Untitled Sermon (2)

Introduction

· Introduce the series and the reason for engaging in it.

· FBC has stood on this corner for 160 years…this is first and foremost a testament to God’s blessing upon this church.

o It is also a testament to generations of faithfulness and obedience.

o We are grateful about this because not every church is as blessed as we are.

· 2019 marked a concerning shift in American evangelicalism.

o For the first time, more churches closed than opened.

o Since then, considerably more churches close their door each year than there are new churches that are planted.

o And of the new churches that are planted every year, 35% of them will close their doors before they reach their 5th anniversary.

o Why is this happening?

· I will submit that it is because they have failed to fulfill what Jesus has commanded them.

o They have disobeyed Jesus’s Great Commission.

o And so, Jesus has removed their lampstand.

· I would see us avoid that fate, and I believe we are all committed to seeing that happen.

o I believe that the future of this church lies in a full-throated faithfulness to the mission that Jesus has given us, to make disciples.

o That is why, over the next year, we will be focusing on the issue of discipleship.

o That begins today, as we will take the next month to focus on the foundations of biblical discipleship.

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

Context

Summary: In this passage, Jesus commissions His disciples to spread the gospel, baptizing and teaching all nations. It encapsulates the essence of Christian discipleship rooted in His authority and presence. Teaching: The Great Commission teaches us that discipleship is a command for all believers. We are called not only to accept Christ but also to share that acceptance with others through teaching and baptism, demonstrating a living faith that transforms lives. Big Idea:Discipleship is not optional; it is the essential response to the authority and presence of Christ in our lives, compelling us to fulfill the Great Commission.

· We call it the great commission, why?

o It’s not because it makes us great.

o Nor is it because it is some kind of out-of-the-ordinary activity.

o Its great because it is rooted in the greatness of the news that we are sharing.

o The great commission is great because it is the essential way that every follower of Jesus should spend their life.

Proclaim Christ's Authority

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

You could emphasize how Jesus opens the Great Commission with the assertion of His authority. This assurance that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him lays the groundwork for our confidence in carrying out His mission. Perhaps as we trust in His supreme power, we are emboldened to face the uncertainties of discipleship and evangelism, knowing we operate under His sovereign rule.

· It’s important that Jesus prefaces his commands with this. It gives the reason and the force behind what He requires of us.

· This will be the first absolute statement He will make…All authority.

· When we left the Sermon on the Mount last week, we saw that the crowds were astonished by Jesus’s teaching because He was teaching with unique authority.

“And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” (Matthew 7:28–29, ESV)

· But now, Jesus has been raised from the dead…and that means something important…something we can scarcely examine in full today.

o Jesus has all authority.

· Daniel prophesied about this day:

““I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13–14, ESV)

· The apostles recognized that in the resurrection, Jesus fulfilled this prophecy.

“The Father loves the Son and has given all thingsinto his hand.” (John 3:35, ESV) “For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:27–28, ESV) “that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,” (Ephesians 1:20–22, ESV)

After the time allotted for the truce had expired, Antiochus’ officers sailed to Pelusium via the mouth of the Nile, while he marched through the Arabian Desert and, after being received by the inhabitants of Memphis and the rest of the Egyptians, partly through good-will and partly through fear, he came down to Alexandria by short marches. When he had crossed the river at Eleusis, a place four miles away from Alexandria, the Roman envoys met him. As they approached, he greeted them and offered his hand to Popilius; whereat Popilius handed him the tablets containing the decree of the senate in writing, and bade him read this first of all. On reading the decree, he said that he would call in his friends and consider what he should do; Popilius, in accordance with the usual harshness of his temper, drew a circle around the king with a rod that he carried in his hand, and said, Before you step out of this circle, give me an answer which I may take back to the senate. After the king had hesitated a moment, struck dumb by so violent an order, he replied, I shall do what the senate decrees. Only then did Popilius extend his hand to the king as to an ally and friend.[1]

· Popilius was able to take such authoritative action because of the greater authority that he represented; that of the mighty Roman Republic and its powerful armies.

· So should it be with Christians.

· Jesus Christ is the King and we must be about the King’s business.

· Personal influence is not as important.

· Our preparation, our knowledge, our pedigree doesn’t matter.

““And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”” (Luke 12:8–12, ESV)

Success in fulfilling the Great commission is dependent upon God’s strength and not ours.

· The foundation for success in discipleship is the authority of Jesus Christ.

o Without the authority of Jesus, our mission would be doomed to failure.

o This is why Satan is doomed in his mission to overthrow Jesus…because he has no authority to accomplish his will.

o Let’s not find ourselves on the same team as Satan, attempting to build

Pursue Global Discipleship

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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

Perhaps you can focus on how Jesus' command to 'make disciples of all nations' directs us to be intentional in our efforts to reach the world. Baptizing and teaching reflect the processes involved in nurturing genuine followers of Christ. By embracing this call, believers are reminded of their purpose, encouraging them to step out of their comfort zones to impact others spiritually. Maybe this point could challenge the congregation to rethink their approach to discipleship.

Therefore,

· Therefore: in light of everything that has taken place in the Gospel of Matthew, what are we to think? What are we to do?

o Jesus’s last words are therefore a lasting command to us…to be kept until he returns.

o This si the final, authoritative command of our risen Lord.

§ This is our mission from that day until the last day.

Make disciples

·

· There is one imperative, one command here—that we make disciples.

o Notice what He is commanding.

§ Not to tell people about Jesus.

§ Not to preach the gospel.

§ Not to build or plant churches.

§ Not to make converts.

§ Make disciples.

o This has been the way with American evangelicalism for far too long…and it has weakened the church.

§ They have pursued conversions without discipleship.

· Decisions, baptisms, numbers.

§ Jesus is telling us that these things aren’t the measure of success in a church.

· Faithful disciples are the measure of success.

As you go

· The first characteristic of how we make disciples is that it is not a peculiar activity, but how we shape all of our activity.

o The aim of disciple making infiltrates every kind of activity, lifestyle, plan that we have.

o Christians are not to be passive disciple makers. Waiting for prospective students to present themselves for education.

o We are active in pursuing others to disciple them.

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17, ESV) “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” (Colossians 3:23, ESV)

o

All nations

· The second characteristic of how we make disciples is that it is not limited by any kind of distinctions.

o We don’t discriminate about who deserves to hear the gospel, or who we will consider as proper objects of our evangelism.

o The Gospel has gone out to the whole world because God has made the offer of salvation available to all who will repent and believe in Jesus Christ. No other consideration should be given.

Baptizing

· Public identification with the work and cause of Christ is essential in the life of a true disciple.

o Through baptism, we publicly identify the internal change in our lives.

· We are about setting people upon a new path, entering a new life.

· We call upon everyone everywhere to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and to make public profession of their intent to follow him for their whole life.

·

Teaching them to observe All I have commanded you.

· Evangelism and new converts are not the measure of success in the Great Commission.

· It isn’t about a course/curriculum to study; it’s about engaging in the lifelong process of becoming like Jesus.

· We must be engaged in passing on what Jesus taught to His disciples, what has been passed down from generation to generation.

· We have an ongoing responsibility to those who have trusted Christ to teach them how to follow Jesus.

o This is what faithful Christians have done for 2,000 years.

“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.” (2 Timothy 2:2, ESV)

o

· The message: We preach His message.

o Jesus is the God who creates and sustains us.

o He, by His blood, redeems and sanctifies us.

o He has come into the world to establish His kingdom.

o There is hope for the hopeless.

o There is light in the darkness.

o There is rest and healing for the weary and broken.

o There is peace through the cross.

o He is the fulfilment of the OT and he brings us into alignment with it today.

o There is never a time when His teaching will not be needed.

o Nor is it mere dogma; things we ought to believe…we are to obey Him.

· The method: We follow his way.

o Committed to relational ministry (Jesus was present with the disciples)

o Investment in a few (Numbers aren’t the measure of success)

o Priority of prayer (Jesus maintained ongoing dependence upon the Father)

o Profound love for sinners (We show His love because we have received His love)

o Strategic balance of effort—no overspecialization (win the lost, build believers, equip workers).

· The goal is maturity.

o That every believer would reflect the perfect character of Jesus Christ.

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:11–16, ESV)

· Humility is required.

“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:4, ESV)

· True Christian maturity will be measured by our willingness to listen to, learn from, and obey the commands of Jesus Christ.

Promise of His Presence

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

You could stress that Jesus promises us His eternal presence as we carry out His instructions. This assurance, 'I am with you always,' serves as a powerful motivator, alleviating fears and insecurities in the mission field. Perhaps by embracing this promise, Christians are comforted and emboldened, ensuring that their efforts in discipleship are anchored in the unending support of Christ.

· Behold: be sure of this.

Our obedience to the Great Commission comes with the great promise of the active and abiding presence of God with us.

· The Sermon on the Mount teaches nothing so much as the disciple’s abiding need for the presence of God in their lives.

· There is never a time where we will be suited to the task we have been given.

· We will always need Him to be with us to strengthen us for the work.

· So Jesus says, “be sure of this”

o He will be with us every step of the way, from this day until the work is done.

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”” (Matthew 18:20, ESV)

· Jesus is Immanuel to this day. He has given us His Holy Spirit.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”” (Acts 1:8, ESV)

Conclusion

How this passage could point to Christ: Jesus is the focal point of the Great Commission, showing His authority as the risen Lord. Through His death and resurrection, He equips us and sends us out, fulfilling the promise that He will be with us always, thus establishing the foundation of our mission in Him. Application: This sermon serves as a reminder to Christians of their responsibility in spreading the gospel and making disciples. It encourages believers to engage actively in their faith, nurturing others as they grow in Christ and addressing their fears about evangelism and discipleship.

· In a sense, the Gospel of Matthew is still being written today.

o We are hearing and responding to this Great Commission.

· If we are in alignment with our King, we will be about the King’s business.

o That means that we make disciples, today, tomorrow, and every day until Jesus comes again.

· The future health of this church will be found in no other place than in our faithfulness to this charge.

o Will we obey and conform our life and ministry toward the goal of seeing mature believers who make mature believers?

[1]Livy, Books XLIII-XLV With an English Translation, ed. Alfred C. Schlesinger (Medford, MA: Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd., 1951), 281–283.