During a recent missionary presentation, the speaker reminded us that our local church was a vital part of the ministry of global missions. He also stated that the local church was the organization ordained by God to accomplish the Great Commission. These statements were very encouraging to us, but they beg the question. What is the Great Commission that we are part of accomplishing for the Lord?
- What does it say?
Therefore, when you have gone, you all must disciple all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, instructing them to carefully attend to all the things that I commanded you. And behold, I am with you all the days until the completion of the age. - What does it mean?
Jesus expects us to go (Matt. 28:19).
In our English translations, it seems as if Jesus is commanding us to go. However, a better translation is actually “having gone” not “go.” Jesus was expecting the disciples to be traveling throughout various nations to accomplish His will. Jesus later told them that they would be witnesses of Him in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and across the earth (Acts 1:8). The rest of the Book of Acts reveals how that played out. Peter and the other disciples started in Jerusalem but were later used by God in many other nations. Persecution helped them to leave Jerusalem. But they eventually saw God leading them to a variety of different places to accomplish the Great Commission. All this shows us that they were expected by Jesus to go. But what were they to do as they went?
Jesus expects us to disciple others (Matt. 28:19-20).
The main idea of the Great Commission is disciple making. What is that? The disciples were to now become the teacher and to gather disciples who would learn from them. These students were to be gathered from all the nations. But what was that to be like? It seems a bit like the relationship between a karate student and his sensei. In a way it is but for a different purpose. Jesus had gathered the disciples around him so that they could learn from his life and teaching. As they spent time with Jesus, they heard, saw, looked at, and rubbed shoulders with Him (1 John 1:1). This teacher-disciple relationship enabled them to not just hear His teaching but to learn from being with Him. This is the benefit of a discipleship relationship. It immerses the student in a relationship that teaches more than just words. The ultimate goal is to reveal the Christian life.
During His Great Commission, Jesus explained what the discipleship would include. It would involve baptism and teaching. The baptism was to be done in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When someone was baptized, it communicates the change God has made in that person’s life (see Rom. 6:2-4), but it also is an identification with the Triune God. Once a disciple understands the true gospel, he must make the choice to not only believe but to identify with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The teaching aspect of discipleship included teaching all that Jesus had commanded them. At the beginning, the disciples based their teaching on what Jesus had taught them during their time with him. This is why studying the four gospels is important. They tell us who Jesus was, what He did, and what He wants us to know and do. As the Church grew, the Lord led Paul, James, Peter, John, and Jude to write out Christian teaching in their epistles to the churches. The New Testament is now the doctrinal statement of the Church for all generations.
Jesus expects us to rely on Him (Matt. 28:20).
As Jesus finished His Great Commission, He made sure they noted an important truth. They were to go, disciple, baptize, and teach but not in their own strength. Jesus promised to be with them as they followed His orders. When Jesus was crucified, the disciples were content to stay out of sight probably because of the danger of being persecuted themselves. But when the Holy Spirit descended on them, they were empowered with the ability to do what they could not in their own strength.
On top of that, Jesus let them know that He would be with them until the end of the age. What age was He referring to? The Church age began at Pentecost with the coming of the Holy Spirit. It will end when Jesus gathers the Church at the Rapture (1 Thess. 4:13-18). It is during this time period, that the disciples would be making disciples who would also make disciples and during which this process would continue. But one thing was certain. They would not be alone. Jesus would be with them to make sure the task was accomplished. Because of that, there was no need to feel too weak to accomplish the task. - How does it apply?
Are you willing to go?
Jesus expected His disciples to go throughout the world with the gospel. And that expectation did not end with the death of the first disciples. It is something that must continue. But does Jesus expect each of us to travel to a different place every month? Are we all to be itinerant preachers across the world? Let’s think about that. The original disciples were given the task of spreading the gospel in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the rest of the world. They sought to accomplish this by traveling from place to place.
But does this mean that we must travel all around the world? I don’t think so. Instead, I think that we ought to take the gospel with us wherever we go. As we go (“having one”), we should be seeking to accomplish the Great Commission. That means that wherever we are we should be active. If we are with family, with neighbors, with coworkers, strangers, we should be pointing them to Jesus. If we are at home, at school, at work, out shopping, or on vacation, we should actively be going with this purpose. With that idea in mind, are you willing to go?
Are you willing to make disciples?
We often think of the Great Commission as a call to evangelize the world. We think of speaking about Jesus to strangers or handing someone a Bible tract. But discipleship is much more than this. It is an activity that takes more time. Discipleship is a relationship with another person. This involves spending time with them and living an example around them. Discipleship is also a call to identification with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It will take time for someone to get to the place where they understand, repent, believer, and are willing to be baptized. Discipleship is also a time of teaching. Teaching all that Jesus commanded us is not something that can be accomplished overnight. It will take time to invest your life and time in other people. Are you willing to do that?
Are you feeling too weak?
When you come to the place where you understand what Jesus wants us to do, it will feel overwhelming. Disciple making is an activity that requires a lot of time. In fact, it requires more than you are able to do by yourself. Sure, you can push and strive to get things done. But in the end, the task is greater than any of us can handle. When you come to the end of your strength, realize that what Jesus is calling us to do is to rely on Him. He isn’t just with us to observe our efforts. He is there to help, encourage, and strengthen us. As you consider the enormity of the task, remember that Jesus is with us and then press on.
Conclusion
It is wonderful to read the Book of Acts and see what Jesus accomplished through the original apostles. But we must remember that it is a selected synopsis of what happened during the first years of the Church. There were times when Paul had a short time preaching the gospel in a city and other times when he stayed several years. What do you think he was doing during that time? He was making disciples wherever he went. Whether his time was long or short, he kept active seeking to make disciples for the Lord. This is what we have been called to do. And with the Lord’s help, we will do it.
Bibliography
Barbieri, Louis A., Matthew” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary New Testament, USA: SP Publications, 1983.
Barnes, Albert, Barnes Notes on the Bible in Laridian PocketBible.
Blomberg, Craig L., Matthew, Nashville: Broadman, 1992.
Lenski, R. C. H., Columbus: The Wartburg Press, 1943, reprint 1951.1
Footnotes
- Note that Lenski believers in the unbiblical idea of child baptism. However, his commentary is often helpful in understanding other portions of the Greek text. ↩︎