every morning. When we realize we need it we should be rejoicing for God’s grace in that moment. This good news cannot be kept silent. When you buy a boat, the first thing that most people do is tell people about it and go fishing. It is good news that they have a boat. Until they realize it’s a depreciable asset then it’s not as good. The same works if you killed a big buck. You show people pictures, you tell them how you saw him down the alley, and how he almost darted away because you moved too loudly. And you’re telling everyone. Church, how much more should we proclaim the gospel? How much more should we proclaim: Jesus humbled himself and came down to dwell among us. To live a perfect life. To be tortured and crucified. So that a wretch like me could be saved. We are called to go and spread the good news, but don’t miss this next one. The 4th call is that we make disciples of all nations.

Commit to Disciple

Many people when they read this verse, they just think of the last point. While it is important to share the gospel it does not stop there. When we look at the word Christian, we understand from old texts relating to the people in Antioch, that it means little Christs. We are supposed to be imitators of Christ. Jesus when he started his ministry called 12 people to follow him, but not only follow him but to walk and observe and fellowship with him. The Greek word here is μαθητεύω mathētĕuō (math-ayt-yoo), which means to become a pupil or to enroll as scholar. Jesus taught them and showed them many great things. When you read the account of John, he basically says he showed us so many signs that every book in the world could not contain it. He tells us to do just that. Verse 19 and 20, “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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” He calls us to make disciples, but then to first baptize them in the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit. This is important because, as a Christian, this is the first act of obedience to the Father. As we follow in the footsteps of Christ, we realize this is exactly what he did. Before he started his ministry on earth, he was baptized by John the Baptiste. From this baptism we then continue on with teaching all that the Lord has commanded. Very briefly the question arises “what has the Lord commanded?”. When some people read these words they think that it is only fitting to teach just what Jesus says in the gospels. You tell them something that the Bible says, and they say, “well what were Jesus’s actual words”. This argument was derived from a greater version in the 18th-19th centuries called the historical critical argument. However, there are two problems with this argument. The first being that Jesus is the word of God, the Bible (John 1:1). Everything in the Bible is inspired by God and are Gods words through human authors. To say what are Jesus’s actual words comes from a point of ignorance to the fact that all words in the Bible are His. The second problem is that even if you look at the words written in red, He quotes the Old Testament and the New Testament quotes or paraphrases these same words. I think the simplest thing to start with as far as commands go, is the 10 commandments. Jesus quite simply said a few chapters earlier in chapter 22 when someone asked him, “teacher what is the greatest commandment?’. Jesus said, “To love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. Now a sermon could be preached alone on that statement. How can we teach to love the Lord your God when we’re going more Sunday’s out of the month to the ball field? How can we teach love the Lord your God when we’re spending more Sunday’s out of the month at the camp, or on the water? How can we teach Love the Lord your God when we spend Sunday at home because your just tired? It doesn’t make sense. Church, they see that it doesn’t make sense. Y’all think I’m preaching to just y’all. This is for me as well. I talked about doing a Bible study with a group of friends this whole semester and never got to it because I felt that I couldn’t give one more hour out of my week to the one I call Lord. The message is cheapened if you don’t live it yourself. They need to see you live it for them to get it. This is discipleship.

I was talking to a friend last week. We were catching up on life and we were talking about our goals and what we feel like God has planned for us. I talked about going to seminary and becoming a pastor. She talked about her internship at Tech to do campus ministries. She asked me if there was a good alternative to going to seminary because you couldn’t afford it, what would it be? I thought for a moment, but quite plainly I said, “It’s discipleship”. The only reason I am preaching to y’all today is from the work of God through mentors in my life. Mentors like my Dad, Brother Chris, and Brother Josh. Without men of God stepping up to do what Jesus called us to do in this passage I would not be here. Proverbs 12:15, “the way of the fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice”. Proverbs 15:22, “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisors they succeed.” We are called to discipleship it is not only a Proverb it is what Paul teaches to Timothy about the elders in the church. We cannot neglect the call to discipleship the Jesus calls us to, but we cannot forget the hope that he promised us.

Commit to His Provision

Lastly, today, we need to commit to God’s provision. Read with me in verse 20, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” We just passed the Christmas season, but one of the words that speaks so dearly during Christmas is, Emmanuel. The term Emmanuel is such a powerful word meaning God with us. However, the story of Christmas does not stop at Christmas. God is with us forever. We have a hope within us to give us strength and power for anything we go through. Philippians 4:11-13 says, “11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Church there is great joy that our redeemer came down, died, and was raised, but there is also great joy in knowing that he is with us. In any trial or tribulation. Like we are talking about today, he is with us to give us wisdom and instruction for discipleship. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” We are called to be a people of hope. For Israel it was the hope of a savior, for us today it’s the hope of seeing and being with our savior for eternity. Emmanuel, God is with us, doesn’t end with Christmas it is forever for those of us who are redeemed. With this hope we can commit to God’s provision of his Son as a savior, but also the provision of a helper: the Holy Spirit. John 14:15-20 says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” He is with us till the end of the age and he will provide us with everything we need.

As we close today, can you commit to all of these? Can you commit to his provision, to discipleship, to just go, to the call, and to His Lordship? For those of us in this room who are lost and do not know him, he is waiting for you. Jesus came down and lived among us so he could live the perfect sinless life none of us could. As the perfect sacrifice he took the judgment we deserved and died on a cross for our sins. He did not stay dead. He rose again so that all who believe and call him Lord would be in right standing with our creator. No greater joy comes from this life than from knowing and serving the creator of the universe. The same goes for the church. There is nothing greater than to serve. When I talked to my friend, she was surprised about the discipleship I was speaking of. Surprised because discipleship does not occur like it is supposed to. That is the call today, the call every day of the Christian. That is the great commission. Who are you discipling? It is not a one and done thing. Are you committing to the great commission? Let’s pray.