The King s Great Commission Matthew 28:16-20 Introduction

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1 Introduction The Chapter began with the resurrection and appearance of Jesus to two women and now concludes with the appearance of Jesus to the eleven and final instructions concerning the witness and service of the Church. The Duke of Wellington called these instructions the Marching Orders of the Church a kind of divine warrant for the apostles and the Apostolic Church. The warrant contains explicit instructions in the form of four all s contained in the passage. The risen Savior declares that He has all authority (v.18) which provides the basis for global missionary adventure. It describes the secret of our service (yes missionaries are in Christ s secret service). Next the scope of service all the nations (v.19). These are not political or geographical or sovereign nations; but rather people groups. Ethnos people groups distinguished by race or language or culture or religion or the combination of these elements. Next comes the substance of that service;...teaching...all things (v.20a). Finally we are promised strength for that service...i am with you all the days or always (KJV; NKJV). The King s Unlimited Authority (vv.16-18) Matthew 28:16 (NKJV) 16Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted. The angel told the women to go quickly and tell his disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee (v.7). Jesus repeats Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me (v.10). This is the same appearance recorded in Mark 16:15-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:6. We are not told which mountain in the Galilee. The importance is not it s location but rather that it was a place appointed for them. Judas had already gone to his appointed place. The disciples and the apostles have gathered at some rendezvous location appointed by Jesus. We might think of it as the place of appointment. Jesus is able to use men and women who go to the place He instructs them to go; to go the place where He will speak, instruct and strengthen. What good is your spiritual gift if you fail to make it available to God? The disciples come with all their fears and doubts and misgivings. The eleven are there; but I suspect the gathering on the mountain has swelled to hundreds more. I suspect that Jesus may have given these instructions to the largest audience possible (is this the place that Paul remembers Jesus was seen upwards of 500 witnesses?). Since the mission applies to the whole church I believe men and women were there; young and old; convinced and skeptical. Just like now. Jon Courson writes; On any given Sunday, we sense the Lord s presence and we worship Him. But some doubt. Even then some doubted (Application Commentary p.383). 1

2 At this point all the apostles believe that Jesus has risen from the dead. Even doubting Thomas. Perhaps some of the people who accompanied the apostles tot he mountain noticed a man in the distance and doubted whether or not it was really Jesus (see Hendrickson p. 996). The Great Commission begins with the disciples available; recognition of Jesus and worship. In order to reach a lost and dying world with the Gospel we must be available and we must worship. We must be willing to worship Jesus in Spirit and Truth. Notice they worship Jesus as Lord and God. Seeing the risen Savior brought the realization He is the King of the Universe. I believe their doubts and confusion began to lift and their shattered dreams began to reform into a coherent commission. But some still doubted! That is amazing to me. The honesty of the Scripture. People who write their own histories tend to exaggerate their strengths and downplay their weakness! We are not told who doubted or why. The doubt seems centered in the idea that this person might be an imposter. Is this really Jesus? Matthew 28:18 (NKJV)18And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Jesus speaks. He is recognized. Jesus reminds the audience that all authority has been given to Jesus in Heaven and earth. With it comes an immediate rub: In a fallen world men and women rebel against authority. There is a growing population of people who believe personal feelings; preferences and beliefs are determined by the individual or culture or government. The Lord Jesus maintains that all authority in heaven and earth belong exclusively to Him. The word translated authority is exousia; In John 5:27 the word is translated right; in Revelation 22:14 jurisdiction and in Luke 23:7 liberty; 1 Corinthians 8:9 power and John 10:18. The word is sometimes contrasted with dunamis a word that speaks of intrinsic power or power in and of it self. In Mark 3 we read that Jesus went up to a mountain and called whom he would; they came to Him and he appointed twelve; to be with Him; and sent them to preach and to have authority (same word) to heal sicknesses, and to cast out demons (v.15). The same word is used in John s Gospel that for those who believe in Jesus have the power (same word) to become the children of God (John 1:12). Matthew s gospel repeats the theme again and again. Jesus has all authority in teaching (Matt. 7:29); healing (Matt.8:1-13); and forgiving sins (Matt.9:6). Jesus has authority over Satan and demons and delegates that authority to the disciples in Matthew 10:1; He gave them power (authority) over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Now Matthew makes it clear that the authority of Jesus reaches everywhere. We can obey Jesus without fear. No matter where He leads us; or what ever circumstances we face; Jesus is in control (Wiersbe p.107). 2

3 What is the ultimate authority that Jesus possesses? The Lord Jesus has the right (read authority) to raise the dead and judge the dead. I heard a commercial where a man calls the hotel desk complaining about his dirty room. I m sorry the receptionist replies. Well aren t you going to do something about it? I m only authorized to apologize. The Lord Jesus possesses all authority. Jesus is the Sovereign but He is also the Savior. The King s Uncompromising Activity (vv.19-20a) 19Go 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, 20teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; The disciples mandate include reaching and teaching the nations (ethnos). On what basis are these instructions given? On the basis of His authority. This has been called The Great Commission. There are three commands (not suggestions). 1. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations. 2. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 3. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; The Lord begins His instructions by saying go. The verb construction is present participle (going) go and keep going. The only command is make disciples. The idea while you are going and keep going make disciples (all the nations). While we are going we witness and make disciples. Go. We should go. Unless we are ordered to stay. We should go because Jesus has also promised to impart strength and power. We should go because Jesus is worthy of honor, praise, glory, homage, faith and obedience. In Mark s Gospel we read Go into all the world (16:15). What does it mean to make disciples? At the most basic level a disciple is one who learns from a teacher. Jesus is the teacher. On the basis of His authority we make disciples. Making disciples must mean instructing new believers on who Jesus is and what Jesus taught. We teach people how to follow Jesus; submit to Jesus; obey Jesus; and to take up His mission of love and compassionate service to those whom Jesus brings into our lives. 3

4 In Mark s Gospel (16:14) Afterward He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. We are not surprised that we are met with skepticism and unbelief. The next verses read; Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; be he who does not believe will be condemned (vv ). The preaching of the Gospel will result in one of two things; some would believe and be saved; others will not believe and be condemned. How far have we gone into the world? According to the Joshua Project there are 17,009 people groups in the world. What constitutes a people group (ethnos)? Usually it will include shared language, culture, ethnicity, geography, religion, caste system, worldview. There are 7,079 unreached people groups. What does unreached mean? It means that less than 2% of the total population of that group are Evangelical and less than 5% Christian adherent (think Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant). Which countries have the most unreached groups? India 2276 China 445 Pakistan 386 Bangladesh 293 Nepal 258 As Christianity shrinks in Europe and North America the numbers are growing in Latin America; Africa and Asia. Where are Christians most likely to be persecuted? In Muslim dominated countries. Nine of the ten top countries where Christians experience severe persecution include Somalia; Afghanistan; Pakistan; Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Eritrea (the non Muslim greatest offender is North Korea). The number of Evangelicals on the earth is growing but so is the absolute number of nonbelievers Billion Billion Billion Billion Where do most of the remaining 7,000 plus unreached people groups live? Most are in what we call restricted access countries. What percentage of the world s Hindu, Muslims, Buddhists do not know a Christ follower? 81% Total number of missionaries who work among the unreached? Only 1 in 10. In the world there are people groups with no known evangelical churches, missions, ministry tools, agency work and a large population that numbers in the 4

5 millions. Would you like to know about these places? Go to finishingthetask.com. The Psalmist wrote (2:8); Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as thine inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as thy possession. Who remains unreached? Your family. Your neighbors. Your friends. The Fifty Largest unreached people groups are posted at joshuaproject.net. All 50 of these people groups have less than 2% Christ-followers Individuals in these groups may have very limited, if any, access to the Gospel. These 50 unreached people groups are comprised of 1.48 billion souls. One in five people on earth live in these 50 unreached peoples. Every group is larger than 10,000,000 in population. None have an indigenous church capable of taking the Gospel to the entire group. Primary religion: 23 are Muslim, 18 Hindu, 6 Buddhist, 2 Ethnic Religions, 1 non-religious. 44 of these 50 unreached people groups are in the 10/40 Window, 47 are in sensitive countries. Some have suggested that since Mark s Gospel says believe and be baptized that both belief and baptism produces salvation for the sinner. But that cannot be the meaning for the following reasons: 1. The thief on the cross was not baptized but assured of salvation by Jesus on the basis of trust and belief. 2. The Gentiles in Caesarea were baptized after they were saved (see Acts 10:44-48). 3. Jesus Himself did not baptize which seem strange if baptism is a requisite for salvation (John 4:1-2). 4. Paul thanked God that he baptized on a few of the Corinthian believers (1 Corinthians 1:14-16); if baptism is required for salvation you would think Paul would have insisted on baptism. 5. There are about 150 passages in the NT where salvation is by faith alone. This is overwhelming evidence that salvation is by faith alone. 6. Baptism is connected with death and burial and identification in the New Testament; not spiritual birth. So what does Mark 16:16 mean He who believes and is baptized will be saved? It must mean that belief or the expression of belief produces an expectation of identification with Jesus. Baptism is not a condition of salvation or for salvation but rather baptism is a proclamation to a watching world that this person is saved (see William MacDonald p. 1365). What does it mean baptizing them in the Name (singular) of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit? Martin Luther: The Creed confesses three persons as comprehended in one divine essence, each one, however retaining his distinct personality...to the Father we ascribe the work 5

6 of creation; to the Son the work of redemption; to the Holy Spirit the power to forgive sins, to gladden, to strengthen, to transport from death to life eternal. The name is singular. There is only One God. One Father. One Son. One Holy Spirit. These three distinct persons are the one true God. Being baptized means being brought into vital relationship with all three persons of the Godhead. Baptism is important. It is a public declaration of love and loyalty to the living God, to Christ. The person being baptized is going on record and telling the world I have broken with the world and am now brought into unity with the Trinity. Discipleship incorporates teaching the to observe all things commanded by Jesus. Clearly I can not tell you everything Jesus commanded in the few minutes we have. With every command Jesus gives He also provides a promise of help. What are some of these commands? Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth (Matt.6:19). Lean not unto your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Let not your heart be troubled (John 14:1). Look not at the things which are seen (2 Corinthians 4:18). Lose not those things which we have wrought (2 John 8). Love not the world (1 John 2:15). Lie not one to another (Col.3:9). The Commission is not limited to the apostles, disciples and individuals on top of that mountain. But it extends to future generations. The King s Unalterable Ability (v.20b) (v.20b)...and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. The word lo means behold or look. The word is supposed to arrest attention. The Lord Jesus assures His presence I am with you always. Not I will be with you but rather I am with you always. G. Campbell Morgan preached from this text and called it a promise. A lady came up to the venerable preacher and said; It s not a promise it s a fact. David Livingston was once in great danger in Africa. By flickering candlelight he read these words; Lo, I am with you. Then he said, That settles it. These are the words of a Gentleman of sacred honor. I will trust Him and not be afraid. God brought him through his troubles and years later he spoke in England and said; The thing that sustained me all those years in Africa were these words; Lo, I am with you. That promise (fact) makes possible your obedience to fulfill The Great Commission. What if I don t feel His presence? It makes sense that you would trust your feelings more than Christ s promises. Your feelings are more real to you than Christ s promise. Congratulations your feelings have more authority in your decisions than Christ s Word and Christ s promises. 6

7 Did it ever occur to you that your feelings might be leading you astray? What if God s Word and Christ s promise is true? What if Jesus is with you in every thought, every deed, every step, every decision every trial? What if there is never a moment when Christ is present to comfort you, guide you, direct you, strengthen you? Do you think Jesus is present in all suffering, all abuse, all persecution, all martyrdom? Oswald Chambers; Not what the disciple says in public prayer, not what he preaches from pulpit or platform, not what he writes on paper or letters, but what he is in his heart which God alone knows, determines God s revelation of himself to him. Character determines revelation. The task of reaching a lost and dying world may seem overwhelming and impossible. But we are given several assurances. The presence of Jesus, always; in every generation until we come to the final generation and the end of the age. What does the presence of Jesus bring to the task? Conclusion Billy Graham once said; I am not responsible to preach the gospel to the generation before me or after me but to preach the gospel to this generation. We preach now. We teach now. Do you have a desire to reach the unreached? To teach the untaught? Then you should be willing to start here and now. 1. Be available. Be worshipful. 2. Believe Jesus. Become A Disciple. 7