A Healthy Church Obeys The Great Commission

It is such a joy to see you all this morning. Robbie alluded to this a while ago. Last night was a very electrifying night for sure if y'all still do not have power rage. Raise your hand. Are you got the power brother? I know you do. So just just the Brewers and are you at home now? Just made out. Okay, great. Wow. You know, what's what's really funny was the, we were the only house on South Cook Road that did not have any power. Our neighbors had a power that one lightning strike must do, just hit all our Pole or something in the fuse blew on the, on the pole. So, wow. Y'all have power at such a thing for to hear that?

If you would take your Bibles and turn me to Matthew 28, Matthew chapter 28, now you have to take all that food out of the freezer back. Yeah, I see. I can't get early this morning to put some frozen foods in to the church freezer. Now, she has to reverse that.

Matthew 28 in.

Begin reading in just a moment, verse 19 or 18 rather. We're looking at a series and title day that the marks of a healthy Church. What are the characteristics of a healthy church today will be looking at a healthy Church obeys. The Great Commission do basic, Great Commission. Let's read in. Matthew 28 verse 18. It says Jesus came and spoke to them, saying all authority has been given to me in heaven and on Earth. Go therefore and Make Disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo I'm with, you always even to the End of the Age. Amen. Let's go to our Lord, prayer. Our Father. We thank you, Lord. For your manifold blessings or just being able to meet together today. And father, we are grateful for the fellowship. We're grateful Lord for the prayers, were grateful Lord to sing. These rich songs that tell us of Your Love toward us. And father, we ask you Lord, as we enter into this time of worship through the listening and hearing of your word. Father. I pray that we would to the best of our ability, but even beyond that, that you would give us a special ability to hear. Not just with our ears. But here with understanding with our hearts, that we would apply the truth of scripture to our heart and life. Father, I pray that if anyone is here today, that's never trusted Christ. Your dear son, Lord, as their lord and personal Saviour. Father. I pray that before this day closes at, they will trust you today and be saved. Father. We love you. And we ask all these things in Christ, name and all of God's. People said a man. A man, what we saw last week that a healthy church is a church that strives to conform itself to the scriptures in all that it does. If a church desires to be healthy than it did, it has to conform itself to God's word and we saw that a healthy Church may or may not be growing numerically. A healthy Church May or not be successful by the world's standards of success. A healthy Church seeks to avoid comparison with other churches which is easy for us to do. Is it not even for pastors? It's easy for us to compare our church with the neighboring church or a church nearby. A healthy church is Guided by the mandates of scripture alone? My scripture alone in course. Last week. We saw that a healthy Church takes church membership seriously, and and we know that sad to belong to a healthy church or to belong to a New Testament, local church, one has to be saved. One has to be born again, and converted, and then also must follow that. With Believers baptism will today, want to be looking at A healthy Church obeys the Great Commission. Typically, when we speak of the Great Commission, we always think of Matthew 28 verses 18 through 20. And of course that is a passage that will be looking at this morning. However, there are various forms of Christ commission to the church that are seen also in Mark and Luke John and the book of Acts. Notice and Mark 16 and verse 15, Mark 16 verse 15 says and he said to them, go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized, will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. And then Luke, 24:46 says, then he said to them thus it is written and does it was necessary for the, for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead? The third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name. To All Nations, beginning at Jerusalem, John 20 and 21. Says, so Jesus said to them again. Peace to you as a father has sent me. I also send you. And then finally Acts 1:8 says, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and all UD and Samaria and to the ends of the Earth. And so the healthy Church sees the commission and its various forms as the mission of the church. That is every local New Testament Church, and please understand me, that no church, no church or individual, a member of the church is exempt from this Commission. And listen beloved, there is a phenomenon that happens in all churches that desire to be biblical. There is a phenomenon that happens to all churches that desire to please God and that is for them to I have a tendency to drift toward becoming, scuse me a self focused Church. More less, that is the default mode and where church just focuses in on and only what goes on inside these four walls of the walls of this building here. And what happens then they become self-focused. They lose the intent for which God has commanded for the church to do. What God has committed to church to do and the church suffers as a result. Where there is only inlets and Outlets, which is as a matter of fact, which makes the Dead Sea, the Dead Sea, the Dead Sea is dead because it only has inlets, but it has no Outlets. Well, that's a church is proactive to start this drift. It will happen. And it is sadly often very subtle, but it will happen at well-publicized study was circulated. A few years ago were pastors and members of churches were asked the same question. What is the main function of the church? Almost, 90% of pastors said, something like this. The main function of the church is to reach the unreached. Over 80% of the members answer that same question this way. The main function of the church. Is to meet my niece, and my family's needs. So it's very obvious that pastors down through the years have done, a very lousy job passionately, sharing the mission of the church to his congregants.

Over the years, I have certainly seen that tendency to become self-focused and it is something that we must always battle. We must battle it. We must slay it and continually be coming back to a Biblical balance healthy model of the local church. Cuz we look at this verse These verses that contain with it. What is known as the Great Commission. Noticed, first of all the confidence, we have the confidence that we have in this Great Commission. We see this a summer 18

And Jesus came and spoke to them saying all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Now, this verse right here ought to really encourage us. This verse first 18 ought to really give us the confidence. We need as we think about fulfilling such a big task as the Great Commission. This verse ought to encourage us and give us confidence because we have received our orders from one who has that has possess possess all power and all authority. The words all authority speak of his ability and the right that he has to do something. Now, listen Jesus, as the Son of God always had Authority, but he exercised only a fraction of that Authority during his Earthly Ministry. After Jesus resurrection after the father God the father raised him from the dead. The father has bestowed full of 40 on him. He has full authority over Heaven and Earth. He has full authority over men and angels. He has full authority over his disciples, over his followers and all mankind. How do you Reign Over Nations now now?

All authority has been given to me. Jesus said in heaven and on Earth.

Now you think well, my goodness, it doesn't seem like it. but it has, And we base this upon the promise that Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, where he said to Peter Upon This Rock, I will build my church and the Gates of Hell shall not Prevail against it. I was going to church down through history has faced much adversity. And the church is stumbling its way into adversity even today. But listen to me. The church has never faltered. It has never been destroyed, and the church would never be destroyed. It cannot be destroyed for you to destroy the church with, you would have to destroy Christ himself and one cannot

So, we can accomplish his will because we are in dwelt in, with this power. We have kissed strength. We have his Spirit. We have his presents. And so therefore, we are not alone.

This is not a task. That is unachievable.

We have all the authorization we need for this task. We don't need to hesitate. We certainly do not need to apologize. Whenever we speak of Christ, we are within our rights to do. So because our King has all of 40 and he has commanded us to Go Make Disciples. And this is really, this is what the Great Commission is built upon all authority. A lot of times will focus, the Great Commission on just versus 19 and 20 and we neglect Verse 18, which is the most important part is because he has all the authority that we are able to Go Make Disciples. So that's a confidence that we have noticed. Secondly the command Notice they command in verse 19 and 20.

Go therefore and Make Disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the father, and the son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you in low. I'm with, you always even to the End of the Age. Amen. Now we see. And these two verses there are four verbs that are mentioned here. You have the word go. Then make disciples baptizing and then teaching. Now, there is no debate, romantically speaking as to, which verb is the dominant imperative. The dominant imperative here is what make disciples, that's the dominant imperative verb. They're make disciples. The first bird. That is mentioned, go is closely connected to the second verb. Make disciples. The first bird go. Where are we to go? What are we to do with the make disciples? And then how are we to make disciples by the next two verbs that describe that we do so by baptizing and teaching? Let's look closer at this word do. In verse 19. Obvious, obviously, this is a word that requires and expects action. This first verb tells us that there must be some movement about our mission. It tells us that there must be some action as it relates to our mission as a church. And the movement in our text is, not the movement from sitting in our pews and then just standing the same. Neither is a movement from the sanctuary to the fellowship hall where all the good meals are at? Okay. No, rather it is a movement out the front door to take the gospel to lost people. Go.

You cannot make disciples unless you go. Unless you move out to Mission, and you cannot go unless, you know, why you are going. And so the words go and mate, go together. They go together. You cannot separate the two. You cannot divorce the two, so we are to go that. We're going means to pursue the journey. One has entered. We make the siples first by going out into the world. Not by simply waiting for the world to come to us. This is where the American church has gotten it all wrong. We have we have waited, are we? We are in the mindset of. We're just waiting for the laws just to come in, and that's not the way. Jesus Christ gave us. This commission, we must take the initiative and again, I believe this is why we've lost our nation as a whole. We have stopped engaging, the culture. And to engage the culture. You must what? You must go. You must interact. And the church stop going and somehow Dr. The belief that the goal of the great. Great Commission, only speaks to pastors and missionaries.

The church then adopted in mindset of insisting that the lost to come to them instead of going to them. And here's the thing that we've noticed the last few years and more sexual sexual lies, our church or excuse me, our society gets the less, people are going to be interested in anything that the church holds. So does that mean that means we must go back to the Great Commission. And what Jesus said? Jesus said to, you go to them. You make disciples. So Christ expected them to go into the field, the Great Commission. Expected them to take the gospel message to a lost and dying world. And noticed this was not an option. This was a command and listen, if you are saved, you are part of the church. You have inherited this command. We are to go and fulfill the Great Commission. And again, this cannot be accomplished sitting on the Pew within our comfort zone. There is a work to be done within the chart, but we must take the message outside. These walls to a world that desperately needs to hear the gospel. So in this message, we're focusing in on the fact that a healthy Church obeys the Great Commission. And it was this commission that drove the early church. They obey this command. And what happened, God did amazing things.

The historian, Edward Gibbon tells us, that Christianity, listen to this Christianity had to reach the shores of India by 49 a.d. Amazing and it reach the borders of China by 61. Jesus was crucified around 3388. So just a few short years that Christianity has spread that much. In about 280, the early church fathers. Tertullian wrote to his non-Christian contemporaries. He said this we are. But of yesterday speaking, we speaking of Christians, we are. But of yesterday, we have just getting started. We're still in infancy and we have filled every place, among you City's Island towns, marketplaces companies, palaces Senate Forum. We have left nothing to you, but the temples of your John's How did that happen? Well, going back to the historian, Edward Gibbon. He said this in the early church. It became the most sacred duty of a new convert to spread among his friends and relations the Priceless blessing which he had received. That's how Another church historian. Adolph Harnett

Adolf harnack said, referring to the early church. The most numerous and successful missionaries of the Christian religion were not the regular teachers, but Christians themselves in virtue of their loyalty and courage. It was characteristic of this religion that everyone who seriously can fast the faith through the service to its propaganda. We cannot hesitate to believe that the great mission of Christianity was in reality. A Compass by means of informal missionaries and by informal missionary. He speaking to you, he is speaking of people like you, it was not primarily The Vocational missionary, or it was not primarily to the patient's past, your church members who made a living by their vocation, but as they were going, they shared the gospel and made the side. Not in your bullets. You should have an insert which is entitled Pastor only evangelism and it talks just about that. I encouraged you to read it. Notice thirdly the course. The course.

We're going to read this again in verse 19. Go there for. And Make Disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have to manage you in low. I'm with you always even to the End of the Age. Amen. So here is the detail of what these informal missionaries do as they go on Mission in obedience to the Lord's, command number one. They evangelize. They evangelize. The New Testament for the most part, does not separate evangelism from discipleship. Evangelism is assumed. Obviously assumed in the making of a disciple. Again, remember inverse 19 to Central Command or the dominant imperative verb is what it's make disciples. SL. Listen to me, this morning, the essential Commission. Is not to tell people about Jesus. It is not to preach. The gospel is not to grow your church. It is not to make converts. Now I understand Jesus commission assumes all of these things, right? But it goes deeper than that. Commanding that we make disciples. Understand this that we cannot make Converse. Only God can do that. We cannot born people into the kingdom. Only God can do that. But we can disciple those of whom God does convert. and those of whom God, say,

The word evangelize means to share the good news. Share the good news, by the way, inviting people to church is not evangelism. It's a great thing and we need to do it. But it's not evangelism. You may want to call it free evangelism, but it's not truly evangelism. The good news of the Gospel, the gospel obviously means, good news. We are commanded to be bearers of the Gospel, but we know this, the gospel is a message. And so sharing the gospel involves, then sharing words words that have power as Romans 1:16 tails.

The gospel is summarized by four words. You say, brother White had a washer, the gospel. Remember these four words and you can do it.

The gospel always begins with God. Always if you're going to share the gospel you start with God, you tell the person you're speaking to what the Bible says about God. He is Holy. He is righteous. God is light and in him is no. Darkness has no blemish. He's pure. He's holy. Then you go to the next word in that is man man. Sinful man, and because of seeing all mankind has been separated from God and does not. And does not give him the glory that he deserves by worshiping and obeying him. And because men are sinful, Romans 3:23, and Romans 6:23 man has been separated from a holy God, and man does not have any ability of himself to save himself. So you start with with God, you go to the sinful man, and then you go to Christ Our substitute. Jesus Christ, who is God became, man. He became our substitute. And he lived. The lies that we could not live a perfect sinless life. And he took upon himself, the wrath of God. That rat. That should have been mine. He died. He shed his lifeblood for us. He paid the atonement of our sins. And God seeing the satisfactory of his atonement raised him, according to the scriptures on the third day. We speak about God. We speak about sinful man. We speak about the sinless Christ. And then we speak about a response. A response man is responsible to make the proper response to Christ great sacrifice. And by the way, even if a person does not receive price, they are still responding to the gospel. You are either responding to the gospel by receiving Christ. Are you are responding to the gospel by rejecting it Christ. Man is responsible and there must be and always will be a response to the gospel. but listen, every Christian should be able to at least articulate articulate the gospel and do it without hesitation.

If you cannot. If you cannot explain the gospel of Christ to an individual. You may not understand it yourself. And if you do not understand it yourself. You may not be a True Believer. The gospel must be taught and shared before. Anyone will ever believe it. Romans 10 tells us this. So, think about this.

Most church members. Can speak extensively on subjects such as Sports? Politics. Are they able and they will do so at the drop of a hat? Ok? But unfortunately, it seems that many Christians get the case. Get a case of lockjaw when it comes to sharing the gospel with someone. Why is that? Why is it that were so so Brave and Bold to share our our opinion, on some sports event, or some political event, whatever the case is, but when it comes to the gospel, we don't say a word.

Most church members do not realize that the majority of the people 43% who come to know Christ under the age of 21 do. So, because of a friend or a family took the time to share the gospel with them. But here's the status stat. 80% of all Christians do not consistently. Share their faith. And again, we must remember this commission here is not an option. It is a command. It's a brother. Wait. I don't know what I would say. I don't know. I'm not a preacher. I'm not a theologian. Remember the words of Jesus. And Luke, 12 verse 11. He said that when they bring you to the synagogues in the magistrates in it and the authorities, do not worry about how, or what you should answer or what you should say. For the holy spirit, will teach you in that very hour, what you ought to say? Do you believe the words of Christ here? Apps. I pray, you do. Let me just quickly say that missions begins at home. Mission begins at home evangelism. Begins with those who are closest to you. Our children need the gospel. Your grandchildren need the gospel. And listen, if we are unconcerned about their salvation, I can assure you if you will not be concerned about some unreached tribe in Africa.

You Spurgeon? Who said the Heathen is to be sought by all means and the highways and hedges are to be searched. But home has a prior claim and woe to those who reverse the order of the Lord's Arrangements. Mission begins in the home with parenting, parents have the responsibility to point their children to Christ. And the church is responsible for teaching parents about what Biblical parenting is.

Evangelism. The second word is disciple. As I stated earlier in the New Testament evangelism is assumed in the commands of making a disciple. To make a disciple is to leave new Believers to maturity. So they understand and follow Jesus. And then they themselves eventually become leaders themselves. I feel by making disciples to church stays strong over the generations. What is a disciple with a root meaning of the word, is a combination of believing and learning believing and learning a disciple is one who has believed Upon. Jesus obeyed him. And is baptized and dust becoming a part of a local group or other baptized Believers and is continuing to learn from the word and Obey as a pattern of their life and noticed this. We have not been called to make professional to make professors of faith in Christ. We have been called to Make Disciples of Christ. There for church, planting and teaching new converts is just as important as Cherry with people have to be saved. Until I disciple, then is one who has believed Upon Jesus Christ and then has expressed this Faith by being baptized. He remains in The Fellowship of the Believers that he might be taught the truth of the faith. He's been able to go out to win others and teach them and this is the this is the pattern that's found in the New Testament. Specifically is found in 2nd Timothy 1:2 recessed pulsation. Timothy, the things that you have learned from me to met these two. Faithful Men Who will be able to teach others. Also. And again, in many respects, we have departed from this biblical pattern. We are not commissioned merely to make Believers by sharing a message, and then eliciting a response. We are commissioned to make disciples by baptizing them, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe Christ commands. We see that in verse 20. Teaching them to observe means to obey as a lifestyle. What are we to observe all that? He has commanded, us knows that mean that we only observe and obey the words of Christ. If you have a red letter bible, just the red letter words. No. It includes all of the scriptures that they were all written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Who is sometimes called the spirit of Christ? I notice lastly the Comfort the comfort of seeing a 20 teaching them to observe, all things that I have to manage you. And lo I'm with you always even to the End of the Age. Amen. My soul would a comfort. We find in these words. We already know and we recognize the difficulty that is within the realm of the Great Commission.

And that's why Jesus gives us the second half of 20. He gives us in essence himself. He gives us himself. And just as Jesus gave this commission, to his followers based on the reality of his Universal sovereignty. He also gives it based on the reality of his Universal presents. And so these two pillars. Jesus Power and Jesus presence. Hold up the church and mobilizes her. We can go and make disciples because Jesus has all authority. And because Jesus promises to be with us. Think about this, in the first chapter of the Book of Matthew. We were introduced to baby Jesus under the name Emmanuel. Which means god with us? Now, the last chapter of the Gospel of Matthew were given the confirmation of this witness price, being with us this promise and Christ. Final comatic words. Ray says in low. I'm with you always even to the end of the age. Maso. What a Monumental mission. Just imagine these men. On this day. Hearing these words from Christ that all nations. Will you need to spread the gospel and Make Disciples of all Nations and hear these men? Who have never really traveled? No more than 50 miles from anywhere, from there were born. And there's no doubt. I'm sure they felt that this was way too ambitious and way unrealistic. So just imagine that we were on that mountain and Galilee in heard. Jesus words on that day. We would have a hard time believing. That would we not? Lord. You staying at work to spread this to All Nations?

But obviously, we were not on that mountain.

I made my first. Grand appearance. On December 5th, 1976. On a total different continent. Then where this command was first given. Was born. Praise the Lord unto Christian parents. So I don't have a hard time. Believing Christ words because I am a recipient of these words being fulfilled and you are recipient of these words being pastilles already. Every Nation Every Nation.

Has been.

At some point, saturated with the gospel. It's a Jesus predicted that Christianity would be a world religion and it is, it is someone has rightly said, Jesus has indeed made the world his Parish. But listen, the job is not done, is it? The world would not merely come to us, is what we must understand, the world, but will not merely come to us as the wise man did when Jesus was born. We are to take Jesus mission to all men and women and children of the world. And any charger that is worth its Salt and Light. Is a mission giving Mission sending missions praying church, we are to make disciples of Nations and we can never never accomplish such a task in and of ourselves, but through Christ, we can do all things. We can fulfill the great Great Commission through Christ. I think about this as we apply this to our heart and life. Where would you be today? If it church or individual had not sought to do their part. Of the work of God. Where would you be? A likely used to be lost and on your way to hell. And listen, there are countless people in our communities, our nation, in our world who desperately need to hear the gospel. They may not realize it, but they need Jesus.

What are we going to do as individuals? And as a church by to reach them. If you would agree with me, Shirley. We could do more than what we have been doing.

I would encourage you to.

Give gospel tracts out. Maybe you're eating at a restaurant.

Give a gospel track. To write waitress.

I'll leave the gospel tracts. At the gas pump.

I figure they need to hear some good news, right?

But you did leave a gospel track because in that gospel tract is the gospel in words, and you never know the impact. I just a simple track can do as a lord of uses it. I encourage you. We have gospel tracks that are out there in each of the tables. Encourage you to pick some up and ask the Lord. If you're not burned over a certain individual may be a co-worker and neighbor family member, if you're not burden for them, ask the Lord to give you a burden. And ask ask for examine yourself, why you do not have a burden? Concerning their soul. Pray for the opportunity to share the gospel with them. Again. You don't have to be a Polish speaker. Cuz that's not what God has called us to do. God has called us to give answer to what has changed our life. And that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let's pray together.

A Great and Mighty father. we thank you, Lord for

this. Passage of scripture. Am I? So what a

What a task. From a human perspective. It is a nun, daunting task, but father.

As your word says. We've been given all authority.

Because of Jesus Christ and his promise to be with us. The Lord. I pray that we as a church.

Wood in the days to come. The more engaged with a culture. That we would be more bold, more courageous. To share the gospel to share, the good news with those were lost.

Father burtness.

Give us a passion. To do what you would have us to do. What you have commanded us to do. father, I pray that you would Just blessed, father. all those who are here and pray, Lord, for those who have not been say, father. I pray that today would be the day of salvation.

With all these things in Christ name. Amen.