The Four Alls of the Great Commission
Introduction
This morning I want us to see how baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and the Romania Mission team are connected.
The Text
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20
The Four Alls of the Great Commission
Before Christ ascended into heaven He declares to His disciples four important truths. These truths apply to the church until Christ returns. First, He has all authority in heaven and earth. Jesus is Lord. Second, they should go to all the nations. Notice, Christians “therefore-go.” We go because Jesus has all authority, not so that Jesus will win the election in people’s hearts. Third, we go baptizing and teaching all Jesus commanded. All of God’s word should be preached to all nations. Finally, Jesus comforts His people by staying with them for all time. All authority, all the world, all His word, for all time.
All Authority
When Jesus rose from the dead, He took away the power of death (2 Tim 1:10). Now, death serves Jesus; He holds the keys of Death and Hades (Rev 1:18). Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth.
We should respond to Jesus’ authority with entire submissiveness and humility. However, the modern church responds to Jesus resurrection from the dead like “Jesus loved me so much, He couldn’t stand to be without me.” Jesus is no longer Savior and Lord of the world but the misunderstood boyfriend of the world. When we minimalize the authority of Christ, we minimalize the message of Christ.
Who do you fear offending? Who do you fear disappointing?
All the Nations
Another way we minimalize this part of the great commission is to forget the word “therefore.” As many missionaries have said, “we don’t go; we therefore go!” This means we go because of what Jesus said previously. We go because He already has all authority. We get this wrong when we treat evangelism like being Jesus’ Public Relations Department or His campaign staff. We go into a neighborhood of voters we feel we need to reach, and we ask them what would make them consider our candidate Jesus. Instead, Jesus calls us ambassadors of an empire that already exists whether people realize it or not (2 Cor 5:20).
But also remember, we should “therefore go to all the nations.” Christians minimalize the Great Commission by shortening the list of nations on the planet. Anytime some war breaks out in the Middle East, we believe the end of the world is near. But Jesus gave a command to go to all the nations. Has the church preached to all the nations? No.
What is causing you to lose zeal to reach the nations? What is causing you to lose zeal in keeping Gray Court?
All His Word
Jesus came preaching the gospel of the kingdom (Matt 4:23). We are to preach the gospel of the kingdom. The “of the kingdom” part is what makes the news good.
Now, what is our message to all the nations of the world? All of God’s word. God didn’t commission the church just to preach a cliff-notes version of the Bible.
Based on most church practices, the scriptures are only about getting saved. But is it? We so want new people to get saved that we neglect all the other passages that warn “saved people” how not to lose the faith or ruin their testimony.
One area we’ve failed in is that most people who claim the label “Christian” in our county to no know Jesus as king.
All the Time
Be encouraged. Be encouraged that Jesus is with you all the time. Notice, as long as you remain in Christ, He is with you. Abide in Christ (John 15:4). Trust in Him. There is no concept that Jesus is only with us when we have a special devotional time in the mornings. Jesus shows He’s with us by giving us word, water, bread, and wine.
If you are married, then you remain married even when you don’t think about your spouse. But just like a good husband lives like a good husband even when his wife isn’t around, so should Christians live like Christians on Saturday night.
Be encouraged that Jesus is with you all the time until the end. Jesus said this to encourage believers to continue working for the kingdom even until the end of the age. We have changed it to discourage believers from building anything that will last longer than a few years.
Jesus is with you. What are doing to put a smile on His face?
Conclusion
Our tag line here is making much of Jesus. Let’s do it.