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| Matthew 28:18-20 |
How many non-Christians did you see last week? How many did you share the gospel with? Now, if I told you I would give you W1,000,000 won for every person you shared the gospel with what would you do? If I told you I would give you W1,000,000 won for every person you shared the gospel with what would you do? You see, when we share the gospel it is more important than W1,000,000 won. For them it is salvation and everlasting life. For us it is joy now and rewards in heaven. That is more valuable than W1,000,000.
Turn with me to Matthew 28. Matthew 28:18-20
talks about the great commission that Jesus gave to His disciples. In the gospel of Matthew it appears that Jesus liked hiking. At least five times Jesus spent time with his disciples on top of a mountain. He preached the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). In Matthew 17 Jesus was with Peter, James and John on a "high mountain." And Jesus appearance changed. "His face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light." Here they briefly met Moses and Elijah. In Matthew 24-25 Jesus went with his disciples up to the Mount of Olives and Jesus gave prophecies to them about the end times. Jesus was crucified on Mount Calvary in Matthew 27. And now in Matthew 28 we see the final meeting Jesus had with His disciples on a mountain in Galilee.
1. ALL POWER
Before Jesus tells His disciples to go and do something for Him - He tells them what He will do for them ... and for us. We find this in verse 18. He says,
 Matthew 28:18 |
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me." |
"Authority" means the right and power to do something. So Jesus means that he has absolute right and all power to do as he pleases in heaven and on earth. There is no one in heaven or on earth that can say, "How can you do that? Who are you? What right have you to do that?" "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to" Jesus.
Now, what power, what right, what authority do have to tell anybody they should change their whole way of thinking and acting and become a disciple of Jesus Christ? Why should we ask Hindus and Moslems and Buddhists to become Christians? Do you know why? It is because Jesus Christ rose from the dead and He has been given all authority and all power over all natural and supernatural forces. He is and always will be the supreme ruler of the universe. Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth; more than President Kim Dae-Jung, more than Mr. George Bush, more than all the militarys of the world, more than all the CEO's of all the corporations in the world put together. He is the absolute (top) sovereign (king) of the universe and one day every knee will bow to Him. He has ALL POWER. That is why we evangelize.
At the beginning of verse 19 it says "therefore." Therefore, because Jesus has all power, His followers have from Him the right and the power to go and make disciples everywhere. Notice Jesus did not say, "Do it because I told you." He said, "Do it because all authority is Mine." That's why we tell other people to change and become His disciples.
2. ALL NATIONS
And notice also in verse 18 that His authority has been given not only in heaven but also on earth. And then verse 19 says that since Christ's authority goes over the whole earth we also must go to all the nations, to all the people groups in the world. All cultures and all religions are under the authority of Jesus. In verse 19 Jesus tells us to go to every nation, to every culture, to every religion and to make disciples - to change people to follow Jesus.
There are some people who teach that life is like climbing a mountain. There are many paths you can take but all lead to the top of the mountain. These people say, "Some people believe in Buddha. Some people follow Hinduism. Some people follow the teachings of Islam. Some people are Christians. And it doesn't matter what you believe. Just be sincere. And one day we will all be in heaven together." NO! Jesus said, "I am the way. The truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). If what Jesus said is true then His way is the only true way. If what Jesus said is not true then Jesus is a liar and cannot be trusted.
And that is why Jesus says here in Matthew 28:19
Matthew 28:19 |
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations." |
Christianity is not an American religion. It is not a Western religion. It is a universal religion. It came from heaven, started in Israel and has spread around the world to every country and nation. Because Jesus has ALL POWER He can tell us to spread His gospel to ALL NATIONS. That is why we believe in missions.
3. ALL THINGS
4. ALWAYS
Now with all this power, as we go to all nations we don't just share the gospel. That is where we start. But Matthew 28:20
says we are to teach them to observe (or do) ALL THINGS that Jesus has commanded. This Includes everything in the Bible. Man is to live "by EVERY word that comes from God's mouth" (Matthew 4:4). "ALL Scripture is ... profitable" (2 Timothy 3:16). The church is to teach "the WHOLE counsel of God" (Acts 20:27). We are to learn and teach the whole Bible.
In the last part of verse 20 Jesus ends by saying,
Matthew 4:20 |
"and lo, I am with you ALWAYS, even to the end of the age." |
This is a promise packed with power. You see, the one who has all authority in heaven and on earth (28:18). He is not a powerful God that is far away. He is not a weak God that is here with us now. He is not a God only of the past. But He is with us and He is all-powerful -- now and for ever. He is ALL POWERFUL. He has told us to go to ALL NATIONS. We are to teach ALL THINGS that He taught us here in His word. And He promises that He will be with us ALWAYS. Isn't that great? That is why we evangelize. That is the great commission.
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by Steve Nicholes
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