sf955 - The Great Commission (Matthew 28 16-20)
Matthew 28:16-20
Introduction
This passage is the climax of Matthew, indeed of the whole Bible.
This central message of Scripture pertains to the central mission of the people of God, a mission that, many Christians do not understand or are unwilling to fulfill.
The average Christian has lost touch with God’s primary purpose for His church.
Some would say fellowship is the most important function of the church. (John 13:35)
Some would say teaching is the most important function of the church. (Ephesians 4:11-13)
Some would say praise/worship is the most important function of the church. (Revelation 4:10-11)
All of these are biblical and should characterize every body of believers. But neither separately nor together do they represent the central purpose and mission of the church in the world.
The supreme purpose and motive of every individual believer and every body of believers is to glorify God.
Nothing so much glorifies God as His gracious redemption of damned, hell-bound sinners.
The great mission of the church is to so love, learn, and live as to call men and women to Jesus Christ.
There is only one reason the Lord allows His church to remain on earth: to seek and to save the lost.
Fellowship, teaching, and praise are not the mission of the church but are rather the preparation of the church to fulfill its mission of winning the lost.
Jesus message of how we are to fulfill this mission can be summarized in five words, availability, worship, submission, obedience, power…
1A. Availability (28:16)
1B. When we are available to the Lord we are behaving like real disciples
Faithful discipleship does not begin with knowing where you will be serving the Lord or in what capacity. It does not start with having a clear call to a certain ministry, or occupation, or place of service.
Faithful discipleship begins and proceeds by being completely available to God.
2B. When we are available to the Lord we put everything else aside to be where Jesus wants us to be.
We must come on His terms not ours.
Ø This is one appointment you don’t want to miss.
We must come as we are.
Ø They were not the most capable people in the world, nor the most intelligent or powerful or influential.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
Ø But they were where the Lord wanted them to be, and that obedience gave evidence of their willingness to be used in His service.
3B. When we are available to the Lord we experience the benefits of His presence.
We receive His blessings. We receive His commission. We receive His power.
2A. Worship (28:17)
1B. Worship is the believer’s response to the Lord’s presence.
When we encounter the person of Christ…we will worship Him.
Matthew 14:33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."
When we encounter the power of Christ… we will worship Him.
Revelation 1:17-18 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
2B. Worship always precedes service in the life of the believer.
Doubts are common and will hinder our worship and prevent us from serving.
Ø We doubt His purpose.
Ø We doubt His plan.
Ø We doubt His power.
Genuine worship eliminates doubt and prepares us to serve.
Ø This it the pattern throughout the Scriptures. (Isaiah 6)
3A. Submission (28:18)
The focus of Jesus’ declaration here is on His sovereign lordship, but in context it also clearly relates to the believer’s response to His rule.
1B. We gladly submit because of the nature of His authority.
Authority (exousia); the freedom and right to speak and act as one pleases. In relation to God, that freedom and right are absolute and unlimited
2B. We gladly submit because of the scope of His authority.
The sovereign authority given to Jesus by His heavenly Father is absolute and universal.
John 3:35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand.
3B. We gladly submit because it is our privilege and obligation.
Submission to the absolute sovereignty of Jesus Christ is not a believer’s option but is his supreme obligation.
4A. Obedience (28:19-20a)
1B. The basis for our obedience
We obey because of who gave the command.
The transitional word is therefore. “Because I am sovereign Lord of the universe,”
Jesus was saying, “I have both the authority to command you to be My witnesses and the power to enable you to obey that command.”
We obey because of our relationship to Christ
Scripture knows nothing of receiving Christ as Savior but not as Lord.
2B. The expression of our obedience
Make disciples (matheteuo); In this context it relates to those who place their trust in Jesus Christ and follow Him in lives of continual learning and obedience.
John 8:31 …If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
Jesus’ supreme command, is for those who are His disciples to become His instruments for making disciples of all nations
The specific requirements Jesus gives for making disciples involve three participles: going (rendered here as go), baptizing, and teaching.
3B. The requirements of our obedience
Evangelism - We are to communicate God’s word to all the world, go! (Mark 16:15)
Fellowship - We are to incorporate others into Christ’s family as members, baptizing
Discipleship - We are to educate God’s people, teaching them to observe all things …
5A. Power (28:20b)
1B. The dynamic of the power
Lo, I am with you, literally I Myself am!
It is the power that the Lord Jesus Christ offers through His continuing presence with those who belong to Him.
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2B. The duration of His presence
Always, even to the end of the age; literally all the days!
For the individual believer that means all the days of his life.
But in its fullest meaning for the church at large it means even to the end of the age, that is, until the Lord returns bodily to judge the world and to rule His earthly kingdom
Application
Are you fully and completely surrendered to God, are you available?
Is God both the object and subject of your worship?
Are you submitting daily to His authority?
Are you obediently following Jesus by actively seeking to “make disciples?”
Are you trusting in and leaning on His presence and power in your life?
Matthew 28:16-20
1A. _______________________________________ (28:16)
1B. When we are available to the Lord we are behaving like real disciples
2B. When we are available to the Lord we put everything else aside to be where Jesus wants us to be.
We must come on His terms not ours.
We must come as we are.
3B. When we are available to the Lord we experience the _______________________ of His presence.
We receive His blessings.
We receive His commission.
We receive His power.
2A. Worship (28:17)
1B. Worship is the believer’s response to the Lord’s ______________________________.
When we encounter the person of Christ…we will worship Him. (Matthew 14:33)
When we encounter the ______________________ of Christ… we will worship Him. (Revelation 1:12-18)
2B. Worship always __________________ service in the life of the believer.
Doubts are common and will hinder our worship and prevent us from serving.
Genuine worship eliminates doubt and prepares us to serve.
3A. ___________________________ (28:18)
1B. We gladly submit because of the ____________ of His authority.
2B. We gladly submit because of the ______________ of His authority.
3B. We gladly submit because it is our privilege and obligation.
4A. Obedience (28:19-20a)
1B. The ______________________ for our obedience
We obey because of who gave the command.
We obey because of our relationship to Christ
2B. The ______________________ of our obedience
John 8:31 …If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
3B. The _______________________ of our obedience
Evangelism - We are to communicate God’s word to all the world, go! (Mark 16:15)
Fellowship - We are to incorporate others into Christ’s family as members, baptizing
Discipleship - We are to educate God’s people, teaching them to observe all things …
5A. Power (28:20b)
1B. The __________ of the power (Romans 8:38-39)
2B. The _______________________ of His presence
