Why did Jesus give us the Great Commission?
Welcome. Do you know Jesus? He came, lived a sinless life, was stripped, mocked, abused, beaten, and hung on a cross. He was dead, yet rather, He rose on the third day. On the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished.” Meaning He has completed His mission, and the price of sin has been paid. Following the resurrection, He said this.
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20
That was for his disciples. True. That would be you as well. Yes? This is what we will be discussing today. Let us pray.
LORD God, we come together to hear your Word. To learn your ways. To help each other grow in our faith. Last time we discussed how sinners die without knowledge. How do they get this knowledge? By following your Great Commission. By us sharing your Word. Please help us to see, hear, and understand what you want us to know today, and bless our time together, in Jesus name, Amen!
Last time we wrapped it up with this. Romans 10:14-21
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”
Continue in Matthew
“And how are they to preach unless they are sent?”
That is you. Jesus just sent you.
“As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:14-21
Why does it ever surprise us that those in the world do worldly things? Or those in the flesh, fleshly things? Why does a cat prowl, or a goat bleat? A dog barks? It is what they do. A carnal mind does carnal things.
“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:6-8
How do those who have a carnal mind change? How do they realize they are sinners and they require a Savior? It may come down to a short answer. You. “But I’m not a preacher. I would not know what you say.” Jesus saves. Jesus loves you. Jesus died for you. Show them this in Romans 10
“But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
How?
“For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.”
“What does that mean? That I too can be saved?” Yes
“For ‘everyone’ who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Say that with me. “Everyone.” Anyone. All. You, me, them. All. This is why all of God’s children need to be sowers of the seed, tellers of truth, and showers of the way.
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”
Is that meant to be you?
“And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
How does faith come? By hearing. By someone talking to them and telling them the truth.
“But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed, they have, for "Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." Romans 10:8-18
That is you. Or it should be. "Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." “Again, I am not a pastor, preacher, or evangelist. Sure. I can say to them that they need to believe in Jesus, and they can be saved. What if they ask how it works?” Give them one of the most common of all the passages. John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through him.”
“Hey, I saw that at a sporting event.” Chances are, so did they. It will be familiar. They are now on the same page. But do not stop there.
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
God does not condemn you. He made it so very simple. So very easy to understand.
“He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:12-13
“So Jesus life, and without Jesus you cannot go to heaven?” Yes. It really is, just that simple. Then go back to John 3, starting at verse 19
“And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." John 3:16-21
“Wow.” Maybe it is not so hard to tell someone the truth. But what if they hate me? What if I lose a friendship or a job, or whatever?” That does not matter. Jesus tells us that whatever we may lose for His sake, we will get back that and then some. Matthew 19:29. If you want to be comforted, read 2 Timothy 1:5-12
“This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering-- since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”
This time is coming. It will affect everyone, regardless of whether they believe it.
“They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”2 Timothy 1:5-12
You may be the only “Jesus” that person ever sees. What are they seeing? What are they hearing you say? What are they watching you do? Is there any difference between you and the rest of the world they know? No pressure, but this moment in time may never be repeated. You perhaps will never see them again, but you do at that moment. Now is the time. Today is the day. Be a sower of the seed.
There will come a time when it is too late. This is what we will discuss next time.
Remember, you can always find this, and so much more, in the archives, over at TAG
The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com
May the Lord our God go before you as your way maker, as well as behind you as your rear guard, and may He be with you, always.
Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!
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