the great commission
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19,20
God has given to us a Great Commission to go into all the world and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Failing to do this while simply "playing church" instead is the great sin of Christians in our generation.
The message of the Gospel is always outward-reaching and ever-expanding. God's plan was that after Jesus was taken up into heaven following His resurrection from the dead, Jesus' many membered body, the church, would complete the work He began of reconciling sinners to God. This was to be accomplished as Christians co-labored with God under the power of the Holy Spirit.
The main point is this: after we are reconciled to God, we are not to simply sit around being "right with God." All the previous studies we have done bring us to the point of launching out into the great harvest of souls that must hear the gospel. The wonderful works of grace God has done in our life through Christ Jesus are not simply to bless us. Like Abraham, we are blessed to be a blessing (Genesis 12:2).
Let's briefly review where we've come to help us understand where we need to go. God has saved us by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. He has cut off our sin-loving nature and buried our old man in the waters of baptism that we might not be slaves to sin, but walk in newness of life. He has filled us with His Holy Spirit that we might receive power to be witnesses of Jesus. He has added us to His family, the church, that we might be a unified people accomplishing God's purposes in the earth.
We have learned that our faith should grow daily as we look to God's promises in His word and act upon them. Though Jesus, be faith we enter into the grace in which we stand. Those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through Jesus Christ.
We are to reign in life through Christ Jesus. "Reign" speaks of ruling in a Kingdom. God has a Kingdom. We are to seek first that Kingdom (Matthew 6:33), and pray that His Kingdom come (Matthew 6:10). It has been God's plan since the beginning of time that man would "be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over...." (Genesis 1:28). He has said, "Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth." (Numbers 14:21). Clearly, we do not see this fully accomplished yet.
God has given to us a Great Commission to go into all the world and make disciples of Jesus Christ.
The Great Commission is the Great Command
> Jesus commands us to, "_________ and make disciples of ____________________, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, _______________________ to obey everything that _______________________________." Matthew 28:19,20
> Jesus explained the progress of the plan in saying, "you will be My witnesses in ________________ (the city they lived in), and in all ________________ and ________________________ (the surrounding areas), and to the ___________________________." Acts 1:8
> In accordance with Christ's command, after the martyrdom of Stephen, "those who had been scattered ______________________________________." Acts 8:4
The Church's Obedience to the Command
The Book of Acts describes six phases of growth in fulfilling the Great Commission. We will look at each phase and a summary statement.
The church at Jerusalem
> "So the word of God _____________. The number of _____________ in Jerusalem increased greatly..." Acts 6:7
From Jerusalem to Palestine
> "The the church throughout ___________, ______________ and ______________ enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it ___________________, living in the fear of the Lord." Acts 9:31
From Palestine to Antioch, gateway to the Gentile world
> "But the word of God continued to __________ and ___________." Acts 12:24
From Antioch to Asia
> "So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and _______________________." Acts 16:5
From Asia to Europe
> "In this way the word of the Lord ___________________________." Acts 19:20
From Europe in general to Rome in particular
> "Therefore I want you to know that _______________________ has been ______________________ and they will listen!" Acts 28:28
The Promise of His Presence, Power and Authority
> When Jesus sent His disciples out He told them, "All _________________ in heaven and on _______________ has been given to Me. Therefore go...." Matthew 28:18
> He promises that as we do this, "________________________, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20
> Jesus said, "But you will receive ______________________________; and you will be My witnesses...." Acts 1:8
Being Equipped and Trained for the Work of Ministry
> As opposed to sending His disciples to a school to read books about Him, Jesus "called to Him ______________________ and they _________________. He appointed twelve --- designating them apostles --- that they might ______________________________________." Mark 3:13,14
> Jesus has given us His plan for training workers today. "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to _________________________, so that the body of Christ may be built up." Ephesians 4:11,12
> He has indicated the church is to be a self-reproducing training center where these ministries operate: "And _____________________________ God has appointed first apostles, second prophets, third teachers..." 1 Corinthians 12:28
The Principle of Being Sent and Received by the church
> "In the ____________ at Antioch there were prophets and teachers...While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' So after that they had __________ and _____________, they _______________________________." Acts 13:1-3
> Paul and Barnabas were going to go to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and elders there about a matter affecting the churches. "__________________________________ and as they travelled through Phoenicia and Samaria....and when they came to Jerusalem, they were _____________________________; to whom they reported everything God had done through them." Acts 15:1-4
The Goal: Making Disciples and Planting Churches
> "They (Paul and Barnabas) preached the good news in that city (Derbe) and won a large number ____________________________. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch...Paul and Barnabas appointed _______________ in every ________________, and with prayer with fasting, committed them to the Lord...." Acts 14:21-23
> At Ephesus Paul "spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God... He took the ______________________, and had discussions daily....This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard ___________________." Acts 19:8-10
Starting Here and Now
> We can begin to fulfill the Great Commission immediately after we are saved. Jesus said to His disciples, "you will be My witnesses to Me in ____________ (their own city) and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8
Back to Foundations Class
God has given to us a Great Commission to go into all the world and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Failing to do this while simply "playing church" instead is the great sin of Christians in our generation.
The message of the Gospel is always outward-reaching and ever-expanding. God's plan was that after Jesus was taken up into heaven following His resurrection from the dead, Jesus' many membered body, the church, would complete the work He began of reconciling sinners to God. This was to be accomplished as Christians co-labored with God under the power of the Holy Spirit.
The main point is this: after we are reconciled to God, we are not to simply sit around being "right with God." All the previous studies we have done bring us to the point of launching out into the great harvest of souls that must hear the gospel. The wonderful works of grace God has done in our life through Christ Jesus are not simply to bless us. Like Abraham, we are blessed to be a blessing (Genesis 12:2).
Let's briefly review where we've come to help us understand where we need to go. God has saved us by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. He has cut off our sin-loving nature and buried our old man in the waters of baptism that we might not be slaves to sin, but walk in newness of life. He has filled us with His Holy Spirit that we might receive power to be witnesses of Jesus. He has added us to His family, the church, that we might be a unified people accomplishing God's purposes in the earth.
We have learned that our faith should grow daily as we look to God's promises in His word and act upon them. Though Jesus, be faith we enter into the grace in which we stand. Those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through Jesus Christ.
We are to reign in life through Christ Jesus. "Reign" speaks of ruling in a Kingdom. God has a Kingdom. We are to seek first that Kingdom (Matthew 6:33), and pray that His Kingdom come (Matthew 6:10). It has been God's plan since the beginning of time that man would "be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over...." (Genesis 1:28). He has said, "Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth." (Numbers 14:21). Clearly, we do not see this fully accomplished yet.
God has given to us a Great Commission to go into all the world and make disciples of Jesus Christ.
The Great Commission is the Great Command
> Jesus commands us to, "_________ and make disciples of ____________________, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, _______________________ to obey everything that _______________________________." Matthew 28:19,20
> Jesus explained the progress of the plan in saying, "you will be My witnesses in ________________ (the city they lived in), and in all ________________ and ________________________ (the surrounding areas), and to the ___________________________." Acts 1:8
> In accordance with Christ's command, after the martyrdom of Stephen, "those who had been scattered ______________________________________." Acts 8:4
The Church's Obedience to the Command
The Book of Acts describes six phases of growth in fulfilling the Great Commission. We will look at each phase and a summary statement.
The church at Jerusalem
> "So the word of God _____________. The number of _____________ in Jerusalem increased greatly..." Acts 6:7
From Jerusalem to Palestine
> "The the church throughout ___________, ______________ and ______________ enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it ___________________, living in the fear of the Lord." Acts 9:31
From Palestine to Antioch, gateway to the Gentile world
> "But the word of God continued to __________ and ___________." Acts 12:24
From Antioch to Asia
> "So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and _______________________." Acts 16:5
From Asia to Europe
> "In this way the word of the Lord ___________________________." Acts 19:20
From Europe in general to Rome in particular
> "Therefore I want you to know that _______________________ has been ______________________ and they will listen!" Acts 28:28
The Promise of His Presence, Power and Authority
> When Jesus sent His disciples out He told them, "All _________________ in heaven and on _______________ has been given to Me. Therefore go...." Matthew 28:18
> He promises that as we do this, "________________________, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20
> Jesus said, "But you will receive ______________________________; and you will be My witnesses...." Acts 1:8
Being Equipped and Trained for the Work of Ministry
> As opposed to sending His disciples to a school to read books about Him, Jesus "called to Him ______________________ and they _________________. He appointed twelve --- designating them apostles --- that they might ______________________________________." Mark 3:13,14
> Jesus has given us His plan for training workers today. "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to _________________________, so that the body of Christ may be built up." Ephesians 4:11,12
> He has indicated the church is to be a self-reproducing training center where these ministries operate: "And _____________________________ God has appointed first apostles, second prophets, third teachers..." 1 Corinthians 12:28
The Principle of Being Sent and Received by the church
> "In the ____________ at Antioch there were prophets and teachers...While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' So after that they had __________ and _____________, they _______________________________." Acts 13:1-3
> Paul and Barnabas were going to go to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and elders there about a matter affecting the churches. "__________________________________ and as they travelled through Phoenicia and Samaria....and when they came to Jerusalem, they were _____________________________; to whom they reported everything God had done through them." Acts 15:1-4
The Goal: Making Disciples and Planting Churches
> "They (Paul and Barnabas) preached the good news in that city (Derbe) and won a large number ____________________________. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch...Paul and Barnabas appointed _______________ in every ________________, and with prayer with fasting, committed them to the Lord...." Acts 14:21-23
> At Ephesus Paul "spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God... He took the ______________________, and had discussions daily....This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard ___________________." Acts 19:8-10
Starting Here and Now
> We can begin to fulfill the Great Commission immediately after we are saved. Jesus said to His disciples, "you will be My witnesses to Me in ____________ (their own city) and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8
Back to Foundations Class