The Great Commish

When Necessary • Sermon • Submitted 7 years ago

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Theme: Jesus Empowers Us to Make Jesus Followers. Purpose: To increase our confidence in sharing the Gospel. Mission Connection: Building Disciples Gospel Connection: The Ascension leads to Holy Spirit Empowerment leads to the Church's Mission

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Matthew 28:16-20

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.

17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

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

20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. (1989). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Introduction:

A man went on vacation to the Holy Land with his wife and her mother. While in Israel, the mother-in-law died from a heart attack. The couple went to a local undertaker, who explained that they could either ship the body home which would cost more than $1500, or they could bury her right there in the Holy Land for only $150. The man said, "We’ll ship her home. "Surprised, the undertaker responded, "Are you sure? That’s an awfully big expense, and we can do a very nice burial here. "The man said, "Look, 2000 years ago they buried a guy here and three days later He rose from the dead. I just can’t take that chance." - Jim Kilson

He was confident in the Gospel, but hesitant on its implications.

We Can Be Hesitant to Share the Gospel

Some of the 11 worshipped, but some doubted (Hesitant), Why?

Trauma of Jesus’ Death, Surprise of Jesus’ Appearances

The Fear Rampant because of Res.

Guards Scared of what they say

Religious Rulers feared reputation so a lie.

Those Crazy Women telling stories of Res., and sending them to Galilee - Will Jesus Show up?

Matthew’s Gospel has only this appearance with the Disciples.

Everyone starts with dis-belief, and shock over the Gospel.

Evie Megginson: In the villages of Northern India a missionary was preaching in a bazaar. As he closed, a Muslim gentleman came up and said, "You must admit we have one thing you have not, and it is better than anything you have." The missionary smiled and said, "I should be pleased to hear what it is." The Muslim said, "You know when we go to Mecca we at least find a coffin. But when you Christians go to Jerusalem, which is your Mecca, you find nothing but an empty grave." But the missionary just smiled and said, "That is just the difference. Mohammed is dead; Mohammed is in the coffin. And false systems of religion and philosophy are in their coffins, but Jesus Christ, whose kingdom is to include all nations and kindreds and tribes, is not here; He is risen. And all power in heaven and on earth is given unto Him. That is our hope."

So, It might be normal to be hesitant to Make Disciples.

Maybe we fear losing our friends, being called a Jesus freak.

In this day, and especially catipulted by the recent elections, if you are a White Evangelical Christian, you fear being labeled a racist, homophobe, bigget, narrow-minded.

Maybe you are hesitant because of your personality - Introvert, not an extrovert, you do not have the gift of evangelism

Fear that you do not have enough Bible Knowledge, or a super testimony.

Maybe you are embarrassed by the Church.

Fears from Internal reasons - We are unsure of ourselves

Fears from external reasons - Lie about pushy Christians. “Organic Outreach.”

So we have all of these fears, yet....

Here is a man who is so confident in the Gospel, but also made him hesitant.

We Can be Hesitant to Share the Gospel

Some of the Disciple’s Worshipped, Some Doubted (Hesitant), Why?

Jim Kilson: A man went on vacation to the Holy Land with his wife and her mother. While in Israel, the mother-in-law died from a heart attack. The couple went to a local undertaker, who explained that they could either ship the body home which would cost more than $1500D

Jesus Commands us to Make Jesus Followers

To Live the Gospel is to Live the Great Commission - After Resurrection, Just prior to Ascension where he will send the Holy Spirit to Empower us to live out this Great Commission.

The Command to Make Disciple’s, Go is a participle “As you go” = Assumes you are going. Which you probably are. Where do you Go? - Work, School, Friend’s, family, church, grocery shopping, softball, etc.

Preach the Gospel at all times, when necessary, use words - St. Francis of Assissi

The Means - We often get the order wrong, we teach then you can belong.

Baptizing = Belonging First, Love, befriending, praying for, Listening, to their story, sharing the Gospel Story, Sharing Your Story

Teaching them to obey Christ’s Commands = Equipping

Story of Ben’s Friend and Discipleship

Think of the huge vision 11 people to disciple all nations What if Jesus told South Blendon if it was up to us to disciple all nations? Fear Factor goes up - Team sport, implies multiplication, implies all of us have a part

In fact we know this is actually the most effective way.

Single Most Effective Reason People come to Church - Luminex, http://luminexusa.org/whynewpeoplecometochurch/?utm_source=Luminex&utm_campaign=afdf9177c7-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_WBW7&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f6d716c704-afdf9177c7-349991209

But How do we reconcile our hesitancy with Jesus’ command?

Jesus Commands us to Make Jesus Followers

Jesus Empowers us to Make Jesus Followers

Clue = How Jesus helped these 11.

He Came = He met them where they were at. You are hesitant, talk to someone about it, let Jesus speak to you through a Spirit-Filled Christian.

Jesus Empowers us to Make Jesus Followers

He Spoke = Now it does not seem like a conversation, but my sense is it was - Newsprint does not always share all details - gives us a clue that it was a conversation.

Bottom Line = Jesus’ does not compromise on the Command, but he empowers them, us to accomplish it.

Authority

Jesus is Free to do what he wants, he choses to spread the good news.

Jesus delegates = gives us the freedom and authority to make disciples.

Illustration = Traffic police in Denver getting beaten in brown uniforms, changed back to blue, and violence decreased - Signified more the police and the authority they had. We have the same in this world, and with demons.

Power - Jesus’ presence - The Promise of the Holy Spirit to guide and empower.

Like Superman being a traffic cop, has authority to direct traffic, but if a car challenges the authority has the ability to re-direct the traffic.

This does not mean we can supercede someone’s free will or force disciples.

It means we have more resources than we think, and we can grow in them. Jesus has given you authority to be a disciple maker, and he has given you unique gifts, abilities on the team for that cause. He is empowering us.

Everyone has identified and is using their spiritual gifts for South Blendon’s Evangelistic Efforts.

Conclusion:

We have introduced you to our When Necessary sermon series. It is intended to equip us in the great commission. Today, was about the justification of the Great Commission that we can have confidence in Jesus empowering us in the Great Commission, the next few weeks is on how to do it.

It leads to the Big Day on October 1

Excercise:

I am going to help us get started on making disicple’s today.

The cards on the pews have spaces for four names. Write down the names of non-Christians you believe you should reach out to. Before you write anything, take a few minutes to wait for God’s direction. Just remain silent and listen to the Holy Spirit while I pray for you.

“Lord, I ask you to bring the name of at least one non-Christian to every single person here. Please bring these people to mind as we wait for you direction. In Jesus’ name...

Wait 2 minutes

Amen

You have a chance right now to begin making disciples of the people on your list. I’d like you to begin by praying for them. Ask God to show you how to begin reaching out to them. Take a minute or two to think about and write down a few ways that you can obey God’s will for this area of your life.

Reference the Reformed Confessions: The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Canon’s of Dort: Head II, Article 5

Heidelberg Catechism: Q&A 1, 37-39, 45, 56, 59-60, 84, 126, Belgic Confession: Articles 23

Heidelberg Catechism: Q&A 1, 37-39, 45, 56, 59-60, 84, 126, Canon’s of Dort: Head II, Article 5 Belgic Confession: Articles 23

Heidelberg Catechism: Q&A 1, 37-39, 45, 56, 59-60, 84, 126, Belgic Confession: Articles 23

Canons of Dort: Head I, Article 13; Head II, Article 3; Head V, Article 13

Belhar Confession: Article 3

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