The Great Commission

Transcript

GR 742
3/16/1986
The Great Commission
Matthew 28:16-20
Gil Rugh

Matthew has unfolded the facts of the resurrection of Jesus Christ concluding his account of the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. He even recorded briefly that the reaction of the leadership in Israel to the resurrection of Christ was one of continued disbelief, even in the face of pagan testimony. The soldiers guarding the tomb had witnessed the supernatural events that took place resulting in the empty tomb, and they related the facts to the religious leaders; but they refused to believe, and instead they propagated a lie to explain away the absence of the body of Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 28, the gospel writer would, very quickly and very concisely, draw his account of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ to a close. Christ prophesied during His earthly life that after His death and resurrection, He would meet His disciples in Galilee. Following His resurrection and appearance to the women at the tomb, He told them to go and tell His brethren to meet Him in Galilee and He would go there before them. At the end of his gospel, Matthew recorded that meeting in Galilee.
This meeting was not the last meeting of Christ with His disciples. The ascension of Christ, recorded at the end of Luke’s Gospel and also by Luke in Acts 1, took place at a meeting of Christ and His disciples on the Mount of Olives outside the city of Jerusalem and it occurred at a little later time. This meeting took place on a mountain in Galilee to the north, and Jesus’ earthly ministry, as Matthew has recorded it, centered in Galilee.
Matthew gave something of the setting of that meeting before he told what really transpired. Matthew 28:16, 17, says, “But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful.” In all probability, this was a site with which the disciples would have been very familiar. Since Christ’s ministry was centered in Galilee, they perhaps spent some time on this mountain at this site. Perhaps it was even the location of the Sermon on the Mount, it is not clear; but at any rate, it was a location that Christ had designated and they proceeded there. He met the disciples there. I think it is probable, for a couple of reasons, that there were more than the eleven disciples at this meeting in Galilee. First, He had already met with the eleven disciples in Jerusalem.

Matthew did not record that meeting, but John recorded some of the events. In John 20, Christ had appeared to the disciples without Thomas present, and afterwards Thomas said he wouldn’t believe unless he touched Christ Himself. Then several days later Thomas was present when Christ appeared, and Thomas worshiped Him.
Secondly, the fact that this meeting was designated for Galilee would seem to indicate that it was meant to have the involvement of a broader group than just the eleven. Why Galilee? Galilee was the focal point of His ministry. The bulk of His followers would be concentrated around Galilee. This may well have been the occasion that Paul wrote about in 1 Corinthians 15:6 where Christ appeared to more than 500 brethren on one occasion. That gathering could have occurred in Galilee on this mountain.
This would explain why the eleven worshiped Him; they had already confronted Him. When they saw Him again, it would be a natural response to bow down in worship. But the bulk of His followers would just have hearsay evidence that Christ had been raised. You can imagine that there would have been skepticism because even though He had told them about His resurrection, they still were not expecting it. They had been crushed by the reality of the events of the crucifixion. So to be told that He had been raised from the dead would result in many being skeptical. When Christ appeared in Galilee, some were hesitant. The word translated “doubtful” literally means “hesitant.” They were hesitant; they were not sure.
Christ came closer and dissolved any hesitation or doubt on their part. Matthew 28:18 begins, “And Jesus came up and spoke to them”. If this group included more than 500 people, you can imagine that as they stood there and Christ came closer and closer, there would be a little bit of hesitation. There would have been questions, “Is this really Him? ” But as He got closer and spoke to them, then it would become clear beyond any doubt.
The next question to be answered is what now? What is to take place now? Christ lived on earth for three years. He carried on a ministry to Israel announcing the Kingdom. He was rejected and crucified, buried and raised from the dead. Where do His followers go from here? That is what Christ spoke to in these closing remarks that Matthew recorded. Jesus covered three areas of importance to them.
Jesus started out by focusing attention on Himself, to unfold His position as the resurrected, allpowerful, Sovereign Lord. Then, in light of the position that He has as absolute Sovereign, He unfolded for them what His plan is for those who are His followers. And He concluded with a reassurance to them about His presence with them as they carry out the plan that He gave to them.
A key word in Matthew 28:18, 19, and 20 is the little word “all.” It appears four times: “All authority” (v. 18); “All the nations” (v. 19); “All that I commanded” (v. 20); and “always” (v. 20). “Always” in the Greek text is literally “all the days.” There is emphasis on the all- encompassing aspects of what Christ had to say. He spoke of all nations, all authority, all commands, and all the days. To resolve any question of the extent or duration, Christ emphasized repeatedly that this is “all” in each case.

Jesus began with His position, which is most important. When He was on earth, His followers could understand something of His offering the Kingdom as the Messiah, but He had been bodily raised from the dead. How has that affected Him? Matthew 28:18 continues, “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.’” Jesus claimed complete and absolute sovereignty over all creation, whether it was in heaven or on earth. All authority, there is no limit or restriction. There is no area left outside of His sovereign, universal authority, and this includes not only power but the exercise of that power. The One who has given it to Him is His Father, God the Father. The only One who could delegate all absolute authority in heaven and on earth obviously is God the Father. He has given that authority to God the Son.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus had authority. He claimed authority. He demonstrated authority. But the authority of Christ during His earthly ministry was always limited or restricted in one way or another. As a result of the resurrection, He has been given unrestricted, absolute and complete authority. He had this all-encompassing authority before He was born at Bethlehem. During His time on earth as the God-Man, that authority was restricted. Following the resurrection, all authority is given to Him. He had it before as God; now He has it as the God- Man, and He is the One who reigns over all.
The Apostle Paul unfolded this truth in Philippians 2:5, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped.” Jesus Christ dwelt in a relationship of equality with God the Father. But He didn’t think this equality of existence had to be held onto. Rather, He emptied Himself; He set aside that equality, the use of His power and His authority as Deity and all that went with that, and He became a human being and He lived as a human being. He had not ceased to be Deity. He could not cease to be Deity; one of the attributes of Deity is eternality. But He ceased to function as Deity; he ceased using all His powers and prerogatives as God and lived as a man for thirty years.
Paul continued in Philippians 2:8-11, “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” That is Jesus’ point in Matthew 28:18, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name and every knee will bow, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. Christ is given absolute sovereignty over all creation, and that is what was being stressed. This provides complete harmony and purpose. When all creation bows acknowledging the supremacy and
Lordship of Christ, that honors God the Father and brings glory to Him.
In light of this unrestricted, absolute sovereignty, Christ was going to give a command, and the command must be seen in that framework. If all authority has been given to Him, including heaven and earth, then He is the One who must be obeyed in every area. His command was going to unfold His plan, including His intention for His followers and their role and responsibility.
Jesus continued in Matthew 28:19, 20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” There is one basic command developed by three participles. The command is to make disciples. This command was stated in the aorist imperative, which is the strongest or most forceful way to give a command in the Greek New Testament. The three participles are baptizing, teaching, and going. We usually think of participles ending in “ing” in English. “Going” is really the first one, and it comes from “Go” which begins the sentence and is put in a participial form.
The basic command is to “make disciples”. A disciple is basically a learner, a student or pupil. You could call students in a classroom disciples of that teacher because they are there to learn from or be taught by that teacher. A disciple of Christ is one who has come to recognize who Christ is and believe in Him and thus has submitted to Christ in faith to learn from Him. “Disciple” is a title that would later be replaced by the word “Christian.” In Acts 11:26 Luke wrote, “The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” In fact, of the over 260 uses of the word “disciples” in the New Testament, all of them are in the Gospels and the Book of Acts. The word “disciple” does not appear in the New Testament after the Book of Acts. Today disciples are called Christians. A disciple is a believer in Jesus Christ, and a synonym for disciple would be Christian or believer in Christ. A believer in Christ is one who trusts in His death and resurrection for their salvation and is a disciple of Christ.
Involved in being a disciple is being a learner, and Christ stressed this with an invitation in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” The word translated “to learn” is the word “disciple.” So Jesus invited them to come under His yoke or under His authority and to learn from Him or be His disciple. Becoming a disciple happens in the context of the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ,” according to Romans 10:17. When a person hears the truth concerning Christ and believes it, that person becomes a disciple.
Paul, having carried on a ministry at Antioch, Iconium and then Lystra, was stoned to death and resurrected by God and then in Acts 14:21 it says, “After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples.” This shows how you make disciples. You preach the Gospel, the Good News concerning Christ, and the result is disciples. Acts 14:21, 22, continues, “they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.’” The proclamation of the Gospel itself does not result in disciples, but when the Gospel is proclaimed, the Spirit of God takes it and brings about faith in the life of the one who hears and the one who hears and has faith becomes a disciple. Then they strengthened the faith of the disciples.
Up to this point there was really nothing new in what Christ had said. This was what went on during the earthly ministry of Christ. The followers of Christ went out and spread the Good News concerning Christ. They preached the Gospel of the Kingdom which was the Good News about the Messiah and His Kingdom. Those who believed in the Messiah became His disciples or His followers, so that was not new. Christ was telling them that this aspect of ministry was going to continue. They were to continue doing what they had been doing, making disciples. But in Matthew 28:18 there was a change, “Make disciples of all the nations.” Instead of being limited to the nation Israel, their ministry would focus on all the nations, and this becomes crucial. It was in stark contrast to what Christ had instructed them earlier.
In Matthew 10:5 it says, “These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: ‘Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’” “The way of the Gentiles” or “the way of the nations” was not where Jesus sent the twelve disciples. He sent the twelve out and restricted their ministry to one nation, the nation Israel. He told them not to go to the other nations, to those who were in between the Jew and the Gentile, the Samaritans, but only to the nation Israel.
A Canaanite woman came to Jesus and asked for Him to intervene on behalf of her daughter. His response is in Matthew 15:24, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Jesus did minister to this woman, but only after she understood and acknowledged His position in relationship to Israel. In contrast, Jesus was instructing His disciples in Galilee to “make disciples of all the nations.” No longer was their ministry to focus on Israel only, but it was to be a world-encompassing ministry taking in all the nations.
The point of this plan was not understood until Acts 10, through a vision given to Peter. Peter went to the house of Cornelius, a Gentile. As a result, he was called on the carpet by the believers, and he received instruction that God intended for the disciples to begin to reach out to the Gentiles. That was when they understood the Great Commission. Paul’s conversion was recorded in Acts 9, and by Acts 13 there was a turn in ministry so that the Gospel was being carried to all the nations. Israel was no longer the priority in evangelism. That is not to say that Israel was not to be evangelized, but all the nations were to be evangelized.
In Matthew 28:18 there is only one main verb given as a command and that is “Make disciples.” But Matthew 28:18 begins with the word “Go.” It is not the command; it is a participle. We usually say “going” and some translate it “having gone.” It may assume the fact of the going;
wherever you go, make disciples. When a participle in Greek comes before a verb of command, a verb in the imperative, as it does with “make disciples”, it sometimes carries the force of the command. So there is some precedent in the New Testament for taking “go” as a command along with “make disciples.” Either way, the going has to happen. You can’t reach all the nations if you don’t go.
God was going to thrust the disciples out one way or the other. They were going to go! Some would go like Paul, sent on a mission by God; some would go just as they went about their business moving from one place to another. The point was, wherever the followers of Christ were, wherever they were going, they were to be making disciples! That is the command given to us as His followers! Isn’t it amazing how God works that out? He puts us in all different places, doesn’t He? You all go to different jobs through the week so you are “going”; and while you are there you are to be making disciples.
This is what God wants us to do. But you may be thinking, I need to make a living; you know those who don’t work shouldn’t eat, so it’s good to make a living. Yes, that’s fine, but that is not what my life is all about. That is not what unifies us. The fact that we have the same message and that we have the same involvement in making disciples for the glory of God unifies us. We want to preach a message that will result in people believing in Christ and being His disciples. So wherever we are going, we make disciples.
How are we doing? Where have you been “going” this past week? Wherever it was is part of God’ s plan. He puts us all in different places. That way there is somebody in these different places who represents Christ in making disciples. Why did God place me in this lousy, crumby job? Surrounded by these foul-mouthed unbelievers! Hopeless sinners! Well, you know where disciples come from? Hopeless sinners! Remember that a disciple is a sinner who has come to believe in Jesus Christ. As a follower in Jesus, you are in an honored position! God has placed you out there to make disciples.
There are two other things that have to happen in the discipleship process: Baptizing and teaching. I want to clarify some things. You do not make disciples by baptizing and teaching. Disciples are made by the proclamation of the Gospel. When a person believes the Gospel, he becomes a disciple of Christ. When a person believes the Gospel, he believes that Christ died for him personally and was raised from the dead. But these two things characterize disciples: they have been baptized in identification with Christ and they have been taught to obey Christ. So once you become a disciple by faith in Christ, then you are to be baptized and then you are to be taught.
Baptism in Scripture always carries the idea of identification. When you are baptized, you are being identified. Matthew wrote about John the Baptist who went about Israel baptizing. He was called “John the Baptisor” or “John the Baptist.” When people heard John’s message and believed it, they were baptized to identify themselves with John and his message. In Acts 19 the disciples of John were those who had heard the message of John and were baptized with John’s baptism. In the same way, when the disciples of Christ were told to be baptized, it was a way of publicly identifying with Christ and the message about Him. That’s the point.
A person who becomes a believer in Christ is to be publicly identified with Christ. I think we need to stress this because I don’t think perhaps I’ve done it enough in my ministry and teaching. When you lead a person to salvation by faith in Christ, the command to make a disciple carries with it the requirement that you ought to have that person baptized. The New Testament does not consider the possibility of a believer who was not baptized. It is assumed that those who have believed will be baptized.
On the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, Peter preached that you must repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. Was he saying you had to be baptized to be saved? No! That would be contrary to what Scripture says. You are saved by faith alone! But you are to be baptized as a public, open identification with Jesus Christ.
What did Christ say in Matthew 28:18? “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” I say that because we sometimes think there are different ways to give your testimony today. You can stand up and tell people that you are a believer so you don’t have to be baptized. Or, maybe you have a lot of other good ideas about ways to be identified with Christ. But God hasn’t given you or me all authority! He has given all authority to Christ, and Christ said to baptize His followers.
This means a person who is a believer in Jesus Christ who has not been baptized is in rebellion against the authority of Jesus Christ. It has nothing to do with what this church believes or teaches or with what I believe or teach. It has to do with the authority of Christ as revealed in the Word. Did He not say “make disciples” and those disciples ought to be characterized by baptism? What does baptism do? It puts your identification with Christ right out in the open.
On the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 after Peter preached, they baptized those who believed that day! This caused an immediate break. Those Jews that were baptized were disowned. Their testimony identified them with Christ. Some of you know what it’s like to trust Christ and then go through a period of days or weeks or months wondering how you’re going to tell people. The New Testament really resolves that. You ought to be baptized in public identification! Not so you can be more saved! If you have trusted Christ, you are already a child of God, but you should be baptized so that you can obey Him and be identified with Him.
How are you doing as a disciple? Are you a New Testament disciple? First, have you believed in Christ? Second, are you an obedient disciple? Have you been baptized? If you have been waiting for something, let me encourage you from the Word to be obedient to Christ’s command and be baptized.
When they are baptized, they are to be baptized “in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Usually when we baptize people, we say “I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” This does not mean that you would not be baptized if that was not said. This is not a formula you have to use. But we use it in identification with what Christ said. The point is, when you are being baptized as a believer in Jesus Christ in a public testimony, you are publicly being identified not only with Jesus Christ but with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit as well, because there is only one true and living God and He exists in three persons--Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
In the references in Scripture where this same kind of expression is used, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, there is an emphasis on the fact that the Spirit is God and that Jesus Christ is God as well as the Father is God. Would it make any sense if I wanted to baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and Gil Rugh? That would be a terrible thing to say! Because Gil Rugh is so far beneath the other three. They are Deity! Gil Rugh is just a common ordinary man! When you think about it, it is an honor and a great privilege to be able to be baptized and publicly identified as belonging to the sovereign God. He is not ashamed to own me as His own! He has called me to be His child! And by the act of water baptism I am privileged to say, “I want everyone to know that I am a disciple of Christ; I belong to the living God. ” That is really what we are doing in baptism. So the characteristic of a disciple is that he will be baptized.
The second characteristic of a disciple given in Matthew 28:20 is that they are to be taught: “Go
therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.” The
disciples are not only to be baptized, they are to be taught. The New Testament assumes that the followers of Christ will be taught the Word of God.
Note how all encompassing this statement is, “Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.” Basically, the context in which Christ’s command is recorded is the New Testament. He is also the author of the entire Scripture, so this would mean that disciples are to be saturated with the Word of God. The focal point of “all that I commanded you” would be in the New Testament, but He’s the author of it all. “All Scripture is inspired by God.” (2 Tim. 3:16).
We live in a day where we like packages. Meals are prepackaged and can be ready in three minutes. We like prepackaged stuff. I’m amazed when I watch some of the advertisements on television that there are any of us left who aren’t millionaires because you can order a package for $19.95 that will tell you how to get rich in three easy lessons! We like to package stuff. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with some packaging, but sometimes we let that carry over into our Christian lives. I don’t want to have to be bothered by learning all that He commanded, just tell me six easy steps to godly living. Give me four purposes I can identify with, that’s all I need. Just give me a summary. Just tell me five ways to be all that God wants me to be. But Jesus said that we are to be teaching them to observe all that He commanded. All. ALL!
This is what the Apostle Paul did. In Acts 20 Paul believed his ministry with the Ephesians was over. He did not ever expect to see them in this life again, so he called the leaders of the church at Ephesus to a meeting. Acts 20:17-21 says “From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. And when they had come to him, he said to them, ‘You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.’” Paul didn’t have a narrow scope in his ministry; he did not hold back from teaching anything profitable. Paul continued in Acts 20:26, 27, “Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” Paul says he carried on that ministry of making disciples as Christ commanded it to be done. Paul taught them all that Christ commanded.
He did not hold back anything of the entire purpose or the whole counsel of God. And he said, “I am innocent of the blood of all men.” In other words, “I am not responsible if you fail to measure up to what God wants you to be. ” This interests me because years later when Jesus Christ wrote the letter to the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2, He condemned them for abandoning their first love. Paul told them that they would not be able to blame him because he taught them the entire counsel of God. And this is the burden that I have. Am I being faithful in teaching the entire counsel of God? That’s why I believe it is important for us to move through the Scriptures in a systematic way; otherwise I would teach what I like and enjoy! But then how could I say that I have taught you the entire counsel of God? I need to be careful as a learner that I want to learn it all. Some of it I like more than others; some of it I enjoy more than others, but the Lord knows I need it all.
The first part of “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded” is to teach them what He has commanded, the facts of the word. But it is not enough to know the facts. God wants us and Christ commands us to be taught to “observe” all that He commanded. That word “observe” means to keep; obey would be a fitting synonym. In other words, He wants us to do what He taught. The point is not whether I could pass a great doctrinal exam on the Word of God and give all the right answers. Do you know what the exam is? My life! Does my life testify that I am indeed obeying all the Word of God? I realize that I am not perfect yet, and I will not ever be perfect in this life, but God is working on it. As I learn more of the Word and see more areas of my life that aren’t what they ought to be, then that becomes a challenge to let the Spirit of God go to work in my life in that area. I need to ask Him to take hold of that area of my life so that I can observe all that He commanded.
We have to be teaching all that Christ commanded and teaching people to observe that. That becomes the mark of a follower of Christ. John wrote in his first epistle, “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious” (1 John 3:10). The children of God do righteousness. The children of the devil do wickedness. That is the difference. The children of God do all that He commanded, and the children of the devil do not. That must be part of our teaching. I must evaluate myself, then, as a disciple. A disciple is a believer in Jesus Christ who is characterized by having been identified with Christ in baptism and who is obeying what Christ has said. Those are the characteristics of a disciple; one who is taught to observe all that Christ commanded.
Jesus Christ has all the authority. He started out by establishing that as the foundation, and then He laid out His plan. He could have ended there, but He ended on a note of assurance. These disciples could have been thinking, “I don’t know about this. It was different before when He was here on this earth. He walked with us. He was part of the ministry. I drew my strength from having Him there! Now He tells me to go make disciples. I can’t do that on my own! ” He knew that, and He said, “lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). This was an assurance of His presence. It is interesting that Matthew ended his gospel on that assuring note. Jesus sent them out to make disciples, but not on their own, because the One who has all authority would be with them always.
The word “always” as noted earlier, is literally “all the days.” Several Greek commentators in attempting to bring out the force of that expression gave some interesting translations. One said, “All the days throughout.” Another said, “The whole of every day.” The point is that Jesus was saying “Every single day I am with you!” That is tremendously encouraging. If I am going into a difficult area and I want to make disciples, that can be a little bit threatening and unnerving and I may be a little bit worried about it, because there aren’t any other believers with me. How often have you heard a Christian say, “I’m the only believer in my job? ” That may well be. Praise God! You are not there alone. Jesus is with you always, the whole of every day! No matter how God-forsaken a place seems, if you are there then Christ is there.
We fail to realize the potential and the power of that team! It seems to me that a team of two is enough to make a dramatic impact anywhere in the world, if one of them is Christ. Who else do you need? Praise God, it’s just you and the Lord! We often sit back and feel so sorry for ourselves! But why are you so honored that God would take you, just you, into such a place with Himself! He wants you to make disciples! What a privilege! God may have placed you in a place where it’s just Him and you. You can be sure He is there because He said He would never leave you. It is easy to want to get out of that situation because all they do is gossip and talk about all these awful, terrible things. Wait a minute; they need to hear the Gospel. That is what would transform their lives. Then you think you can’t do it. But you can in the power of the One who is present with you. That’s what does it. That’s where disciples come from. Do you know who is in church? It is a room full of wretched, hopeless, no-future sinners! What happened? The glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ came through the power of the Spirit of God and some came to believe. And what a difference it made, right? Well, if God can save you, I have hope for anyone! Isn’t that the perspective Paul had? He said he was the chief of sinners. If God can save me, there is nobody that is beyond hope. When you understand your own sinfulness, you appreciate that God can go to work on anyone.
How long was Christ going to do this? Was this just a transition? Was He going to be with them the whole of every day, for the first six months until they got started? What would that mean for you and me 2000 years later? Did He say He would be with them the first 1000 years and then they would take it from there? No. He said He would be with them the whole of every day, even to the end of the age! From the Jewish perspective, there are two ages: there is this age and there is the kingdom age. That would be the period of time we live in and the period of time when Messiah will rule and reign in glory. Jesus was not saying He would be with them until a certain point and then no longer. Instead He was saying that He would be with them until the end of the age! The Jews would have understood the end of the age, when the Messiah will personally be here to rule and reign! That is exactly what He was talking about. He was saying that He would be with His followers each and every day until He comes again to rule and reign in glory.
That is an encompassing promise and great assurance. I must admit some days I forget that. I sit back and I say, “Lord, things are just overwhelming. Lord, I don’t know if you understand it but this is more than I can take. Lord, I don’t know if You have paid attention lately, I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but things are out of hand. ” But then I remember that He never left. I don’t have to inform Him about anything! I can sit and talk with Him and tell Him about it! I can commune with Him! Is there anything too difficult?
If Jesus would bodily appear right now, right here with me, and take me by the arm and say “Gil, I’ve got some difficult places to go, why don’t you come along. ” Do you think I would be afraid? No is right! Not a bit! Well, He is really there! In fact, He’s even closer! He’s moved right in. When I get butterflies and think that I can’t do it, I just need to remind myself, that all I need to do is obey, observe what He commanded. How many times have I heard the Great Commission? How many times have I heard sermons on the Great Commission? Take it to heart! It makes such a difference in my life in the reality of the way I live.
I am privileged to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I am honored to belong to Him! And I am privileged to be involved in the disciple-making process, which involves telling others the Good News of the Gospel. It also includes being involved so others can share the Good News of the Gospel. We do not all do the same thing in the same way. Praise God for that! That is what gives effectiveness to the ministry, but we must all be involved.
Ask yourself, what did you do this past week to contribute to the effectiveness of making disciples? If Jesus has all authority and He has commanded me to make disciples but I was too busy this week, what does that say? It says I am in rebellion against His authority. It says I call Him “Lord, Lord,” but do not do the things that He says. In order to be obedient I do not necessarily need to be out on the corner preaching the Gospel and do the work of an evangelist in that way. But in some way I need to be involved with my life in making His followers more effective in making disciples for the One who has authority over all things.
The first question is, are you a disciple? You can only become a disciple by recognizing that you are a sinner and that Christ died for you and then believing in Him. It is that simple. You do not have to join this church or give money or do good deeds. You have to believe that Christ died for your sins and that He was raised from the dead. The moment you do that, you are His disciple. You are His child.
Second, He expects you, He requires of you, to be baptized in public testimony to be openly identified with Him. He does not want any secret disciples. Are you a believer in Jesus Christ? Have you been baptized in public identification with Christ? This is an area that needs to be considered.
Third, is your life characterized by obedience? Are you one who is observing all that He has commanded? It is not enough to learn a lot of facts about the Word. The truth of the Word should be changing your life as you submit to it.
There will be certain areas where you are doing okay. Then there will be areas that you really need to work on. There are some areas that you may be holding back on, areas where your life isn’t what it ought to be but where the real struggles are. Everybody has those areas, and those are the areas we need to concentrate on. I am convinced in looking at the lives of other believers as well as my own life that every believer has an area or a sphere of areas that will keep him from being everything God wants him to be if he does not come to grips with obedience in that area. That will be the area of real battle for each one of us. The battle over this area goes contrary, it seems, to what I am in my very nature as a person and I know that it is not consistent with being everything God wants me to be. That area has to be brought into submission to His Word so that I can observe all that He commanded.
What a privilege to be a disciple! What a privilege to make disciples! We need to focus our lives that way. As believers, we should be telling the world that we belong to Christ. Not because we want to be proud or haughty, but because it is our greatest honor! I belong to Jesus Christ! I’m a servant of His! I’m learning from Him, and I would love to have you know Him personally too. I would love to have you be His disciple. If Jesus accepted me, if He saved me, I know He will save you. He promises in His Word. What a privilege to be involved in that kind of ministry. I trust that God will use us through the days of this week, wherever we are going, wherever He places us, wherever He sends us. As we go forward, let each of us ask God, “God, how can I be most effective in making disciples for you in this place where You have placed me and where You are with me to use me? ”