The Great Commission

[00:00:00] Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. When I think about the Great Commission, I think about God being a God of multiplication, of addition, and not a God of division and subtraction. Although I would ask him now to subtract my heart rate a little bit. He's done pretty well the last five minutes. It came down quite a bit the last 15 minutes. I trust it won't keep going down. [00:00:35] The Great Commission. This topic was given to me with an outline, and I'll tell you what the outline is, what they gave as an outline, then we'll decide if we can spend a lot of time on each, or if I have to simply give an overview. of this topic. Number one, what is the Great Commission? Number two, why? [00:01:09] Why the need for the Great Commission? Number three, how is the Great Commission being fulfilled? I changed that a little bit. They wanted me to talk about congregational and personal evangelism. I'd like to look at how is the Great Commission being fulfilled. Number four, now listen carefully, Anabaptist history and the correlation between ministry and spiritual vitality. We heard about spiritual vitality in one of the previous messages. [00:01:43] I believe it was last evening. Number five, ministering to the religious in our communities as well as the heathen. I cannot in the next 45 minutes or 40 minutes expound satisfactorily on all these but I do am able by the help of God and his word to give an overview of at least the first three the why, or I mean the what, the why, and the how [00:02:13] I mean those are always questions that we ask Whether it's in business or in whatever situation we face is we want to know what, why, and how. What is the Great Commission? One thing it is, it's the last recorded personal instruction given by Jesus to his disciples. Another thing it is, and this amazes me, that the creator God would use man to fulfill something so great. [00:02:51] But it's a special calling from Jesus Christ to all his followers to take specific action while on this earth. When we think about being commissioned to something, the definition for commission is a task, but not only a task, but the authority to fulfill the task. It comes from one agent, given to one as an agent for another. [00:03:24] I'd like to turn to three scriptures of Matthew, Mark, and Luke and read the various passages on the Great Commission and just look at some of what is taught, what is commanded here, I believe. In Matthew chapter 28, this is the most familiar one. This is the one that we hear the most about. [00:03:59] In verse 18, and I want you to notice that the authority given first of all to Jesus Christ, the power, and then how he gives us that authority to go. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach, make disciples, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, [00:04:32] teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you all way, even unto the end of the world. Amen. I'd like to now look at Mark. We'll be coming back to this again, but Mark 16, verse 14. Well, I'll start reading in verse 15. He was there with his disciples. [00:05:03] And he said unto them, in verse 15 of Mark 16, Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these three signs shall follow them, and these signs shall follow them that believe. I just noticed this for the first time yesterday. I always thought it was those who went will take these signs, you'll see those signs as they go. But here it says, and these signs shall follow them that believe. And these are the signs. In my name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. [00:05:50] So then, after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God. Now look at this, verse 20. And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. The Lord went with them. Very important that we notice that. Let's go look at Luke 24. Luke 24, 47. Just cut right in here. In 47, it tells us what to preach. It says, [00:06:29] And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you. but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high. Their setting was somewhat different because this was previous to Pentecost. But I believe the point I'd like to make here is we cannot, we dare not go by our own power, by our own authority. [00:07:09] We better stay home. Another thing we want to notice here is the pattern. It always starts at home. And I believe whatever we, family or even business, that is a principle that we should always keep in mind that to neglect the things at home, to take care of things somewhere else is against what the very basic teachings of the word. [00:07:40] Remember, ministry, as we heard last night, somebody made this statement, ministry happens as we live our lives, as we go, but then we also know that we actually sent people, and they did back then. We heard last night about the other gospel, and I'd like to just share that a little bit, or borrow that a little bit. When we think about the Great Commission and we think about the four very clear teachings here, I just want to say this, the Great Commission is not just baptism and church membership, as was the thrust in the Catholic and Protestant churches during the Reformation, and still seems to be the thrust in many churches today, and I believe our background has, and even maybe our own churches have had this. [00:08:35] Where we depend a lot on baptism and church membership and we fail the four parts. Neither is it just to preach the gospel to get people saved so they don't go to hell. As is the thrust in many churches today. It's fire insurance for many people. We've been greatly influenced, I believe, by these teachings. To study Anabaptist history, you will find that the Great Commission was the heart of the Anabaptist movement. [00:09:13] They took seriously what I believe are the four parts of the commission. The commission to preach the gospel, to baptize, or excuse me, to preach the gospel, to make disciples, to baptize, and to teach, to observe the commandments of Christ. We tend to take the easy route. We tend to, it's easier just to baptize and make members or just to preach the gospel and get people saved. [00:09:57] The discipleship part of it and teaching people to observe is much more difficult. It's, I believe, something that we tend to shy away from, perhaps, because it's harder. In chapter 7 of Steve Russell's book, Overcoming Evil, God's Way, where he talks about the specific duties given to the church and to the state. By the way, I've been greatly influenced by Steve. He's a good friend of ours. He's a member there in our church. [00:10:30] And I was glad that they promoted his book again. Actually, for those who have read his book, you will notice here in a little bit that I've been influenced even by that book some. He says this about the Great Commission. In this short command to the Church, we can see all the areas of responsibility God has given to the Church. She is to proclaim the Gospels throughout the world and to call people from all the nations of the earth to become followers of Jesus and thus subjects of the Kingdom of God. [00:11:02] She is to initiate formally by baptism those who respond positively to this invitation and to announce their submission to God and the Church. She is responsible to instruct and guide all believers into complete obedience. What is the Great Commission? I see that time is just rapidly moving on. Why the need for the Great Commission? If we look at the first two, actually the first three chapters of the Bible in Genesis, and if we look at the last three chapters of the Bible in Revelation, in Genesis we see, we learn about the six day creation, we learn about man being the pinnacle of God's creation, and God calling his creation very good. [00:11:46] In chapter 3, we read about the fall of man, the curse of sin placed on God's creation. We learn about the need for redemption. In the last three chapters, we learn in Revelation, we learn about Satan's final defeat. We learn about God, how God is restoring his creation to, I believe, an even greater glory and perfection than what he first created. You can look at 2 Peter 3. It talks about the new heavens and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. [00:12:22] Between these, in between this, we can see in scripture, we learn about God's plan for redemption, for restoration. We learn what I believe is the overarching theme of the Bible, and that is the glory of God revealed to his creation. The kingdom of God, we heard a lot about this week already. God will accomplish that which he has set out to do. His plan will not be thwarted. [00:12:54] God's glory will be recognized by all. Every knee shall bow, and we heard that earlier also. Isaiah, God said, I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another. Another place in Isaiah, declaring the end of the beginning, from the beginning saying, my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. Even now the earth is the Lord's, even now the heavens declare the glory of God. [00:13:28] Now, this was another verse that the early Anabaptists used much, was the verse in Psalm 24, 1, The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein. In Habakkuk 2.14, it says this, and I believe this is prophesying about this dispensation that we're now in. For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. [00:14:03] Again, why the need for the Great Commission? I believe it's because of the curse of sin placed on God's creation. The world is a broken place full of broken, sinful people. God is restoring, if you read Peter's sermon in Acts 2, God is restoring and renewing all that Satan has ruined or that has come into bondage. Romans 8, even God's creation is groaning, waiting for its redemption. Revelation 20, 21 and 22, we read about separation, restoration, and redemption. [00:14:41] Number three, how is the Great Commission being fulfilled? Through God's people. I believe God's plan for the Great Commission began to take shape when he called Abram away from his country and his kindred and gave him a promise. It was then exemplified by Jesus' ministry while on this earth and lives on through his people, his church, to this day. [00:15:16] In Genesis 12, 2 and 3, this promise was given to Abram. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curses thee, and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed. We know Israel, the nation of Israel, failed miserably in fulfilling their responsibility. [00:15:47] But I believe Jesus Christ, the true Israel, did fulfill that responsibility. Exodus 19, 4-6 God told his people, God told Moses to tell the people, Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bear you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto Myself. God desired a relationship with His people. [00:16:22] He said this then in verse 5, Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, Then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people, for all the earth is mine. There that comes out again. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and an holy nation. That promise extended into the New Testament. [00:16:54] 1 Peter 2.9 But ye are a chosen generation, speaking to us, a royal priesthood, and holy nation, a peculiar people. Why? That ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. I could ask the question now, what does this look like? When Jesus walked the earth, or even back in Isaiah, it was prophesied, Jesus' ministry was prophesied in Isaiah, I believe it was in 61, I believe. [00:17:35] But then Jesus, in Luke 4.18, said what his ministry is. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted. to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised. I believe we are given this ministry. [00:18:06] No, we don't do the healing. But I believe we are the ones called to bind up those wounds and to preach the gospel to the poor, to preach deliverance. In Acts 26, Paul is giving his story to the authorities there. In one verse, before his conversion, he says that authority and commission was given to him by the chief priests to go and do what he was doing to the churches. [00:18:41] After that conversion experience, Jesus, the Lord gave him a charge, and I'd like to just turn to that. I didn't mark it, but in Acts 26, I'd like to read the charge that he gave to Paul. And see if we can see some parallels between that and what I just read there in Luke. [00:19:17] In verse 18, this is the charge given to Paul, and I believe given to the church. It says, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. That is our charge, to open the eyes of people, to show them the difference between darkness and light. [00:19:49] One example of congregational evangelism that has impressed me a lot in the New Testament is the church, the Thessalonian church. And I'm just going to read 1 Thessalonians 1, 5 to 10. And we can see the pattern that I believe we are called, that we should also follow, that should actually come naturally. [00:20:21] And that pattern is in verse 5 of 1 Thessalonians 1 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance, as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. So they were preached to. And ye became followers of us and of the Lord. They became disciples, not only of the Lord, but of those that had taught them. Having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost. [00:20:52] Number, verse 7. So that ye were examples. You set a pattern to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord. The word was proclaimed, sounded out, the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God's word is spread abroad, so that we need not to speak anything. For they themselves show us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. [00:21:36] I believe that should be the pattern. Starts at home and it goes outward. The church at Antioch sent people out and we also use that pattern. I'd like to talk a little bit about the things that I believe that can hinder churches in truly fulfilling the Great Commission. Looking at history. The early Anabaptists, it's very clear that the early Anabaptists, the first couple generations, did well in, even during persecution, in spreading the gospel. [00:22:24] I believe that is what flamed the fires. But it does seem that eventually persecution was so great that they opted to be the quiet of the land. I'm not sure that, you know, we shouldn't look down on them for that. You know, once you can hardly, once it is almost impossible to live, we look at things differently maybe. [00:23:07] Early, let's look at just a little bit of history from the Hutterites. Early on they were very active, sending out missionaries to spread the gospel. So, they have very clear records of the ratio of people that went out that didn't come back. And it's about 80% from what I learned. They were sent out, captured, and executed. They never returned. [00:23:41] It seems that as long as they were vigorous in their mission work and being persecuted, they did well. Their Brunnerhofs were centers of real Christian life. decades later that changed after they moved to the US and Canada very little persecution other than maybe some in World War I [00:24:12] we could say that, we could just say in a nutshell that prosperity overwhelmed them but really, well I'll come to that later right now I'm just looking at what we kind of think or what seems to be the problem or the thing that hindered. The Dutch Mennonites did very well in sending relief back to their people. [00:24:47] But they were tolerated. They became prosperous. They lost their clear testimony for Christ. It is reported that Dutch Mennonite merchants began to put wooden cannons on their ships to seem to be dangerous to those who were trying to hijack the ships or whatever. They at first put wooden cannons on just to look dangerous. But later they put the real thing on. [00:25:20] Then they started taking part in politics, being governor of some of the colonies. And so on and so forth. I believe for all of us, whether it's Amish, Mennonites, Hutterites, or whoever, However, there's been a temptation, but especially for the plain people, to try to wall ourselves off from others. [00:26:02] I believe in separation. But if we just isolate ourselves, first of all, the divide is simply external. You know, you can, we could take this whole group of people and go to a jungle somewhere in, you know, 50 miles away from the closest town and start a, yes, build houses and live there, but the devil's going to be there, the world's going to be there, the world is in our hearts. [00:26:36] It seems like isolation is not the answer. You know, we take the world with us. So in looking at this, looking at current conditions, what are some hindrances? You know, I named a few, but I'm not sure that this is the problem. Well, I know it's not the problem. I know severe persecution, no persecution, prosperity. charity, isolation, self-sufficiency in becoming politically involved. [00:27:12] I don't believe that is the problem. In Acts 9.31, I love this scripture. Acts 9.31. I believe we get the answer here. First of all, I guess I'll just ask a question. Should the circumstances that we're living in control us or control the vibrancy in our hearts? [00:27:53] In Acts 9.31 here it says, Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria and were edified. They had rest. For a period of time, they had no persecution. Here, I believe, is the key. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied. I believe severe persecution or no persecution can be detrimental. [00:28:30] I believe prosperity is and has been detrimental, but I don't believe that that is the underlying problem. I believe the underlying problem is once we do not have the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost, or once we move away from them, we start to diminish. Here it says multiply. God is a God of multiplication. I believe in order to fulfill the Great Commission, and I'd like to just qualify what I said about separation, isolation a little bit here. [00:29:09] I believe that in order to fulfill the Great Commission, we need to be rubbing shoulders with the world, showing our separation to others by how we live and by speaking to them of Christ. In Luke 10, 2 and 3 it says, Therefore said he unto them, Jesus said to the people there, The harvest truly is great, but the labors are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labors into his harvest. [00:29:44] Verse 3, Go your ways, behold I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Did anybody say that it's going to be easy? No. I send you forth as lambs among wolves. I do believe in separation, but not isolation. Ministering to the religious in our communities as well as the heathen. [00:30:18] Matthew 5, 14 and 16 I'm just going to turn to Matthew 5 and this will be in closing Matthew 5 As we think about God's call, first of all to the nation of Israel, and then to his church today. [00:31:03] In verse 13, Ye are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Salt doesn't do a whole lot of good in the salt shaker, by the way. It needs to be in the soup to make a difference, to season it. [00:31:34] It says in verse 14, Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but only a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and this last part here I want us to notice, [00:32:05] and glorify your Father which is in heaven, the kingdom of God, the glory of God. I believe as we think about the Great Commission, rather than thinking about the end results of the Great Commission, which I think we should, we should warn about hell and damnation and separation from God. But I believe if we give a picture of God's kingdom being restored, of separation of the evil, it should excite us to bring people to see the glory of God. [00:32:48] I want to close with several paragraphs from a writing that our son Josh wrote for an assignment at Faith Builders. The title was, God is Light, is Love. And the paper was written for a New Testament survey class. And I will close with this. It's quite lengthy, but I'll read it. When Jesus told his disciples, ye are the light of the world, a city set on a hill cannot be hid, he brought in their minds the geographical image of Jerusalem on a hill, inviting the entire world to witness the truth. [00:33:34] This was God's assignment for the Jews from the very beginning, to reflect the bright light and love of God throughout the world. As the New Jerusalem, this remains the central task of the Church. Jesus expressed this in his Great Commission when he instructed his disciples to go into every corner of the world and make disciples for him. The Church, as the body of Christ, is the light of the world. I fear that many times contemporary evangelicals think of the Great Commission as a call to storm as many countries as possible before the return of Christ. [00:34:12] However, the connection between light and love should change this nearly militaristic perspective. In obedience to the Great Commission, the Church's responsibility as the light of the world is to establish communities of love across the globe. As disciples of Christ love each other and their fellow humans with sacrificial love, light drives away the shadows of hatred and despair. The love of Christ flowing through the church into the world illuminates the meaningful life. [00:34:45] We hear a lot about the meaningful life in society today. Then he says just in the end here, I'll just read that last part again. The love of Christ flowing through the church into the world illuminates the meaningful life, that elusive ghost of secular philosophy and world religions. We have it in our hands. The word of God. May God bless us.