The Great Commission
When we thing of the great commission, normally our minds goes to Matthew 28:18-20
or Mark 16:15-18 and that is where Jesus says “go you therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and, lo I
am with you always, even to the end of the age”. People are telling others about the
gospel, but not making disciples of them, and people are coming to believe, however,
because they have no root in them, when troubles comes they fall away. When you do
as the Bible says and teach them to observe all things that Jesus commanded them,
their lives change. Just as Jesus said in John 8:31-32 “then said Jesus to those Jews
which believed on Him, if you continue in My word, then are you My disciples indeed.
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. The key element in
the above verses is you have to continue in His words, before you can become free.
Paul says it this way “what then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but
under grace? God forbid!! Yet a lot of people are living in this trap, because they don’
t know. Galatians 5:16 tell us “this I say then. Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill
the list of the flesh”. Walking in the Spirit is walking in the word of God.
God gave us His plan “and He gave some, apostles, and some prophets, and some
evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. For the perfecting of the saints, for the
work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the unity
of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure
of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That we hereafter be no more children, tossed
to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and
cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But speaking the truth in love
may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-
15). The Bible also tells us that God have predestinate us to be conformed to the
image of His Son (Romans 8:29). Jesus says “Not everyone that says to Me, Lord Lord
, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that dies the will of My Father which is
in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord Lord, have we not prophesied in Your
name? And in Your name, have cast out devils? And in Your name done many
wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you, depart from Me,
you that works iniquity” (Matthew 7:22-23). Jesus says in the last days, when the Son
of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels, with Him, then shall He sit upon
the throne of His glory. As He separates the sheep from the goats, he will tell the goats
depart from Me, you cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels
(Matthew 25:31-46).
The great commission is for all to go. The five fold ministry above is to instruct all
believers to become Christ like. Remember Christ was compassionate to the lost. We
are to operate in God’s plan. Let’s look at what the Bible says in Ezekiel 3:17-21 “Son
of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel therefore hear the word of
My mouth, and give them warning from Me. When I say to the wicked, you shall surely
die, and you give him not warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way,
to save his life, the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require
at your hand. Yet if you warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor
from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your soul.
Again. When a righteous man does turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity,
and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die because you have not given him
warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be
remembered, but his blood will I require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the
righteous man that the righteous sin not, and he does not sin, he shall surely live,
because he is warned; also you have delivered your soul”. We are supposed to try to
snatch them out of the fire, that’s why Jesus told us to “pray for those who hurt us”, as
we pray as Paul prayed for their eyes to be opened, to see the error of their ways.
Galatians 6:1-2 says “brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual,
restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering yourself, less you also be
tempted. Bear you one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”. Paul
continually prayed for the different churches he went to (Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 1:
16-19; Colossians 1:9-14).
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: October 20, 2006