Mini Message #1

The Great Commission taken from Matthew 28: 16-20

Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted! Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Jesus left the disciples with some last words of instruction. God gave Jesus complete authority over heaven and earth. On the basis of his authority, Jesus told His disciples to go and make disciples as they preached, baptized, and taught.

“Making disciples” means - instructing new believers on how to follow Jesus, to submit to Jesus’ lordship, and to take up his mission of compassionate service.

Baptizing is important because it unites a believer with Jesus Christ in his or her death to sin and resurrection to new life. Baptism symbolizes submission to Christ, a willingness to live God’s way, and identification with God’s covenant people.

The disciples had been trained well, and they had seen the risen Lord. They were ready to teach people all over the world to obey all the commands that Jesus had given. Jesus’ followers had a mission to do—evangelize, baptize, and teach people about Jesus so that they, in turn, could do the same. With this same authority, Jesus still commands us to tell others the Good News and make them disciples for the Kingdom.

Let’s look at a couple of words; the first word is go and it means to move toward a person or place with the intention of doing something specific. In verse 16 Jesus told His disciples to go. This means action on our part.

Jesus told his disciples to go and make disciples as they preached, baptized, and taught. Three things He wanted them to and that was to preach, baptize and teach. Three tasks that he assigned to the Disciples and to us to do to continue His mission here on earth. It is not a case of multiple choice or pick and choose or which one we should choose and leave the others for somebody else.

We should be about our Fathers work.
Pastor Jack