Call and Commissioning - Matthew 28:16-20 & Acts 1:6-8

Introduction/Seeing the Need

Today’s lesson text presents two accounts of Jesus’ giving his disciples instructions for continuing his ministry in his absence. The first, from , comes immediately after the passage from last week’s study. That passage recounted events surrounding the resurrection of Jesus and the resurrection itself. All that took place in and near Jerusalem. A change in geographical context is introduced, however, by the transition noted in , which opens today’ lesson.

The second account comes from the book of Acts. This book is Luke’s record of the history of the first-century church. A vital part of what preceded the founding of the church was a commission or charge given to the apostles before Jesus’ ascension near Bethany.

At first glance, the author Luke seems to record two locations for that event: Bethany, as above, and the Mount of Olives per . But no contradiction exists when we realize that Bethany was so close to the Mount of Olives that the village is aid to be “at” the mount. This location was at least 60 miles south of Galilee, but less than two miles from Jersualem. The tiny village of Bethany is mentioned 11 times in the New Testament, all in the four Gospels.

The geographical contexts of our two lesson-segments are different, but the time frame is the same. Both occur during the 40 days of . This period begins at Jesus resurrection and ends before Pentecost, when the church is established.

So here we are with this extremely important instruction from Jesus to make disciples, and yet so many of us feel incompetent and in adequate for the task. Many Christians struggle to understand just how to make disciples. We have varied conceptions of what a disciple is or how one would “make” a disciple. A lot of people who are competent in many aspects of life (high achievers, honor roll students, selfless volunteers, civic leaders, and so forth) struggle mightily to know how to make disciples.

Commission in Matthew -

Matthew 28:16–20 NRSV

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 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, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The location of our first lesson-segment is in accordance with the instructions from both the angel at the tomb and the resurrected Jesus himself (). With Judas no longer among their number, the eleven disciples make the multi-day trip back to Galilee. The text does not tell us which specific mountain this is.

Exactly how long after Jesus’ resurrection this appearance takes place is also not clear. The first-day appearances are recorded in , ; ; ; and . The next recorded appearance was “a week later”. Following that was an appearance to 7 of the 11 by the Sea of Galilee, or Tiberias. The appearance to over 500 believers recorded in may occur between that of and the one in the text before us - much uncertainty exists.

Despite the previous appearances of Jesus, doubts persist. It would seem by this point that the 11 disciples are fully convinced that Jesus has risen from the dead. Therefore the group gathered here in Galilee may include other followers of Jesus, some of whom have not yet seen him since his resurrection. One theory is that this occasion is also that of .

What’s the best way to react the next time doubts interfere with your worship? Why?

Such a sweeping statement reflects Jesus’ conquest of death. The word in the original language behind the translation authority is translated “power” in other contexts. We may think of power as the ability to do something, while authority is the right to do something, while authority is the right to do something. Thus the two ideas are closely related, and Jesus has both in an absolute sense. Indeed, the word all dominates this section of three verses. There is nothing partial or halfway about anything here.

This has been clearly implied on many occasions throughout his ministry. His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, for example, overturned commonly held views with the declaration, “But I tell you… (, , , , , ). He had exercised power over disease, nature, and death. Now his own resurrection proves the claim beyond a shadow of a doubt. And what he claims is what he possessed in the beginning. The fact that this authority has been given to Jesus implies that the heavenly Father, having sent the Son, is the one who is given the Son all power and authority. What is implied here is unmistakable in ; ; ; ; ; and .

In what ways can and will your choices in the coming week show that Christ is the ultimate authority and power in your life?

In verse 19 we see that Jesus can do many things with the power and authority he has. He can take immediate vengeance on those who crucified him. He can destroy the Roman occupiers and restore Israel’s self-governing status. Jesus does indeed desire that all nations recognize and honor him. But the method here is not that of brute force. Instead, he desires it to happen by means of making disciples of those nations.

It is interesting to consider occasions during Jesus’ ministry when he told someone who had been blessed by a miracle not to tell anyone. The reason for this directive is seen in what happened when it was destroyed: “Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places” (). Now however, the time for silence is over! The good news about Jesus is to be made known to everyone everywhere.Jesus had focused his three-year ministry on Israel (, ; ). But he has also indicated that his kingdom will be inclusive of all peoples.

The good news about Jesus is to be made known to everyone everywhere.

What one thing extra can you do in the week ahead to help take the gospel to a nation other than your own? What distractions might Satan offer to divert your attention from doing so?

Jesus had focused his three-year ministry on Israel (, ; ). But he has also indicated that his kingdom will be inclusive of all peoples.

Making disciples is characterized, in part, by baptizing those being taught. The stress here is submission and allegiance to the Father … the Son and … the Holy Spirit. It is clear from Jesus’ teaching that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are in complete unity with one another. To baptize in the name of Jesus must include the other two.

Teaching does not end once someone becomes a disciple of Jesus. Discipleship is in truth a school of lifelong learning from which one does not graduate while on this earth. Every follower of Jesus must continue to learn how to be Christ’s person anew through the various stages of life. Being a disciple of Jesus informs each transition, providing the disciple with additional opportunities to present the good news of Jesus to others.

Jesus concludes what we call the Great Commission with the assurance of his presence at all times. Matthew mentions toward the beginning of his Gospel how Jesus’ birth fulfilled the prophecy of , that a virgin will give birth to a son who will be called Immanuel, meaning “God with us.” Now Matthew concludes his record with Jesus’ assurance that he will be with his followers as they carry out the task he gives them.

Commission in Acts -

Acts 1:6–8 NRSV

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

In the first recorded words of Jesus in the book of Acts, he tells his apostles not to leave Jerusalem until the promised baptism of the Holy Spirit (, ). Out lesson picks up at this point. The 40 day period of is coming to a close.

The original text has a word meaning “therefore,” which is untranslated here. It connects the apostles’ question with Jesus’ teachings concerning “the kingdom of God” and his promise that they will be “baptized with the Holy Spirit”. The very nature of the question reveals that the apostles just don’t get it! Jesus has taught repeatedly, through both parable and direct teaching, that his kingdom is spiritual in nature. But these men are still thinking in terms of a political kingdom. They are anticipating a conqueror who will overthrow Roman rule. They are expecting that the “glory days” experienced under King David will be restored.

Jesus had previously warned his disciples not to let themselves be distracted by a fascination with setting dates for his return. Here the issue is the establishment of his kingdom, but the warning remains the same: God is the ultimate timekeeper. Information such as this has been withheld from humanity.

What tactics might Satan use to get Christians distracted with end-times speculation?

Jesus has a far more significant work for his followers to engage in than date-fixation. Their priority must be to receive power of the Holy Spirit. Thus Jesus makes sure that the distraction question of verse 6 hasn’t caused them to miss his statement of verse 5.

Many students of the Bible have noted that this sequence of places in verse 8 provides an outline of the gospel’s progress as recorded by Luke in the book of Acts. The gospel is first preached by Peter in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. The impact of that message is immediate as 3,000 are led to become followers of Jesus.

Later the movement expands into Judea (the region in which Jerusalem is located) and Samaria. This is spurred by the persecution initiated by Saul, which forces the believers out of Jerusalem. Taking the message to the ends of the earth begins with the conversion of Cornelius and his household (the first Gentile converts). It is furthered by the missionary journeys of Paul. On one such journey, he too will speak of the futility of being concerned with “times and dates”.

At the conclusion of Acts, Paul is in Rome - a location which at that time represents “the ends of the earth.” It marked a goal that Paul had been keenly intent on reaching (; ). The gospel was already there before Paul came. Of course, Paul was always thinking of new frontiers, such as Spain (, ) to which the gospel might be taken.

While the commission of Jesus in Matthew and Acts differ in certain details, they have one crucial item in common: Jesus wants his followers to take his message of salvation to the entire world. That is to be the top priority for the apostles as the Day of Pentecost approaches. It must still be the church’s top priority today. Jesus’ commission here is immediately followed by his ascension into Heaven. Luke records this both in his Gospel and in the first chapter of Acts.

What practical steps can and will you take in the week ahead to become a more effective witness for the Lord?

Conclusion

What is it that the church, and only the church, can do? What makes the church unique? The answer is that the church alone possesses and can pass along the message of salvation from sin. This message is founded on the facts of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is the good news, the gospel, as defined by Paul in .

No other organization or institution in the world declares, or is changed with declaring, such a message. And that is only fitting since Jesus’ kingdom is “not of this world”. His final recorded words before ascending, as we have seen in this study, were that the gospel be taken to the entire world.

Today, however, the church is pulled in different directions by a host of causes and issues. Many of these causes and issues involve societal ills, a number of which most certainly should be addressed. The Bible is highly concerned with issues of social justice. Even so, the church must not compromise or forsake its primary mission: to take to a lost and dying world the good news of eternal life available through Jesus.

is a brilliant example of the tension. Two important social issues loomed (1) providing food for widows in need and (2) ensuring fairness in the distribution of that food. The Jerusalem church took those issues seriously. But when the apostles said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables” (6:2), the primary mission remained unchanged. As the church makes disciples who in turn make disciples, then the church is accomplishing its primary mission.

A book title from several years ago stated an important truth: Disciples Are Made, Not Born. For a church to present itself as an attractive place to put one’s membership is relatively easy. For a church to commit to making disciples is an entirely different manner. A church must strive always and consciously to keep the main thing the main thing.

Prayer

We have heard your call to discipleship, Lord Jesus. How we must depend on your power and authority to equip us! Yet not even death would stop your mission. So we know you will not be deterred by our limitations. Make us faithful disciples, O God, that others might be drawn to follow Jesus with us. Amen.