Study 4 ("The Mission of the Church")
I thought it was best for us to focus on a theological study of the Great Commission in Matt 28:18-20.
Jesus starts by telling his disciples, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me".
"Authority" refers to the right to command someone. In Jesus' case, He not only has the right, but the power to issue and enforce the command. The extent of His authority is exhaustive. He is given "all" authority in heaven and on earth". He has authority to build and to destroy, to save and to kill (c.f. Jer 1:10). That authority is "given" to Jesus as the God-Man, in a way that He did not have before His death and resurrection (c.f. Phil 2:6-11). It is distinct from His rights and powers as the Eternal Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity. Jesus sends us out as the pre-eminent Sovereign One. In His name we have the right to tell the world how to behave and what to believe. We have the right to compel obedience to the Gospel (Ro 1:5, 2 Cor 7:16). We go forth in His authority.
The command to make disciples (Gk mathetes, learner, student) is twofold. We are to 1) baptize (long discussion as to whether this is water or Spirit/spiritual baptism followed. Of course this is a reference to water baptism! We cannot effect the baptism of the Spirit. That is a work of God). Baptism is a one-off event that shows public intention to live a renewed life in Christ (1 Pet 3:21) and an outward symbol of our inner transformation from death to life (Ro 6:3-11). We are also told to 2)teach the nations 'to observe' all Jesus has commanded. This is a lifelong process that involves both impartation of knowledge as well as a call to accountability to what has been taught. This tells us that the Great Commission is not about cross-cultural missions alone. It is about being part of the growth of God's kingdom in all ways.
Then Jesus ends by saying, "I am with you always, to the end of the age". Just as His authority validates the mission He has given, His presence gives us the power to accomplish the mission. Because Jesus has all authority, He will infallibly accomplish His will in the world through the church until He returns ("the end of the age").
Matt 9:37-38 is a fascinating perspective on conversion. The unsaved are both 'sheep without a shepherd' and 'harvest'. They are 'harassed and helpless', and also 'plentiful'. The Lord of the Harvest is God, whom we 'pray to'. He owns the harvest. He determines who is gathered in and who is not. Jesus' asks us to 'pray earnestly' that God (who every well knows the need anyway) will send labourers to gather in the harvest, who takes a passive role in the process of ingathering. I made the observation that we often pray for individuals to be saved, but we may not pray with a biblical perspective for labourers, or for God's hand to 'grant repentance leading to salvation' (2 Ti 2:24) or to 'appoint..to eternal life' (Ac 13:28).
Jesus starts by telling his disciples, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me".
"Authority" refers to the right to command someone. In Jesus' case, He not only has the right, but the power to issue and enforce the command. The extent of His authority is exhaustive. He is given "all" authority in heaven and on earth". He has authority to build and to destroy, to save and to kill (c.f. Jer 1:10). That authority is "given" to Jesus as the God-Man, in a way that He did not have before His death and resurrection (c.f. Phil 2:6-11). It is distinct from His rights and powers as the Eternal Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity. Jesus sends us out as the pre-eminent Sovereign One. In His name we have the right to tell the world how to behave and what to believe. We have the right to compel obedience to the Gospel (Ro 1:5, 2 Cor 7:16). We go forth in His authority.
The command to make disciples (Gk mathetes, learner, student) is twofold. We are to 1) baptize (long discussion as to whether this is water or Spirit/spiritual baptism followed. Of course this is a reference to water baptism! We cannot effect the baptism of the Spirit. That is a work of God). Baptism is a one-off event that shows public intention to live a renewed life in Christ (1 Pet 3:21) and an outward symbol of our inner transformation from death to life (Ro 6:3-11). We are also told to 2)teach the nations 'to observe' all Jesus has commanded. This is a lifelong process that involves both impartation of knowledge as well as a call to accountability to what has been taught. This tells us that the Great Commission is not about cross-cultural missions alone. It is about being part of the growth of God's kingdom in all ways.
Then Jesus ends by saying, "I am with you always, to the end of the age". Just as His authority validates the mission He has given, His presence gives us the power to accomplish the mission. Because Jesus has all authority, He will infallibly accomplish His will in the world through the church until He returns ("the end of the age").
Matt 9:37-38 is a fascinating perspective on conversion. The unsaved are both 'sheep without a shepherd' and 'harvest'. They are 'harassed and helpless', and also 'plentiful'. The Lord of the Harvest is God, whom we 'pray to'. He owns the harvest. He determines who is gathered in and who is not. Jesus' asks us to 'pray earnestly' that God (who every well knows the need anyway) will send labourers to gather in the harvest, who takes a passive role in the process of ingathering. I made the observation that we often pray for individuals to be saved, but we may not pray with a biblical perspective for labourers, or for God's hand to 'grant repentance leading to salvation' (2 Ti 2:24) or to 'appoint..to eternal life' (Ac 13:28).
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