Editor s Note: We suggest that you consider using this message or a variation of it a few weeks before you begin the Connect>1 Evangelism Campaign in your church to prepare the hearts of your congregation. This sermon was written by Rev. Russell Duck, pastor of First Baptist Church, Elk City, Oklahoma THE IMPORTANCE OF SUNDAY SCHOOL MATTHEW 28:18-20 When Jesus ascended to Heaven after His mission on earth, the angels asked Him, Did you accomplish your task? Jesus replied, Yes, all is finished. The angels then said, We have a second question, Has the whole world heard of you? No said Jesus. The angels next asked, Then what is your plan? Jesus said, I have left 12 men and some other followers to carry the message to the whole world. The angels looked at Him and asked, What is your plan B? I can answer that question by saying there is no plan B. Jesus desires to reach the world through men, women, boys, and girls, just like all of us. How important is the Great Commission? It is mentioned 5 times in the first 5 books of New Testament Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all end their gospels with The Great Commission, while the book of Acts begins with it in Acts 1:8. Bob Utley reminds us, This is The Great Commission not the Great Option. As we think about evangelism and reaching our world for Christ, perhaps there is no better organization to do that in all the world than Sunday School. When Sunday School is looked at through the lens of The Great Commission, we are better enabled to see how important it is. I. THE POWER OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL (18) The power of Sunday School comes from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He said He had all authority in heaven and on earth. www.bgco.org/connect1 Russell Duck, Elk City, First Page 1 of 5
This word authority means active power; to have the full ability to do as one wills. Notice the scope of Jesus authority in heaven and on earth. Nothing could be more comprehensive. He has all authority! This is an extraordinary claim. Jesus is either Lord or He is a liar! However, we know it is a true claim because His resurrection backs it up. Jesus can only make this claim if He is fully God (Daniel 7:13-14, Philippians 2:9-11). Jesus is claiming all power and the right to exercise it. As He sent His disciples out, He want them to realize this. Never did any human army have such resources behind it as the Church of Jesus Christ! Col. 1:16-19 informs us about the authority of Jesus: He created all things; He created all ranks of angels; He is before all things; and by Him all things consist. What power is available to us! Yet how often we focus this power on us instead of this world that needs to know Jesus. The story is told of a woman who was giving a word of appreciation to her first aid class. There was a terrible accident in front of my house. A man was lying there with bones splintered, rolling in pools of blood. His arteries were severed. He was in a state of shock. But thankfully I remembered my first aid instructions that if I would put my head between my knees I wouldn t faint. It worked and I didn t faint! I m so grateful that I took this first aid class. There are too many Christians just like that. We need to get our heads from between our knees and realize that Jesus said in Acts 1:8, you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and all Judea and in Samaria, and unto the utter most part of the earth. What power fuels Sunday School? The authority and greatness of The Lord Jesus Christ. We must remember this and know that no task is too difficult with His power in us. II. THE PURPOSE OF SUNDAY SCHOOL (19-20a) If you were to study verse 19 in the language of the New Testament you would find 3 participles and one main verb. The participles are going, baptizing, and teaching. The main verb, which is an imperative, is make disciples. In this way it would read, In your going, in your baptizing, in your teaching, make disciples. Notice the word go. This word reminds us we don t just come to church, we must also go and tell others. This is becoming less www.bgco.org/connect1 Russell Duck, Elk City, First Page 2 of 5
and less the case in our churches today. One person said, the go ye of The Great Commission has been replaced by the sit ye of the Great Omission. Many of us have lost our urgency in going. We have forgotten what it was like to be lost. Leighton Ford tells the story about his daughter being lost one time. He wrote, During the nearly two hours that Debbie Jean was missing, nothing else mattered. In my study were books to be read, letters to be answered, articles to be written, planning to be done; but it was all forgotten. I could think of only one thing: my little girl was lost. I had only one prayer and I prayed it a thousand times. Oh God help me to find her. How often I have asked myself later, Have I failed to have such a terrible urgency about people who are lost from God? The next word is baptizing. This is the evangelism side. This word implies repentance and faith has already taken place. This presupposes a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Disciples follow Jesus Christ in baptism. The next word is teaching. (20) This is the discipleship side. We should not simply teach facts about Jesus, but obedience to His teachings. Obedience is the proof of reality (John 15:14). There is an emphasis here upon obedience to all of Jesus commands. The setting of a Sunday School classroom is a wonderful place to make a disciple of Jesus Christ. We are to do more than teach a lesson we are to make disciples. We are not just to make converts, we are to make disciples! The main verb is make disciples. The word for disciple is learner. If we are going, baptizing, and teaching without making disciples, we are not fulfilling The Great Commission. Salvation is more than just a decision; it is a lifelong commitment of faith (John 8:31). Disciple making is hard difficult work, but it is also very rewarding. Don t miss that phrase all the nations. What a shocking statement this would be to a Jew of that day! Notice the word all is found 3 times, once in each verse. We are to make disciples of all people everywhere without distinction (Revelation 5:9). Don t just tell the Jews, tell the world, the whole earth the Good News! J.C. Ryle wrote, It may well be questioned whether a man knows the value of the gospel himself, if he does not desire to make it known to all the world. www.bgco.org/connect1 Russell Duck, Elk City, First Page 3 of 5
III. THE PROMISE FOR THE SUNDAY SCHOOL (20b) Jesus is passing the mantle to His disciples, to empower them for future mission. He wants them to know as they spread the Gospel He is there they have His power, His purpose, and now this great promise. Jesus has called us to become disciple makers, and He promises to be with us as we do it. Lo I am with you always. Jesus is always with His people what a promise! The one who has all power and who promises to be with us always has commissioned us to evangelize and disciple. It is a daunting task, but with His presence, purpose, and power we can do it! What could have been more comforting and encouraging to the disciples than these words? Let s keep on believing the promise and not be afraid. Our purpose is to make disciples, our focus should be all the nations, and we have all the power and the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ with us as we do it. He ends by saying even to the end of the age. This is a reference to the consummation of the kingdom of God. It is referring to the time that Jesus will once again be present bodily with His people. This gospel began with Matthew 1:23 referring to Emmanuel which means God with us. Now it ends in that same way reminding us that in Jesus, God is with us for now and eternity! What else could we want or need? It is a promise for individual Christians and can be applied to Sunday School as well. David Livingstone was a famous missionary who gave his life in service in the continent of Africa. His life was often in danger there by hostile forces and many enemies as well. He wrote this one night in his journal dated January 14, 1856: Evening. Felt much turmoil of spirit in prospect of having all my plans for the welfare of this great region and this teeming population knocked on the head by savages tomorrow. But I read that Jesus said: All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, and lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. It is the word of a gentleman of the most strict and sacred honor, so there s the end of it! Later in that same year, he is at the University of Glasgow where they confer upon him an honorary doctorate. The students are silent as he stands to speak. He is gaunt and haggard as a result of his long exposure to the tropical sun. The many fevers and illnesses he endured in Africa have left their mark on him www.bgco.org/connect1 Russell Duck, Elk City, First Page 4 of 5
physically. His left arm, crushed by a lion attack hangs at his side. A hush falls upon the great assembly as he announces his resolve to return to the land for which he has already endured so much. He told them, But I return, without misgiving and with great gladness. For would you like me to tell you what supported me through all the years of exile among people whose language I could not understand, and whose attitude toward me was always uncertain and often hostile? It was this: lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of world! On those words I staked everything, and they never failed. Jesus has promised to be with us and we can trust that He is a man of His word. Let us claim this power, this purpose, and this promise for our Sunday School as we seek to fulfill the Great Commission. www.bgco.org/connect1 Russell Duck, Elk City, First Page 5 of 5