Reaching and Growing Disciples 2 - Authority to Go

I. Introduction

A. Matthew 28:18–20

B. Review - It’s God’s mission before it’s ours. It’s His character, He can’t help himself but to pursue and offer rescue. The original plan of God is filling the earth with his knowledge and this will be accomplished as we pick up the call as His children.

C. The context before the commission is worship and doubt. Just like is here this morning.

Doubt - “hesitation” - It’s the type of hesitation that comes from being double-minded with a heart to truly worship and be all in, yet holding back, hesitating for some reason.

What makes you hesitate to go and make disciples?

II. Authority to Go

A. Authority - this is royal authority through decree with the power to accomplish. This is being positioned with power by the King. Half the time in scripture it talks about authorities on earth and the other in he unseen realm. In the kingdom of God Jesus has authority in both and so do you.

We are like amphibious creatures. We have to live in both realms. A frog can’t survive without functioning in both water and land. We can’t survive without functioning in both the seen and unseen realm, the natural and supernatural. You are made for both!

B. Authority on Earth - Why do we hesitate in the natural? Rejection & Responsibility

Rejection - Why are we so fearful of rejection. Who is really in threat of being rejected?

Luke 10:16 (NIV) 16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

Consider yourself the postman delivering the message. Folks might avoid the postman because they don’t want the mail but they really can’t blame the mailman for doing his job to deliver.

The mail carriers authority stems from their representation of the United States Postal Service. They have the responsibility to ensure the safe passage of mail and deliver it to designated locations. Interfering with the delivery of mail is a federal offense.

Your job is to deliver the good news of Jesus to a lost and dying world. To share with them through your love, testimony, and simple gospel message that they can be free from the past and follow Jesus into a new life.

Responsibility - I don’t want to mess it up. I don’t know what to share.

Luke 12:12 (NIV) “12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

First of all you can’t mess it up. You can’t make them more lost than they already are. Now you can deliver it wrong and make it harder on who comes after you.

Permission Evangelism book - great book but horrible title. It emphasized loving before sharing which I agree with but you don’t need permission to share. You have authority from Christ.

1). Love them like Jesus 2). Share you testimony 3). Share the story of Jesus dying to forgive their sins and being raised so they can live a new life. Free from you past - Cross / Live a new life - Empty tomb.

C. Authority in Heaven - Why do we hesitate in the supernatural? Resistance

The picture all through the bible of those who are not God’s children is a captive in darkness.

Isaiah 61:1 (NIV) “1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,  because the Lord has anointed me  to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,  to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,”

Question, if there is a captive, is there a captor? Do you think those who hold them captive will just let you walk right up to the cell and give the prisoner the key to freedom?

In Luke 10 Jesus sends the seventy two out for the mission trip to share him with the lost. He says this as he sends them…

Luke 10:2–3 (NIV) “2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.”

Are the wolves in the natural or supernatural? Both! The rest of the passage is about them being rejected in the natural and resisted in the supernatural. Listen to what Jesus says when they return.

Luke 10:18–20 (NIV) “18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

We have authority to remove the resistance and deliver the spiritual keys to their freedom. These creatures have been disarmed but not yet destroyed. (Colossians 2:15 / 1 Corinthians 15:24-26)

They still have a bark but no bite. All they can do is resist by feeding your insecurity, they can’t stop you. You can walk right by them and deliver the keys to freedom and proclaim Jesus.

Handle the resistance but don’t focus on it. The goal is get more names written in heaven.

So in the natural you have authority to deliver the mail, the good news of Jesus. In the supernatural you have the authority to deliver the keys to spiritual freedom. All authority on heaven and earth has been given to Jesus so he says to us, Go! Go in the natural and supernatural to seek and save the lost.

Practical Step - Share the Social Media post from the sermon on Facebook and Instagram.

III. Conclusion and Invitation - Sam Roberson