
Doctrine 12
• Series: Doctrine
Doctrine: Great Commission Making Christ Known Big Ideas: The Aim of Commission The Motive of Commission The Comfort in Commission How and Where? It is easy to miss the commission when I am wrapped up in pursuing or promoting a western-cultured mindset rather than pursuing transformation and the renewal of my mind in the presence of Christ. The great aim of the missionary is to make disciples. No doubt he is a civilizer, but he does not go to heathen lands in the interests of civilization; he goes to proclaim salvation by grace. He is the friend of commerce, education, freedom of every kind, and rapidly promotes them wherever he goes; but he does not go to China, India, and the islands of the South Seas in order to circulate Western ideas of trade, culture, good government, and social weal; he goes to represent the character, announce the will, illustrate the grace, offer the salvation, and promote the reign of the God whom Christ has made real and saving to us. And whatever improvements he may help to make in the outward conditions in which the people live, he has not fulfilled his distinctive mission until he has given them “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,” and won them to a trust in and love of God that will free them from their idolatries, cleanse them from their immoralities, and make them worshippers with intelligent conviction, zeal and courage in their devotion. Indeed to give them Western civilization without Western religion, with its powerful ethic to illumine and discipline their conscience, would be to multiply their power of sin and mischief and tend to their corruption…- James Hastings Doctrine 12: The Great Commission. Beware of studying doctrine, precept, or experiences apart from the Lord Jesus, who is the soul of all. Doctrine without Christ will be nothing better than his empty tomb; doctrine with Christ is a glorious high throne, with the King sitting thereon. Precepts without Christ are impossible commands; but precepts from the lips of Jesus have a quickening effect upon the heart. Without Christ you can do nothing; but, abiding in him, you bring forth much fruit. Always let your preaching and your hearing look towards the personal Saviour. This makes all the difference in preaching. Ministers may preach sound doctrine by itself, and be utterly without unction; but those who preach it in connection with the person of the blessed Lord have an anointing which nothing else can give. Christ himself, by the Holy Ghost, is the saviour of a true ministry. - Charles Spurgeon Philippians 3:8 [8] Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ… 1 Corinthians 2:1–5 [1] And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. [2] For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. [3] And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, [4] and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, [5] so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. The Great Commission Matthew 28:16-20 [16] Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. [17] And 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… Comfortable converts who copycat your christianity… Without an abiding relationship with Christ, it is impossible to fulfill the great commission. It is not possible to make disciples of all nations by religiously going to them. Jesus said that, apart from him, we can bear no fruit. If making Christ known is withheld from the great commission, it is no more than a social justice initiative, a welfare trip, or poverty relief. Good things, yes, which God can still use to show mercy to people, but the mission itself is void of the transformational power of the Holy Spirit. [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] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (ESV) Our Doctrine: We believe that Jesus commands us to go and share the good news of His love for humanity. Our daily lives are a mission to introduce people to Christ and reconcile them to God. Everything we are as believers should come from the love of God that transformed our lives. Everything we do as believers should be fueled by His love in our transformed hearts and center on the Great Commission. The Aim of Commission: Make Disciples Disciples. Not conformed converts, but abiders in Christ, transformed sons and daughters of God who are being sanctified by the indwelling Spirit of God. To become someone who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and is committed to the mission of Jesus. Jesus clearly has a global directive in this great commission. The nations CANNOT be ignored or rejected. “Go” isn’t a specific destination, but a direction. And whether that direction leads you to Brazil, Birmingham, or your neighbors backyard bbq, our calling is to follow the movement of the Spirit in faith-filled obedience. The Motive of Commission: therefore. Go, therefore, and make disciples… Therefore: as a result; because of that; for that reason. For what reason should I go? What is my motive? The direction is clear: make disciples everywhere you find yourself. But the motive is where we can get off, and I believe that it directly affects our ability to truly live out this parting command from Christ. Colossians 1:13–14 [13] He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (ESV) Christ died. But we must NEVER forget this: Christ arose! What we celebrated and remembered in communion last week, what we sing about and worship because of, why we gather, why we give, why we serve, why we GO is for THIS reason; that we have a RISEN Savior! Why is the resurrection critical to the commission of Christ? 1 Corinthians 15:14–23 [14] And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. [15] We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. [16] For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. [17] And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. [18] Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. [19] If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. [20] But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. [21] For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. [22] For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. [23] But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. (ESV) The world is eternally separated from God by sin, stands condemned without hope, and we know the One who is not just a story or an idea, but rather the One who is the great Rescuer! “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me…” Here is the evidence of his gospel, the seal of his ability to save us to the uttermost, and the proof that he is who he claimed to be, did what he said he would do, and does in fact have all authority. If Jesus had not raised from the dead, he would not have all authority. John 10:10–18 [10] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. [11] I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [12] He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. [13] He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. [14] I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. [17] For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. [18] No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (ESV) Jesus came for life, with the eternal mission of destroying the works of the enemy, rescuing souls held hostage by the unbreakable grip of sin and death, and he did it! For this reason, therefore, that Christ has died and Christ is risen and has all authority to both save and sanctify, and to send, go and make disciples of all nations. And what a privilege, what a gift, what a humbling method that God chooses to make His glory and goodness and grace known among the inhabitants of the earth by sending us, His children, out. Romans 10:13–15 [13] For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” [14] 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? [15] And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” The Comfort of Commission What have I to offer? Me, God? How am I supposed to make disciples? I’m still figuring this faith thing out! How am I supposed to fulfill my part of this great commission? And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Behold: observe with care, intently look at, be sure to see and understand this: Jesus is with you. Always. Never once abandoning us. Never once loosening his grip, relaxing his care, removing his gaze, or rescinding his promises. And when he ascended, he promised to send His Spirit upon us. The fulfillment of his great comfort to us. This is the great co-mission. God’s mission of redemption. Accomplished through Christ. Empowered by the Holy Spirit. He commissions us to join in with a mission that cannot fail. How and Where? Acts 1:8–9 [8] But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [9] And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. Witness to the person and work of Christ wherever the Spirit of God leads you. “Don’t you know that America is going to hell in a hand-basket? Don’t you know that people are lost and broken and needy right here in my neighborhood?” The answer is, “Yes, I do know that. And if you are called by God to bring an everlasting blessing to the people of your neighborhood, or your city, for the fame of Jesus Christ, nobody will be happier about that than I am.” Let's be done with that dichotomy! Okay? God delights in those who pour themselves out for the sake of his name anywhere! Anywhere! Take Aways: Read the book of Acts Get to know our missionaries and organizations. Learn about them and the culture they are commissioned to serve in. catalystnwa.com/missions Pray, give, and go