The Word of God says in Matt.28:18-20:

¹⁸ And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 

¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 

²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Matt.28:18-20 records for us one expression of Jesus’ Great Commission that He gave to His disciples as the representatives of His church. Jesus began by saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” This “all authority” given to Jesus by His Father is in virtue of His redemptive work.  This “all authority” is exercised primarily for the benefit of His church.  As Paul noted in Eph.1:22, God “gave Him as head over all things to the church.”  “In heaven and on earth” refers to the entire created world.  Jesus has total authority over all created persons and things, ranging from the most exalted angels to the lowliest of persons and from the most gigantic star to the tiniest particle of matter.  Vs.18 also references Dan.7:13-14.

The Great Commission has one primary command – “make disciples”.  And on this one primary command hangs three participles:  go (going); baptizing; teaching.  The resultant effect is that we have four commands:  go; make disciples; baptize; teach.  The command to  “go”  is set in contrast to the command given in  Matt.10:5.  In that context, Jesus sent out the twelve disciples to preach and commanded them,  “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans.”  Now the command for the disciples and for all the church throughout history is to go to all the nations.

Secondly, we are commanded to make disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus did not give a command that will secure merely nominal adherence to Him, but one that will secure wholehearted commitment to Him as Lord.  (cf. Jn.13:13; Acts 2:36; 10:36; Rom.10:12).  Rom.10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”  This verse makes it clear that the Lordship of Christ is the touchstone of our salvation in Him. 

The third command is to baptize disciples “into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”  You would note Jesus said “name” (singular) and not “names” (plural).  The Triune God is one God with one name but in three distinct persons.  When Jesus gave us the Great Commission, He also gave us baptism as the primary sacrament of initiation into the Christian faith and into membership in a particular local church.  In 1Pet.3:21-22 Peter set forth baptism as a “pledge to God” or covenant with God.   

Karen Jobes, wrote the following comments on 1Pet.3:21-22:  “Peter is reminding his readers that when they were baptized, a question was asked about their faith in Christ, to which they gave a positive response.  They were then baptized in water as a sacrament of that pledge of faithfulness made to God.  Peter reminds them of that pledge as they face suffering because of Christ and the temptation to turn away…   He reminds his readers that at baptism they pledged to live in relationship with God, which would result in a good conscience before Him.”  (1Peter ECNT p.255).  To turn away from your baptismal pledge, for whatever reason, is to choose apostasy.  This is the seriousness of baptism into the name of the Triune God.

Baptism is not optional!!  The command makes baptism an essential component of discipleship to Jesus.  Baptism does not save.  On the other hand, it is part of the salvation experience and it is meant for every believer.  Very importantly, it is a Trinitarian experience because it brings us into union and relationship with the Triune Godhead.   The mode of baptism is equally important because it is an inherent part of Jesus’ command.  The verb “baptize” means to immerse and pictures a burial.  Paul said very clearly in Rom.6:4, “we have been buried with Him through baptism into death.”  Firstly, note the connection between the two words:  buried & death.  Secondly, the verb “buried” (Gk. thapto), appears eleven times in the N.T. and means to bury the dead.  Baptism in water is a burial.  As already hinted at, baptism brings you into membership in the particular local church in which you were baptized.  Church membership is not optional!!

The fourth command is to teach the disciples all that Jesus commanded.  Doctrine matters.  Teaching doctrine is important because that is Christ’s command. (cf. Acts 20:20, 27; 2Tim.4:2).  Now Jesus did not say, “Teaching them to obey all that He and Moses commanded.”  This is what the Judaizers asserted in Acts 15:1, 5.  Let me be clear.  I am not dispensing with the Old Testament and saying, like some have done, that we no longer need the Old Testament.  What I am saying is that in obeying Christ, we must be careful of our use and application of the Old Testament lest we become guilty of doing something similar to what the Judaizers tried to do in Acts 15. 

The goal of teaching is not merely the passing on of information for head knowledge.  The goal of teaching is obedience to all that Christ commanded.  And so, Jesus said, “teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.” The Greek verb Jesus used is translated “observe”.  The verb actually means “to guard” as in guarding a treasure.  Jesus is saying we must guard His teachings as a treasure in our hearts and obey them.  The verb is present tense and calls for lifelong obedience.  Jesus’ command coincides with what the psalmist wrote, “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.”  (Psa.119:11). 

Let us note the following points.  Firstly, evangelism and missions did not begin with the Great Commission.  Evangelism and missions began with God in eternity.  The Great Commission is actually the continuation of what God began to do in eternity.  God sent His Son into this world (Jn.3:17; 5:23, 36).  We can safely say that Jesus is the first missionary and that God is a missionary God. 

Secondly, why did the Father send Jesus into the world?  There are a variety of answers to this question.  But the one important answer for our purpose is :  the Father sent the Son into this world as a preacher to preach the gospel.  Mk.1:14-15 says, “Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 

Jesus was a preacher, God’s kerusso.  Jesus went about preaching in villages, towns, and cities.  In Mk.1:38 Jesus said to His disciples that He must go to the other towns also to preach the gospel.  And He added, “For that is what I came for.” 

This brings us to the second Great Commission passage I want us to look at:  John 20:19-21.  This is Jesus’ first post-resurrection appearance to His disciples.  John wrote in vs.19, “So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week.”  This was clearly on the evening of the day that Jesus had risen from the dead.  Jesus appeared to His disciples and showed them the proofs of His identity.  Vs.20 tells us that “He showed them both His hands and His side.”  The scars are marks not only of His suffering but also of His victory.  In fact, His mere presence among His disciples is evidence of His triumph.

This brings us to vs.21 and the staggering consequence of the completion of Jesus’ redemptive work.  Jesus said to His disciples, and by implication to His church, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”  The staggering consequence is, “I also send you.”  Let us note the following.  Firstly, the verb “sent” is perfect tense.  The perfect tense tells us Jesus completed the mission the Father sent Him to do.  But secondly, the verb tells us that Jesus remains forever identified as the Sent One.  He is the Sent One par excellence.  Secondly, I want you to note that when Jesus said, “I also send you”, the “I” is emphatic and references the fact of the “all authority” the Father gave to His Son. 

Thirdly, using the “as … so” formula, Jesus opened up to His disciples their stupendous calling.  This “as … so” formula as used by Jesus is found five times in the gospel of John (3:14; 10:15; 13:15; 17:18; 20:21).  Jesus’ commission echoed His prayer in Jn.17:18, where we find a repeat of the “as … so” formula.  Jesus said, “As You sent Me into the world, so I sent them into the world.”  Once again, the “I” is emphatic.  In the Great Commission, all of Christ’s disciples in the history of the church are drawn into the unity and mission of the Father and the Son.  And with this statement Jesus declares that the disciples – and the church as a whole – are called to participate directly in the very same mission of God in a manner similar to the Son of God.

Edward Klink III wrote in his John (ECNT) commentary (p.860), and this is a very important fact, namely, that God is a missionary God.  And the church’s worship must match the full nature of God.  The missionary nature of the church derives ultimately from the missionary nature of God’s own life.  Ultimately, then, if God is to be properly described as  “missionary”,  then appropriate Christian worship of God can only be done by a missionary church.  And since God is missionary in His eternal identity, the mission of God in which the church now participates can never come to an end.  It will only come to an end on that glorious final day when Christ Himself brings it to an end.

Why did Jesus send His disciples and His church into this world?  As already noted, the Father sent Jesus to be His kerusso (preacher).  Jesus is sending His disciples and His church to be His kerusso, to be preachers and teachers of the gospel.  Jesus said to His disciples in Luke 24:47 “that repentance for forgiveness of sins [must] be preached in His name to all the nations.”  Now consider the following points.  How important is preaching?  1Cor.1:21  says,  “God was well-pleased through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe.”  Now, let us note the following.

Firstly, it must be made very clear that your involvement in and support of the ministries of the church, and especially evangelism and missions, is purely voluntary.  Psa.110:3 says, “Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power.”   The Holy Spirit has to work in your heart and make you willing to get involved and serve Him.  It is only the Holy Spirit who can move you to get involved with heart, soul, mind, strength, and your resources.  If a pastor has to push you and beg you to serve today, tomorrow he would still have to push you and beg you.  Willing God-motivated service will bring you to your pastors to ask:  how can I serve? 

Secondly, service to God cannot be half-hearted.  The Lord Jesus clearly says you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.  (Mk.12:30).  In Hos.6:4 the LORD said, 

“What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? 

What shall I do with you, O Judah?

For your loyalty is like a morning cloud,

And like the dew which goes away early.”

I want you to note that the word “loyalty” is that very rich Hebrew word hesed with a wide variety of meanings.  Hesed is THE distinguishing quality in God that marks for us His faithfulness, loyalty, lovingkindness, and compassion toward us.  But here God is saying to Israel, “Your hesed is like a morning cloud, And like the dew which goes away early.”  Does this describe you?  Is God saying to you that your hesed, your loyalty, faithfulness and love for God, is like a morning cloud that quickly disappears and like the morning dew that dries up very quickly?

Thirdly, your service to God must not have a private agenda.  Your service to God must be rooted in God’s agenda.  People who serve God with a private agenda forget that God is sovereign, omniscient, and omnipotent.  They forget God sees their hearts, their innermost thoughts and conniving and if you are not in God’s agenda and God’s will, be fully assured of this :  God will stop you.  I repeat :  God will stop you.  I say this with deep sadness because I have seen this happen too often.  So serve the Lord God with a sincere, transparent heart and with one earnest controlling desire :  the will of God.

Fourthly, your service to God must be done with humility.  Never forget that pride goes before a fall.  Never forget that God resists the proud.  Proverbs tell us very clearly that the haughty person is an abomination to God.  If it is God’s will to raise you up to some kind of prominence, let Him do so.  If you run ahead of God and try to lift up yourself, He will knock you over and abase you. 

Fifthly, in serving God, always work diligently to do your best.  Eccl.10:10 says, “Whatever your hands finds to do, do it with all your might.”  Rom.12:11 says, “not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”  Col.3:23 says, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.”  When God gave His Son, He gave His very best.  So, do not do like Israel and give to God, in return, your blind, your lame, and your sick.  (Mal.1:8).  As the hymn says, “Give of your best to the Master.” 

Now understand this :  your diligent service to God is not to please your pastor nor to impress those who are watching.  In Matt.6:1-6 Jesus emphatically warned against serving God in order to impress those who are watching.  Your diligent service is to please and glorify the Lord.  It is from Him you will get your reward.  Even if no one takes notice of your faithful service to commend you, know this great truth :  the Lord is watching you and He will commend you in that final day.   

It must be emphasized that the Great Commission, given by our Lord Jesus Christ, is a command to be obeyed.  The Great Commission has nothing to do with what spiritual gift or gifts you have or do not have.  The commands of Jesus are not optional.  They are given to us to be obeyed.  1Pet.1:2 clearly says that you are saved to obey Jesus Christ.  Jesus said, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”  Are you learning Jesus’ commands?  Are you treasuring Jesus’ commands in your heart?  Are you obeying Jesus’ commands?  Are you obeying the command of the Great Commission? 

You may say, I am neither a preacher nor a teacher.  So how can I obey the Great Commission?

Firstly, in Acts 1:8, Jesus said you can be a “witness”.  A witness is one who has seen and/or experienced something and bears verbal witness to what he has seen and / or experienced.  Have you experienced the saving work of Jesus Christ?  Then you should bear verbal witness (testimony) to what Christ has done in saving you.  The Great Commission is not bearing silent witness to Jesus and His gospel.

Secondly, the Great Commission needs men and women to labor in prayer for those who preach, for those who hear the gospel preached, and for the Holy Spirit to effectually work in the hearts of those listening.  (cf. Acts 16:14).

Thirdly, the Great Commission is seeing opportunities, open doors, and using them to speak about the gospel.  Pray that God would make you a discerning person so that you can see these gospel opportunities which you can lay hold of and use.

Fourthly, the Great Commission is knowing the content of the gospel and being ready to share it with those who ask you about your faith in Christ.  (cf. 1Peter 3:15).

Fifthly the Great Commission is giving.  It costs money to get the gospel out there.  The testimony of the apostle John concerning Gaius in 3John speaks to us very clearly.

Are you a Great Commission Christian?  You would note that I did not ask you if you are an evangelist or a preacher?  My question is :  are you a Great Commission Christian?  Are you obeying the Lord Jesus Christ who has given to us the Great Commission? 

Is your church a Great Commission church?  Is your church actively involved in worshiping the missionary God?   Is your church actively involved in obeying the Lord Jesus Christ who has given to us the Great Commission?  May the Triune God make each church an active Great Commission church.