NOVEMBER 8
The A-Team: the All’s of the Great Commission
Before we get into the ways we can break down and apply today’s topic, I want to share with you my journey with the Great Commission.
Got saved at 3, heard from God at 5
Grew up in a family committed to the Great Commission
Grew up loving people but had major hang ups about speaking and sharing in general, including my faith
Became convinced that my life purpose was to live a song to the Lord and chase His purposes
Met with Wycliffe and became dedicated to promoting Bible Translation
Began to be asked to share at places the band was invited (I hid from it)
Came to the US to visit, got offered fame but chose Jesus (I adore you song)
Moved to the US by faith, freaked out, Surrendered ALL
At the end of 2018, I heard a short clip online which helped me define for myself what living a life submitted to Christ looks like - this is my adapted version of it
“Daily making and living a Great Commitment to the Great Commandment (Matt 22:36-40) and the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20), and in doing so align with our Great God’s heart to build and grow Great churches as part of THE church in general”
THE GREAT COMMISSION
Matthew 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
The 5 All’s of the Great Commission
All Authority
The story of the Centurion gives us an epic insight into what authority looks like in the Kingdom of God
Matthew 8:5-13 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.
All Nations
The MOST INCLUSIVE movement of all time
The thing Jesus got the most rowdy about publicly:
Isaiah 56:7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
Matthew 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Mark 11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Luke 19:46 Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.
All Things
2 Timothy 2 (Handy link)
How to hear God
- Read Bible
- Pray
- Ask and keep on asking
- Apply the word
- Visions
- Dreams
- People
What we must do to be saved
The Foundations
Always
God will never, never, never, never, never leave us or forsake us
Deut 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
All of Us
Many have asked the question - Is this talking to and about me, about select leaders, to the church as a whole, or the original apostles?
The answer is YES. Emphatically.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
5 Ways we can get fulfilling the Great Commission wrong
1. When we consider ourselves (natures, personalities etc) higher than obedience
This is self-righteousness - Jesus fulfilled all righteousness FOR us. It’s already done. There is nothing we can do to achieve righteousness, receive Christ, His yoke is easy and His burden is light. It’s incredibly freeing when we realize that Christ has already given us everything we need to be effective.
2. When we see ‘teaching’ as primarily or exclusively informational
David Sills who previously chaired the International Mission Board said “The heart is often overlooked in discipleship programs and traditional classroom models. Focusing intently on the body of information to be learned, many simply assume that the heart and character of the disciple will automatically grow in Christlikeness.”
Parable of the sower and seed (Matt 13) - HANDY LINK
3. When we separate this command from Jesus’ other commandments
John Stott who was one of the early voices of evangelicalism said “The Great Commission neither explains, nor exhausts, nor supersedes the Great Commandment. What it does is to add to the requirement of neighbor-love and neighbor-service a new and urgent Christian dimension. If we truly love our neighbor we shall without doubt share with him the good news of Jesus.”
Loving one’s neighbor includes sharing the gospel. Proclaiming the gospel includes tangible demonstrations of loving one’s neighbor.
4. When we see it’s application as primarily individualistic
E.g “Oh no, I got saved and now I have to give up my entire life and move to a remote village in India”
It’s a collective calling to the WORLD and to the NATIONS. We gotta disciple individuals as part of it, and we need to individually hear from God and obey, however the Church across the earth is called to do this commission and to do so with both gathering AND outreach
5. When we attempt to do so without the partnership of the Holy Spirit
Mark 16:14-20
Later 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. And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
Acts 1:4-8
On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
BID
Make sure you are saved, baptized, and studying to show yourself approved yourself
Commit to seeing the Great Commission as your life purpose and even identity
(Notes provided by Esther Smith