Sunday, November 18, 2012

Harmony of the Gospels


183. The great commission- Matt. 28:19-20, Mark 16:15

 

-Incredible truths on how we are to go about our business as believers are revealed as Jesus gives His disciples, and us, His great commission. He was sent by the Father, called to do a work, which He completed. He was about to send His Hoy Spirit in complete fullness to indwell the believer for amazing power and work in the spreading of the Kingdom. Let’s take a careful look into the aspects of this commission so that we can obey the Lord’s directives and commands.

-As He concludes with the fact that all authority in earth and Heaven had now been given to Him as He had completed His task in saving the world from sin (Matthew 28:18), He tells us what and how to increase His Kingdom the proper way. He begins with the word therefore. This indicates that we are fighting for His purposes through the victory and authority He has already won. The word “go” is a participle and should have the connotation “while you are going.” *Application* This refers to the manner in which we should be operating our lives as believers. We should never put our Savior on the shelf and act like He doesn’t fit in with our lives in any way. We always represent the King in every place. There is to be no dichotomy between the secular and the sacred in our lives. We are to be totally His everywhere we go and in everything that we do. You are just as much a minister in the grocery store or at work as you are in the church building.

-The imperative command in this commission is “to make disciples of all nations.” Disciple making is the key ingredient to building His Kingdom on this earth. *Application* Discipleship is hard work and will take time. We must use the principle laid out by Paul in 2 Timothy 2:2 to his young learner, Timothy. We must invest in people that will take the Word and train others for the perpetual increase of the knowledge of the LORD. Pour into people for the purpose of making them disciples of Christ Jesus and followers of the true Way. In time all the world will know of Him and then the end of the age will come (Matthew 24:14).

-The manner we are to make disciples is by baptism in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Baptism is immersion. They must not only be baptized by water in obedience to His command, remembering though this is not a requirement for salvation (Luke 23:39-43), but also baptized into His Spirit as a believer sealed for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). We are also instructed to teach them to observe everything that the Lord commanded. This all revolves around loving the Lord with all the heart, mind, soul, strength (every ounce of everything), and loving our neighbor as much as we love ourselves. All else supernaturally flows out of these two commands.

-Christ Jesus finally taught us that He is always with us in this commissioned work in which He sends us. He will never leave us or forsake us in the mission (Hebrews 13:5). He is the paraclete, the “One who comes alongside” through His Spirit.

-*Application* Be renewed and energized by this ancient by very relevant commission today. While you are going along life’s way, make disciples everywhere you can by doing the works of Christ who is with you and gives you the strength to do His perfect will. You can make a difference for His Kingdom!

 

Verse to Memorize- Matthew 28:19-20

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