Well, we made it...100 sermons and 2-1/2 years of study over the book of Matthew! What a great blessing it was for me personally to sit under the Word of God preached faithfully each week as Cody carefully walked us through the text verse by verse. I'm sure many of you feel the same. And what better way to close our time in Matthew and prepare the way for our study of Acts than to study over The Great Commission.
As we learned this week, Jesus' gave these instructions to his followers shortly before his ascension into Heaven and they include four imperatives: go, make, baptize, and teach. So, what practical implications do these imperatives have for us as we seek to live in obedience to Christ? Let's look at them each, one at a time.
"Go." The Christian life is one marked by action. There is no room in God's kingdom for laziness or complacency. There is a lot of work to be done and we are the ones expected (commissioned) to do it. This means we need to be actively engaging with other believers in Christian community, doing the work of ministry, exhorting and encouraging one another, and loving and serving one another sacrificially as brothers and sisters in and through Christ. Likewise, we are called to actively engage a broken and fallen world with the powerful, life-changing message of the Gospel, both in word and deed. To follow Christ is to "go." Not only are we called to "go," but we are called to do three very specific things when we go.
"Make." The first thing we are called to do when we "go" is to "make disciples." Romans 10:14 says, "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" The Gospel is "the power of God for salvation" (Romans 1:16). The word "gospel" literally means "good news." By its nature, news (a message) has to be verbalized in words. It is a story that has to be told. But telling the story is only the beginning. Making disciples is a lifelong process that, once started, needs to be seen through to fruition. Every disciple (follower) is made, and is being made, day by day, by the intentional investment of other disciples in their life. Likewise, they are simultaneously investing in the lives of others. To follow Christ is to commit to spending your time, talents, and resources in the constant pursuit of opportunities to transform and to be transformed by the power of the Gospel.
"Baptize." When we "go" and "make disciples," one of the first things we are called to do is to "baptize" them. Why? Does baptism play a role in salvation? No, the work of Christ upon the cross alone is sufficient for salvation...we cannot and need not add anything to it. So, why all of this emphasis on baptism? The meaning and purpose of baptism is often misunderstood and misapplied. Time precludes me from fully and properly unpacking all that there is to know and understand about baptism here, but let me briefly summarize it with one word...obedience. Baptism is an act of obedience that serves as an outward expression of the inward work of Christ in our lives. The Christian life is one of obedience to Christ as our Lord and Savior. It is about setting aside our selfish, sinful desires and following Jesus. The symbolism of baptism is the washing away of our former self, one of flesh, sin, and death, and putting on the new self of spirit, obedience, and life. It is important, because it identifies us and sets us apart as a new creation in the Kingdom of God.
"Teach." Again, we are reminded by our Savior of the intentional nature of our "going." We need merely look to the example Jesus gave us for engaging and interacting with people. Jesus never wasted a teachable moment and he had a purpose for everything he said and did. One of the most common titles given to Jesus by his followers during his ministry was "Rabbi" which means "teacher." When we want to know or better understand something about God, we look to Jesus. In the same way, we are called to reflect the glory of our Savior when others look to us. We are ALL called to be teachers. That means it isn't just the guys who have seminary degrees. This is an awesome and weighty responsibility and one we must take seriously. But to be a good teacher, we must first and foremost be good students. We must be students of Jesus through the careful study of his Word. We must know the difference between sound doctrine and good teaching, and that which is heretical and untrue. Too often we as believers neglect this important and critical piece of the Christian life and the work to which we have been called, to our shame and detriment, and to the detriment of others.
So, that's it. We hope and pray that our time in Matthew has been a blessing to you.
In Grace,
Chris Morris
If you missed this week's sermon (or just want to listen again), follow the link below to listen. Or subscribe to our podcast in iTunes.
Part 100 - The Great Commission
Questions discussed in this sermon:
1. Is unbelief the same thing as doubting?
2. What is the nature of Christ's authority?
3. What is discipleship?
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