Strength through Christ's Presence

Matthew 28:18-20

The Great Commission

These are Jesus’ final words in Matthew.

Open up your Bibles to Matthew 28:18-20

Here is a familiar passage, it’s known as the Great Commission.

This passage was given to the disciples after the resurrection of Jesus.

He’s giving them their mission.

To go and make disciples.

To baptize people in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

To teach people all that He has commanded, with an expectation of obedience.

You know this.

But the disciples weren’t being given this passage when times were good.

They would soon face persecution.

Persecution would start in Jerusalem.

They would be driven out of the synagogues.

They would become enemies of the Jewish rulers.

Stephen would be the first martyr.

Stoned in Jerusalem, for preaching Christ crucified and calling for people to repent.

That persecution would spread.

The young church would be sent into exile throughout the world.

Yet, the persecution, did not stop the church.

She grew.

And as she grew, the young church was obedient to Christ’s commission to make disciples.

To evangelize.

To teach.

To expect people to obey.

As she grew, the persecution continued.

The Lord has always protected His church.

His church will continue.

Matthew 16:18 says, “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

The church cannot be conquered by the world, not matter how evil things look.

Which brings us to today.

Christians have enjoyed liberty in America since her founding.

I’m currently reading a book about the Pilgrims, the American Puritans.

The founding of Plymouth.

Religious freedom was critical to the shaping of the US, because it was what drove many of the early immigrants here.

Yet, within this past year, we have seen these freedoms eroded.

I don’t think we are being persecuted in the US yet.

At least not to the level of what our brothers have faced throughout the centuries.

We aren’t being thrown to lions.

We aren’t being killed for Christ.

But I do think that our days of political freedom are nearing an end.

We have seen how easily a virus has shut things down.

We have seen how easily culture has swayed against the church.

We are banned from singing.

We are banned from going inside the church.

Yet we can go into a Wal-Mart.

We can go to a casino.

But banned from entering the church.

I think the proverbial writing is on the wall.

The stage is set for some dangerous times ahead.

I do think the days are coming when you will be told:

You cannot spank your children.

You cannot teach certain things.

You cannot read certain things from the Bible.

And you must speak the party line on other areas.

Whatever the times, we must continue in our mission.

Christ has given us a mission.

That is to make disciples.

We are to make disciples, expecting people to turn and follow Christ.

Expecting people to turn to Christ.

This is what we do.

Paul told Timothy to preach the Gospel, “in season and out of season.”

In times of religious freedom.

In times of no religious freedom.

During Covid.

When there’s no covid.

How do we do this?

By going.

“Go therefore ...”

By being intentional in our lives.

Church, we must be intentional during this time.

The pressure that is upon us is to stop being active.

To bunker down and wait things out.

I don’t know if we can do that.

I think that we are going to lose our religious freedoms within this nation.

But thankfully that is not where our commission comes from.

We evangelize, not because the government says you have freedom of speech.

We evangelize because Christ has told us to.

Verse 18 says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

The resurrection of Jesus, proves His Words true.

And it solidifies His reign.

He is now in all glory.

A king.

Waiting to return.

How else do we make disciples? By baptizing people in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

We preach the Gospel.

We preach the Trinity.

We preach the Father’s plan to save.

We preach the Son’s life, death, and resurrection.

We preach the Spirit’s promises regenerating and converting power.

We preach, then we baptize them.

Why do we baptize?

Because we are commanded to.

But in baptism, it identifies the person as a disciple of Christ.

That act of obedience proves the person is a part of the church.

If people are to be baptized, to show that they are saved, and part of the church, then the church needs to be active.

Church cannot be what you watch on TV, once a week.

We must continue to have relationships with each other.

We must have Elders.

We must have gifts.

We must be serving.

We also make disciples by teaching.

We must be committed to teaching the whole counsel of God, regardless of what culture says we can say.

We must continue to love the holiness of God.

The reality of knowing that Christ has all authority is that we teach what He has called us to teach.

Not because we think it’s a way.

But because we know that Jesus is THE way.

Disciple making requires teaching.

You cannot be a disciple of Christ and not learn.

Disciple making expects obedience.

You cannot be a disciple and not do what is commanded.

This is the mission of the church.

Don’t let lockdown stop what we must be doing.

The church will be successful.

The end of the great commission closes with a promise.

And this is the treat.

This is what I really want you to hold on to.

“And behold, I am with you always to the end fo the age.”

“Behold -”

You will encounter difficulties.

But behold.

Pay attention.

When times are tough, hear this very good news.

“I am with you ...”

ego - eimi

ἐγὼ μεθʼ ὑμῶν εἰμι

Jesus isn’t with us in a half-hearted way.

Ego - eimi

Jesus is emphasizing that He Himself is with us.

I am reminded of Psalm 139:1-8

“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. 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.”

The road of life may be a lonely life, but for those who are in Christ, Jesus has not abandoned you

He is not sending us on this mission alone.

The world may shun us.

We may be called outcasts, misfits, or strange.

But Christ Himself is with us.

“- always”

This is comfort

No matter what comes our way, He is with us.

How is Jesus with us?

By the presence of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

Jesus sent His Spirit.

His presence means that we can pray to the Father.

We have communion with the Godhead because of the Holy Spirit who is within us.

The omniscience of Jesus means that as we live life, He is at the right hand of God interceding to the Father on our behalf.

Catholic theology says that you can pray to saints to intercede for you.

That’s nothing.

I have Jesus Christ interceding for me.

Right now.

Romans 8:34, “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

You’ve got the Son of God, speaking to the Father on your behalf.

With the marks of His death still on his hands and feet, as a reminder of the payment that was given for your sin.

Always means He will not abandon us.

He purchased us on the cross.

The payment was too great.

The debt was paid.

You will never surprise Jesus with a sin.

Because He already paid for that sin.

Hebrews 10:12 says, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,”

The payment of Christ was complete.

Romans 8:38-39 reminds us that nothing will separate you from Christ Jesus.

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus being with us always, means that nothing can separate us from Christ Jesus.

To the end of the age

Things may get scary, but Christ will never quit.

He has a plan, and it will be achieved.

So until that end of the age arrives.

Until Christ returns.

Until He sets His feet on the earth and rules.

What do we do?

We continue being the church.

We continue functioning as a church.

We will not be shut down.

We will not be quarantined.

We will continue to practice a contagious Christianity, and make disciples of Christ.

Because we have not been left here on our own.