Matthew 28:16-20

Open up your Bibles to the book of Matthew 28:16-20

Matthew 28:16–20 ESV

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.”

This morning we close out our summary of the book of Matthew.

We started at the beginning and for the most part have completed this gospel in depth

There have been highs/lows

Our emotions got entangled with the characters that came from this gospel.

We learned ultimately that Jesus was a miracle worker

-claimed to be the messiah

-was put to death b/c of it

-last week was spoke of the resurrection - death could not hold him!

-ultimately though we learn that he was in control

- throughout all of it.

-and yet he chose to die - why? b/c of his compassion for men.

(they are like sheep w/o a shepherd)

His love for us

-I don’t believe we can begin to fathom the love God has for us.

With so great a love shown towards men, what is our response?

The reality for today is that we are doing very little with so much. That’s the opposite of the early church, who did so much with so little.

Maybe our prayer for today could be - Lord, help me to believe as they believed, so that I might achieve as they achieved.

I believe we can find that here in our passage this morning.

This is the great commission passage.

being his final words, they should be weighed very heavily.

The words are important for me as well as you.

The words are important no matter what stage of life you are in.

I want you to pay attention, because they can dramatically change your life and change your eternity.

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.”

PRAY

Matthew did not record the meeting of Jesus with the 10 disciples later that same day (John 20:19–23) or the appearance 8 days later to the 11 disciples (John 20:24–29)

But he did record this meeting in Galilee.

Just b/c it reads that the 11 disciples went there doesn’t mean that they are the only ones there.

The idea that some doubted strongly suggests this.

In fact, That simple phrase is one of countless testimonies to the integrity of Scripture.

The transparent honesty of a statement like this shows that Matthew was not attempting to exclude or cover up facts that might lessen the perfection of such a glorious moment.

But getting to the meat of the passage we find that the Lord has unlimited power...

I. His Unlimited Power

in verse 18: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

A. What

The word authority is exousia, means “official right or power”

when a person has authority, that means he’s in charge. Who has the authority?

The boss.

When Jesus Christ is saying, “All [authority] is given to me,” He was saying, “I am Lord.”

We need to understand this b/c the basis of all missionary enterprise is to understand the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is Lord.

God the Father has declared it.

Angels have announced it.

The resurrection of Jesus has authenticated it.

We must crown Him Lord of all.

No refusal: He is Lord!

No rebuttal: He is Lord!

No rival: He is Lord!

That is the what: all authority.

What about the...

B. Where

in heaven and in earth.

He is Lord.

That’s “All [lordship]”

That’s “all [authority]”—

in heaven and in earth.”

So let’s break this down.

1. In Heaven

When He says, “in heaven,” He’s not merely speaking of the place where we’ll go one day when we die,

but He is using a phrase here that Paul speaks of in Ephesians that he calls “the heavenlies,” “the heavenly places.”

In the spirit realm, He is Lord.

In that spirit realm, there are angels, and He’s the Lord of those angels.

In that spirit world, there are demons, and He is Lord over those demons.

Paul says in Ephesians 6:12,

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

There he is Lord

And angels must serve Him,

demons tremble at the name of Jesus,

Why? because Jesus Christ is Lord.

He also has authority ...

2. In Earth

He is Lord over this world.

This is His world.

It was made by Him.

It is controlled by Him.

It, one day, is coming back to Him.

And one day every knee on earth shall bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

And if He is Lord, and He’s Lord on earth, then it means He’s your Lord.

what He is saying here is for you to listen to and to obey.

This is not a suggestion.

This is not a request.

It is a word from your sovereign King.

He is Lord over His servants here on earth; and to refuse to obey Him is not merely to miss a blessing, it is to make you guilty of high treason against heaven’s King.

He is Lord.

Jesus said, 46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

(Luke 6:46)

C. Therefore

So,

The what: He is Lord.

The where: heaven and earth.

Therefore—listen: If He is Lord in heaven and earth, what does that mean?

It means

there is no place that He does not belong,

there is no power He cannot break,

there’s no person He cannot use.

He’s Lord.

He’s Lord over the demons of hell.

The basis of all missionary activity is that Jesus Christ the Lord is with you.

“All [authority has been] given to me in heaven and in earth.”

He’s not Lord over Western religion.

He’s not the white man’s Savior.

He’s over every nationality, every race, everything

The second thing I want you to see is...

II. His Unchanging Program

Now, what is His unchanging program?

Notice in verse 19: “Go therefore …”

—now, the “therefore” refers back to His lordship, the fact that He is Lord:

“because I am Lord”—“Go therefore, and teach 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.”

Now, what is His unchanging purpose?

The same as it was for Peter, James, and John so long ago, it is for us today.

He has no other plan.

This is His unchanging purpose.

This is His plan for humanity.

A. We Are to Make Disciples: Evangelism

Now this sentence has one command that is accompanied by 3 participles.

The main verb is right here in verse 19: “make disciples.”

It is to “teach all nations.”

Now, notice he says make disciples. He doesn’t say make decisions.

I think a big problem we have in the church is the lack of disciple making.

To be discipled means to be taught.

When you’re taught, you turn around and apply what you’ve learned.

You’re taught how to pray

To read

To understand

To apply

To share

To teach others

To love

To give.

How good of a disciple are you if you are taught and just don’t do it?

Was it for naught?

A disciple is a follower of his master.

That’s what the word discipleship means.

Now, that is the main verb. We are to go and make disciples, because He is Lord.

And then, there are three participles.

The very first of these participles is to go.

It literally says “going” or “having gone,”

“therefore …”

We are to go.

Go?

evangelizing, bringing people to Jesus Christ, the making of disciples. We’re to go and make them.

Now, every one of us is to do this.

1. It Is Universal in Scope

Look at it very clearly.

Verse 19 says, “Go.” You see that?

it is plural.

He’s not just speaking to one or two people; He’s speaking to a group.

Remember I mentioned last week that Bible scholars believe that this was most likely the time when He had those five hundred that Paul spoke about—in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. (1 Corinthians 15:6)

That is, what He is saying is universal in scope.

He’s speaking to every one of us.

He didn’t just get the twelve.

He didn’t just get the prophets, the preachers, the evangelists.

He’s speaking to you

He’s speaking to every one of us.

Also...

2. It Is Individual in Application

But wait a minute.

We can’t all go.

If we all went, who would be here?

No, God has given us individual spiritual gifts.

God has given to every one of us individual opportunities.

God has a plan for everyone’s life.

God has placed every one of us in a sphere of activity with certain opportunities.

Now I may not go as you go.

You may not be able to do what I do.

It doesn’t matter, but Each one of us, in our own particular way, is to go, whatever it is that the Lord is asking us to do.

It is also...

3. It Is Inescapable in Responsibility

Inescapable.

If you do not go, you’re not merely missing a blessing; you have a clenched fist of rebellion in the face of God.

Inescapable.

If you’re not being obedient to God’s word, you are guilty of disobeying your King;

And furthermore, does your disobedience prove that you do not love Him, for Jesus said, in John 14:23

John 14:23 ESV

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

23 ... “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word...

He said

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

if you’re not fishing, you’re not following.

I am saying there is an inescapable—responsibility that is here.

We are to go.

As we go to the grocery store,

as we go to school,

as we go to work,

wherever it is—we are to take the good news that Jesus Christ is Lord.

B. We Are to Mark Disciples: Enlistment

Now, listen

We know We’re to make disciples.

How are we to mark disciples?

Number one: We are to go: going.

Number two: baptizing.

This is what I mean by marking them.

Baptizing here refers to putting them into a New Testament church.

You see, when a person gets saved, when they become a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, then, the Bible says they are baptized by the Spirit of God into the Body of Christ:

1 Cor. 12:13

1 Corinthians 12:13 ESV

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body...

Water baptism is the outward expression of that inward reality,

it is the authentic profession of faith in a New Testament church.

In the scriptures we find the profession of faith through baptism, and that’s why we as a church hold that as one of the tenets of what we do.

It’s the way a person says “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jesus showed us as an example by his own baptism.

Not that he needed to be saved, but that he was identifying himself that he would become the sin bearer for all.

We are baptized to identify ourselves with our Lord.

Jesus started His ministry by being baptized.

He concluded His ministry by commanding baptism.

Baptism is not incidental.

It is not accidental.

It is fundamental.

In all of the things that He could have said in these brief words, he put baptism there.

Baptism is that one sign, one symbol, which preaches the gospel over and over again.

When you are baptized, you are buried with Him by baptism.

It pictures the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When you come out of that water, it pictures your resurrection with the Lord Jesus Christ.

one of the proofs that a person has really believed in Christ is that he is willing to obey the Lord Jesus Christ in baptism.

Not only are we to make them, and mark them, but we are to mature them

C. We Are to Mature Disciples: Edification

The first is going.

The second is baptizing.

And the third is “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

Do you see it there in verse 20?

We’re to grow them up.

Now, look, It does not say, “Teach them all things that I have commanded you.”

It says, “[Teach] them to observe all things that I have commanded you.”

Do you see the difference?

one of the problems in the church is that we’re teaching but we’re not teaching people to observe?

The words “teach them to observe” literally means “teach them to do; teach them to obey.”

That’s what it means to observe.

When you observe a law, that means you keep that law. When you observe a commandment, you keep that commandment.

Do you know what is wrong with so many people?

They are learning about the gospel, but they’re not living the gospel.

There’s a belief but not a behavior.

And then they want to know why Jesus Christ is not real to them.

Guys, Jesus Christ will never become real by learning.

In fact, Jesus said in Luke 12:47

Luke 12:47 ESV

And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating.

47 And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating.

Can you imagine standing before God having a notebook full of facts that you wrote down and never applied?

Peter said in 2 Peter 2:21

2 Peter 2:21 ESV

For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

The false teachers of the day had experienced Christ’s work enough to understand the basic principles of following Him, but they resisted coming to repentance

What I’m trying to say is Jesus did not say that we are to teach them, but we are to teach them to observe.

Do you know why Jesus Christ is not real to many people? They are not obeying God’s Word.

The Bible says, John 13:17

17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Let me tell you how Jesus Christ can become real to you. Begin to obey Him, then He will be real to you.

Listen up b/c I’m going to make a pretty bold statement:

You will never know God by studying the Bible.

You will know about God by studying the Bible.

You will know God by obeying the Bible

do that and this book will become alive!

Christ will manifest Himself to you, and you will become His disciple indeed.

Now, what am I saying?

Listen. Our job, our duty, our mandate is to make disciples.

This is how we’re to do it.

So there’s his unlimited power

His unchanging program

And finally ...

III. His Unfailing Promise

What is His promise? Notice in verse 20, the last part—and He says, And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Do you want to know His presence in a real way?

For those of us who have called out to us, he is always with us.

Heb. 13:5 Jesus says

“I will never leave you, nor forsake you.”

We all know that when we meet together he is with us.

We all know that when we call out to him on our own he is with us.

David cried out in Psalms 139:7-12

Psalm 139:7–12 ESV

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?

Or where shall I flee from your presence?

8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!

If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

9 If I take the wings of the morning

and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 even there your hand shall lead me,

and your right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,

and the light about me be night,”

12 even the darkness is not dark to you;

the night is bright as the day,

for darkness is as light with you.

I’ll tell you, sometimes in prayer it just seems like you can just reach out and touch Him—not always, but sometimes.

But I want to tell you something, Jesus Christ is never more real to me than when I am sharing Him with someone else.

I love preaching

I love teaching,

But this is where it’s at, talking about the Lord.

Conclusion

Do you want to make an impact in this world? Make disciples.

Go

Baptize

Teach.

God is with you.

I may leave, others may go for one reason or another, but God will never leave you.

Strap everything you have to him, for he will never fail you.

2 Th. 2:16-17 - Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.