Eternity Daily Bible Study No. 216 Vision For Mission - 2 To subscribe just send a blank email to: eternity-dbs-subscribe@strategicnetwork.org [NB: Training In Cybermissions - 12 week course in Internet Evangelism and Cybermissions, starts October 6th - http://www.cybermissions.org/training/ ] THE GREAT COMMISSION There are four post-resurrection versions of the Great Commission (Luke puts his version in Acts 1) : Matthew 28:18-20 MKJV And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority is given to Me in Heaven and in earth. (19) Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all things, whatever I commanded you. And, behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the world. Amen. Mark 16:15-20 MKJV And He said to them, Go into all the world, proclaim the gospel to all the creation. (16) He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. (17) And miraculous signs will follow to those believing these things: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak new tongues; (18) they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will be well. (19) Then indeed, after speaking to them, the Lord was taken up into Heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. (20) And going out, they proclaimed everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the Word by miraculous signs following. Amen. John 20:21-23 MKJV Then Jesus said to them again, Peace to you. As My Father has sent Me, even so I send you. (22) And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. (23) Of whomever sins you remit, they are remitted to them. Of whomever sins you retain, they are retained. Acts 1:4-9 MKJV And having met with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to await the promise of the Father which you heard from Me. (5) For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now. (6) Then, indeed, these coming together, they asked Him, saying, Lord, do You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? (7) And He said to them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in His own authority. (8) But you shall receive power, the Holy Spirit coming upon you. And you shall be witnesses to Me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (9) And saying these things, as they watched, He was taken up. And a cloud received Him out of their sight. Both Matthew and Mark emphasize proclamation followed by baptism, John adds remission of sins, Luke/Acts and John directly mention receiving the Holy Spirit with power and authority, Mark does this indirectly be referring to "signs following" and Matthew talks of being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Luke makes much of this baptism of the Holy Spirit as an absolute necessity for ministry that the disciples were to wait for. The extent of the Great Commission is variously all nations, all creation, and "in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Finally John neatly summarizes the incarnational style of Christian mission with Peace to you. As My Father has sent Me, even so I send you. So we see that the Great Commission is both a going and a sending. A "go ye into all the world" and a "as the Father sent me so I send you". We go as we are sent by God and we go in the humble incarnational manner of Jesus Christ. This going and sending is in the name and the authority of the risen Lord Jesus Christ, and in the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. We are given both exousia (authority) in Matthew 28:18 and dunamis (active power) in Acts 1:8 and equipped with all the resources of heaven and blessed with all the blessings in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3) The actual going involves proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom and of forgiveness of sins and teaching His commandments, and baptizing people from all nations, until the end of this age. Depending on your theology about the last verses in Mark, it may also involve "signs following". We are to bring both the message of God and the power and presence of God into the lives of men and women around the world. The Great Commission is phrased in active, imperative, commanding language. This is because the revelation of God, and of Christ is always proactive and intended. No-one ever accidentally meets the risen Christ, always Jesus comes to them, reveals Himself and meets them. No-one ever stumbles across the gospel - rather the gospel is proclaimed to them and they believe. The gospel has to be taken to people by committed messengers -because on their own people will not arrive at faith in God. 1 Corinthians 1:21 MKJV (21) For since, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom did not know God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. The Great Commission is more than a gentle nudging of interested seekers. It is also a bold authoritative proclamation of an arriving Kingdom. It is the news of a herald, proclaimed to all, regardless of their apparent level of interest. The Great Commission is a going and a sending but not (anywhere in Scripture) an attracting or a marketing. The gospel is not marketed, rather it is proclaimed. If the sick are healed you will not need a logo! We focus too much on "attracting seekers" (though that is certainly much better than repelling them) and focus too little on living out the life-transforming message of the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. Lastly who is the Great Commission for? The Great Commission involves taking the name of Jesus to the ends of the earth and is not to be entered into lightly. It is for all believers who have met the risen Christ face-to face and been filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. The apostles were not allowed to engage in the Great Commission until these two requirements had been fully met. Also Paul met these requirements - he met the risen Christ face-to-face on the road to Damascus and was filled with the Spirit at the hands of Ananias. The reason most Christians hate witnessing is because they do not have these two requirements. Even good doctrine and holy intentions cannot replace Christ and the Holy Spirit. Our God is not an absentee Lord and He will not send you without first meeting you and commissioning you in a personal and particular way. Neither will He "leave you as orphans" (John 14:16-18) but will anoint you and send you in the power of the Holy Spirit. These two things are not just for super-saints and bible heroes. A surprising number of Christians have met Christ face-to-face in a personal life-changing encounter and commissioning. It is an experience many pastors and missionaries and lay-workers can testify to. Many also have had very convincing experiences of God the Holy Spirit. So then what should a Christian do? : Firstly he should know the message of the gospel of the Kingdom - http://www.aibi.ph/kingdom/ Secondly she should Practice the Presence of Jesus: (See http://www.cybermissions.org/ccom/god101entrance.html for a simple explanation of "meeting God face to face" - it is by my good friend Clare G. Weakley) Thirdly the Christian should know they are anointed by God and have received the power of the Holy Spirit for ministry - see http://www.aibi.ph/articles/baptj.htm ). With these three things we will be able to be His witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Blessings, John Edmiston Were you blessed by Eternity Daily Bible Study? To subscribe just send a blank email to: eternity-dbs-subscribe@strategicnetwork.org Visit the Eternity Daily Bible Study Archives - http://www.aibi.ph/eternity/ Study at the Asian Internet Bible Institute- Free online non-formal, in-service, bible and ministry training: http://www.aibi.ph