Take it Personally part 2

II. To Seek and to Save

If you had fewer than twenty words to give a one-sentence purpose statement for your life, what would you say?

Would you list your roles?

Would you list your goals in life? Would you list the people you hope to influence? Or the way you hope to be remembered?

Jesus gave His purpose statement in a sixteen-word sentence.

Luke 19:10 KJV 1900

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

This was the heartbeat of Christ. Jesus didn’t come to this world to be admired or recognized, and He certainly didn’t come to enjoy comfort. He had all of that in Heaven. He came for lost souls- to seek and to save the lost.

Mark 2:17 KJV 1900

When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Mark 10:45 KJV 1900

For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He left us with instructions to reach the world with the message of the gospel. We call these verses the “Great Commission.”

Matthew 28:18-20

Matthew 28:19 KJV 1900

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Matthew 28:20 KJV 1900

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Notice that Jesus starts with the statement that, “all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Christ tells us that He has all power. The word power in the Greek word that speaks of the sense of might, but power also has the sense of authority. So, before Christ gives the command to go with the gospel, He tells us , “I have all might and all authority- therefore (because of that), Go!

a. Go

When we purpose to go with the gospel, we do it with the assurance that all power of God is behind us. And when we don’t go with the gospel, we’re doing it against the authority and command of Christ.

This command involve action- you can’t go while doing nothing.

b. Win

There are two times in the great commission where the word teach is used. The first time, it refers to teaching the gospel itself.

Mark uses the word Preach in

Mark 16:15 KJV 1900

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

So not only do we go to the people who are lost with gospel, but we go with the intent to lead them to Christ.

c. Baptize

Our job doesn’t end the moment someone trusts Christ as Saviour. In fact, that’s when it just begins. After, we need to instruct them in believers’ baptism and help them take this first step of obedience in their Christian life.

d. Teach

Here we come to second time teach is used in the great commission. This time it is not about teaching the gospel itself but teaching a new believer how to live the Christian life.

When we trust Christ as our Saviour, we don’t automatically know everything about living the Christian life or all the truths of God’s Word or pray.

e. Embracing the Mission

Even as Jesus began the Great Commission with a statement about His power, He ends it with a promise about His presence:

“Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

Lo is an old English word that means, “look, or see” its Christ’s way of emphasizing and drawing attention to the statement He is about to make.

If we had to do the great commission alone, the task would be out of our reach. I cannot convince someone of their need of Salvation. I cannot save them. But we have the promise that Christ will be with us.

So what would happen if you embraced this Commission? If you recognized the value of a single soul and reality of Christ’s command to personally take the gospel to someone? How could you make a difference through obeying the Great Commission?