The Great Commission

​Matthew 28:18-20 ~ “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”
 
Come, dear Christian, and stand firm upon this rock. Here is the final commission of our LORD for His people while He is away—to make disciples of all nations. And we do not go forward alone, for Jesus Himself goes with us. Yet many have taken this great commission and modified it to become the great suggestion of our LORD, as if He merely advertised an opportunity for any who might want to participate. But, my friends, this is not suggested by our LORD—this is commanded. We are charged by our LORD to “make disciples.”
 
But why stand firm here? Because, beloved, there is no greater security for any believer than to stand upon a life of faithful obedience to the LORD. It is the most secure, safe and satisfying place. Troubles swirl around us like a tempest, and the fluctuating dynamics of society are like ocean currents that change direction daily. What a tremendous promise given by the One who never changes (see Hebrews 13:8): that He will be with us always, even to the end of the age. For those who walk in this commission, you may already have found this promise to be true. 

Jesus tells the church in Philadelphia, “I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name” (Revelation 3:8). To enter the door requires a willing obedience to follow the LORD in the work He’s given. Walk through that door—no matter how little strength you may have—and you will find that He will strengthen you for His service.
 
And with this commission in hand, signed by the King of kings, we step out in His authority. Two things to understand here: first, you do not have authority of your own right. Even as a messenger does not have his own authority, but goes forth with the authority of the one who sent him, so we go into all the world only under the authority of Christ. Second, we can trust that when we step forward in faithfulness, we can rest in His authority. Many would have the church silenced in the crowds of humanity. And if we must be vocal, they would have us vocal only in our own halls—and even then, only if we do not offend the sinner. But we step forth in the authority of Christ, and we can declare, even as the apostles declared, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). And with that firm resolve established, the church of the LORD Jesus enters into the world with His word on our lips. We go forward as ambassadors of a country we’ve not yet seen. For we are ambassadors of our LORD Jesus. Consider 2 Corinthians 5:20, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
 
And so, we enter the world at large and bring the lost to the saving knowledge of the LORD Jesus Christ. For in this commission, we are given tasks to perform—three tasks that are specific to all believers. The first is to “make disciples.” That is, to bring other to become followers of Jesus. It is never that they should become our disciples, but His. Second, we are to “baptize them” in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This does not save a person, but it is the public identification of a true believer. It is often the first expression of true devotion to the LORD and must be carried out. Then, third, we are to “teach them to observe” (through obedience) all that Jesus has commanded. If you would like three different words for this: we are to bring the lost to salvation, identification and sanctification in the LORD Jesus Christ.
 
Let us, my brothers and sisters in Christ, stand firm on this commission. Our home, work, leisure, friendships, family, and every other link we have to those in this world ought to be looked upon as a place where the commission of Christ is carried out—even to the end of the age.
 
In His Grace,
Pastor Michael

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