Let Them Know!

Jeremiah 9:23–26 “This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh—Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the wilderness in distant places. For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.”

Mark 16:15–16“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

Matthew 28:16–20 “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 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.””

The Commission as “the Great”

commission — noun. official permission or approval (to undertake certain functions).

Christ’s last recorded words to His disciples contain a commission, which focusses on the duty of professed believers to be living / breathing followers with regard to His own Person and Work. All four Evangelists give this Commission in one form or another (Mt 28:18ff., Mk 16:15ff., Lk 24:46, 49, Jn 20:21, 23).

On two other occasions our Lord formally commissioned His Apostles. First, the Twelve were sent forth on a trial mission (Mt 10:5, 6, Lk 9:1ff.). That mission was limited, both as to area—the towns and villages of Galilee—and to objects—the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It aimed (1) at preparing the way of the kingdom of heaven, which our Lord came to found; and (2) at training the Apostles themselves in faith and fortitude for the more responsible work afterwards to devolve upon them. Later, seventy disciples were chosen (Lk 10), and sent—also, to Galilee. Their instructions were similar to those of the Twelve.

As these commissions were local, temporary, and provisional, The instructions given to both the Twelve and the Seventy may be called lesser commissions in comparison with the great Commission of Mt 28.

Jesus final words, also known as the Great Commission, are full of action: Go, Make Disciples, Baptize, and Teach

The Commission itself is evangelistic, or missionary, and pastoral—the one merging into the other, with Baptism as the link connecting these two departments. (All believers are called to be involved in fulfilling the Great Commission. - not just for the preacher; for you shall be witnesses unto me) AND (role of individual / role of collective (role of church - the vehicle for the mission )

Its INSTRUCTION AND ORDER is threefold—Discipling, Baptizing, Instructing. All nations are to be brought to the obedience of the faith. Their standing is to be sealed and ratified by the sign of the gospel.

Then their instruction is to Go forth—out of the bounds of Israel—and disciple the nations,—convert them exemplified through baptism, enroll them as scholars in the school of Christ - only graduating when reaching up to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

‘Go ye therefore and make disciples of (μαθητεύσατε) all nations.’ ‘Demonstrably, this was not understood as spoken to the Apostles only, but to all the brethren’ (Alford).

St. Mark specifies the means by which this discipling is to be accomplished—‘Preach the gospel’ (κηρύξατε τὸ εὐαγγέλιον); herald the good news of a crucified, risen, and exalted Saviour

What is this gospel of the kingdom to be preached?

A gospel is an announcement of good news. that is to convey good news! The Greek word translated as “gospel” means “a reward for bringing good news” or simply “good news.” In Isaiah 40:9, the prophet proclaimed the “good tidings” that God would rescue His people from captivity. In His famous sermon at the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:1 to characterize the spirit of His ministry: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel [good news] to the poor” (Luke 4:18).

In the Church (new covenant), that is You and I.

The gospel is the good news that God in Jesus Christ has fulfilled his promises to Israel, and that a way of salvation has been opened to all.

In particular, the gospel is the announcement that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection have brought about salvation for Israel and the world.

The gospel is the good news about God’s victory over death and sin through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

The gospel is the saving work of God in His Son Jesus Christ and a call to faith in Him (Rom. 1:16–17). Jesus is more than a messenger of the gospel; He is the gospel. The good news of God was present in His life, teaching, and atoning death. Therefore, the gospel is both a historical event and a personal relationship.

The gospel is not a new plan of salvation; it is the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation that was begun in Israel, was completed in Jesus Christ, and is made known (manifested by the church). While the gospel came with Jesus (the Christ-event is the gospel), it was anticipated in God’s promise of blessing to Abraham (Gal. 3:8) and promised in prophetic Scripture (Rom. 1:2).

This gospel not only comes in power (1 Thes. 1:5) but is the power of God (Rom. 1:16). It reveals the righteousness of God and leads to salvation all who believe (Rom. 1:16–17).

This gospel is ‘the word of truth’ (Eph. 1:13), but it is hidden to unbelieving men (2 Cor. 4:3–4) who demand supernatural verification or rational proof (1 Cor. 1:21–23).

In this commission :

Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature’, emphasize the universality of the gospel message

By the mention of ‘all nations’ the restriction is now removed: for the middle wall of partition, that divided Jew from Gentile, was broken down by Christ’s death

Baptizing them.’ The Church of Christ being a visible community, to be gathered out of the world. The baptism - the initiation of identification with Christ - as a disciple, as a follower. / not merely a believer. Baptism, established as a marker, and the milestone that shifts one from believer to that of a disciple. {Not all believing, becomes disciple.}

Baptism is ‘into’ (εἱς) the name of the triune God—by the authority and unto the authority of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The unity in Trinity of the Godhead - is distinctly marked by the use of the singular noun -”name” who all share the same name AND THAT NAME IS JESUS.

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.’ The process begun before, must be continued after Baptism. Admission into the Church—whether visible or invisible—is only the beginning of Christian discipleship.

Jeremiah

The good news, the gospel of Jeremiah is that despite our sin, God offers us restoration if we will repent and return to him

Jeremiah - a prophet of the Lord, who prior to being prophet served as Priest. Jeremiah began prophesying as a young man, - as he witnessed the downfall of Judah, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the exile of Gods people.

Because of the tremendous sorrow this caused, Jeremiah is referred to as the ‘weeping prophet’. He brought a lot of emotion to his prophetic role. Jeremiah struggled with feelings of insecurity, uncertainty, doubt, and alienation. Jeremiah, like all of us, had feelings, hopes, and needs. He wasn't a cardboard cutout nor a saint on a pedestal; he was a man who exposed his heart in God’s presence.

And like Jeremiah, we need to pray, be a people of prayer - we need to be honest with God, to stop hiding from him if that is our habit. Though God can easily penetrate our defenses, he often waits until were ready to come to him , just as we are, without the fig leaves, without the pretense, without the need to defend ourselves in his presence ...

In fact, because of the constant opposition he faced, he became so depressed (though a praying man) that he cursed the day of his birth but the lord gave him a ‘pep’ talk, a motivation reminding him

‘’that he formed him, and that before he was in the womb, He knew hi; He sat him apart; had ordained him a prophet unto the nations”

I see you Jeremiah! I know that you would rather not feel the way you feel, be w/o a crowd of friends, to fit in with the boys/crew; nor to be touched the way that you are touched in your heart, your spirit, that makes you emotional. But i formed you to use that! i put that in you! It will serve my purpose and calling of your life.

Be who you are! Be authentically You! Don’t be a cheap copy of someone else. Get comfortable being a original you!

I realize that purpose and calling doesn't come with a welcoming committee, or red carpet and roses; or a standing ovation of applause! It doesn come with having lots of friends, ride or die friends; and it doesn't necessarily come with a worldly power position, not even a church power position. With being so important, it would seem Gods choice would be positioned as president, senator, banker, pastor, deacon, CEO;.... but no, he was a little of preacher boy (for i am a child) sent among the day to day citizens,, civic leaders, authorities and religious church goers of Israel to say what the Lord had commanded. … preaching an unpopular message. it wasn't a message of prosperity, wealth, houses, money or land....

It was a message of judgement and repentance. Unpopular and met with much opposition, hated by the Kings of Judah - who even attempted to silence him — the lord assured Jeremiah he would overcome the opposers. Jeremiah didnt sit down every week to determine what he would preach about; neither did he spice up his preaching with humorous stories in hopes of warming his audiences…

He simply spoke the word of the Lord as it came to him!

Over, and over, Jeremiah kept preaching , even when the people hated him for it., thinking his words to harsh. As judgment was being prepared for the sins of Judah by way of the Babylonian empire, Jeremiah was called to announce the rightness of that Judgement because of Judah's great sin against God. He had the daunting task of bringing this message of rejection to Gods people!

But in the midst of that, Jeremiah also issued a call to the people to repent so that their situation might be reversed, and another call to the people who would not be held in captivity to also repent so that things wouldn't become worse, but better.

Some of you, you have the message of judgment and repentance. You have family members, neighbors, and friends that question your position , your stance, your faithfulness to the Lord.

And so, despite the cost to himself, he spoke the word of the Lord with uncompromising honesty.

Through Jeremiah, God reveals a new kingdom covenant he would make with his people to cleanse them, give them new hearts, and restore them to himself.

The good news of Jeremiah is that despite our sin, God offers us restoration if we will repent and return to him

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Jeremiah 9:23–26 “This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh—Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the wilderness in distant places. For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.”

Oh my brothers and sisters, these are timeless and universal truths - and in the context of the Israelite and Us - they take on extra power for us! why, because we see an invitation from the Lord to know him intimately, up close and personal! Wow! This great God wants to know you and I in the inner most seat of our hearts and beings! In this passage, can you see the invitation to reap the blessings of his covenant faithfulness, to a people who called themselves by God’s name but refused to surrender their pride and bow before him.

-a refusal to confess the sins, faults; a death ear to the preaching for right/wrong; a refusal to surrender, to life honorably, with integrity, in knowledge of right/wrong before the Lord. - - - Pride - will have you thinking you have it all figured out, you have plenty time, You can control it and stop it when ever you want to; that I can sneak by; that IM a smooth operator and i can get away with it; pride will have you rewriting laws; ;making wrong right and right wrong; exalting ones on view of right only to find it leads to failures;

its amazing what we tend to brag about: educational achievements, family names; employment and jobs, accomplishments, financial successes; accumulation of things; physical prowess, and the list goes on and on.

But the Lord says here: if you;re going to brag, if you really want something to shout about, brag that you know me! If you cant talk about that you don't have much to boast about! We need to know God, about God, in intimate fellowship as the most meaningful pursuit of life.

We need to know God, about God, in intimate fellowship as the most meaningful pursuit of life.

Let Them Know! —

tell them of their sins

sins of flesh and sins of the spirit

the sin nature of man

insist on repentance

get into covenant relationship with the Lord through Jesus Christ

salvation through christ offers saving from power of sin, penalty of sin, and ultimately presence of sin

through relationship, you can experience restoration

in restoration, you can receive a new ‘heart’; and better experience of life and life relationships

a new nature in christ - circumcision of the heart

through this restoration, the goods is to expect deliverance from your oppression. this is good news!

what held you, cant hold you back anymore

what controlled you, wont consume you anymore

what wounded you, wont limit you anymore

Now that you are restored, God expects you to get in place. Take your place. Go Home!!

Sanctify Yourself. - separate, lay aside weight and sin, (2 cor 7:1)

live and walk by faith

Serve Others

Have a heart filled with Love -

To walk humbly

to be lead by the spirit

I'm going to tell them!

AND I close with this: One songwriter, penned and sang -

who’s gonna tell them? & who’s gonna warn them?

who’s gonna tell them of the love; who’s gonna warn them of the what is to come, --

Say, im gonna tell them! Im gonna tell them that Jesus loves them, im gonna tell them that there is a better day; so god can turn their darkness to day