What Does This Mean?

The Great Commission: What Does This Mean?

16 The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshipped him, but some hesitated because they were uncertain. 18 Jesus approached and spoke to them saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and gather disciples from all nations by baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and by teaching them to keep all the instructions I have given you. And surely I am with you always until the end of the age.” (Mt 28:16–20)

  1. Don’t forget that ____________________ is __________________.

God said, “Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains there, the one to which I direct you.” (Ge 22:2)
18 The angel of the Lord told Gad to tell David to go and set up an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. … 1 Then David said, “This is the place for the House of the Lord God and for the altar for burnt offerings for Israel.” (1 Ch 21:18, 22:1)
When the Lord had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, stone tablets, written with God’s finger. (Ex 31:18)
Moses went up from the Plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land. (Dt 34:1a)
18 Elijah said, “It is not I who have brought trouble on Israel, but rather you and your father’s house, because you abandoned the Lord’s commandments and followed the Baals. 19 But now gather all Israel before me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” 20 So Ahab sent word to all the people of Israel, and he assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. (1 Ki 18:18–20)
13 He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 He did this to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 15 Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, along the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, 16 the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and on those dwelling in the region and the shadow of death a light has dawned. 17 From that time, Jesus began to preach: “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Mt 4:13–17)
1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to himself and gave them authority to drive out unclean spirits and to heal every disease and every sickness. … 1 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns. (Mt 10:1, 11:1)

  1. Don’t forget to look at Old Testament __________________.

9 I continued to watch until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days was seated. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair on his head was like pure wool. His throne was flames of fire. Its wheels were blazing fire. 10 A river of fire flowed out from his presence. Thousands upon thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and books were opened. (Da 7:9–10)
11 I kept paying attention to the sound of the boastful words that the horn was speaking. I kept watching until the beast was killed, and its body was destroyed and thrown into the burning fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion had been taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a set period of time. (Da 7:11–12)
13 I kept watching the night visions, and there, in the clouds of heaven, I saw one like a son of man coming. He came to the Ancient of Days, and he was brought before him. 14 To him was given dominion, honor, and a kingdom. All peoples, nations, and languages will worship him. His dominion is an eternal dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed. (Da 7:13–14)
Jesus said to him, “It is as you have said. But I tell you, soon you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mt 26:64)

  1. The Great Commission is a _____________________________ narrative.

Commissioning Text:

__________________________ — we are told things about time and place (after the resurrection, on a mountain in Galilee)

_____________________ — sometimes a confrontation (Jesus appears and speaks to the disciples)

_________________ — to the appearance (they worship him, some hesitated [this probably means they are uncertain if it is really Jesus])

______________________— the person(s) is charged with a duty (go and gather disciples by baptizing and teaching)

________________ — the person objects to God’s command (this seems to be mission in our text unless we consider that the phrase “some hesitated” as an objection; think of Moses, he actually told God to send someone else)

________________________ — God reassure them about their commission (surely I am with you always until the end of the age)

___________________________ — this could be something like a miracle (we don’t have that in our story; God had Moses put his hand in his cloak, when he pulled it out it was leprous, he put it back in his cloak then pulled it out again, and his had returned to normal)

______________________ — this is different for each commissioning

and by teaching them to keep all the instructions I have given you (πάντα ὅσα ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν). And surely I am with you always until the end of the age.” (Mt 28:20)
 [God’s commissioning to Moses] You are to speak everything that I command you (πάντα ὅσα σοι ἐντέλλομαι), and Aaron your brother is to speak to Pharaoh, so that he will let the Israelites go out from his land. (Ex 7:2)
 [God’s commissioning to Joshua] Just be strong and very courageous. Be careful to act according to the entire Law which my servant Moses commanded for you (ἐνετείλατό σοι). Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may succeed wherever you go. (Jos 1:7)
The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brother Israelites. Listen to him. (Dt 18:15)

  1. Put all of this __________________.

Points to Ponder

  1. What is one thing that stood out for you from this week’s message?
  2. What does it mean to "gather disciples" rather than simply "make converts"?
  3. Jesus says, “all nations.” What implications does that have for your church, your neighborhood, and your own calling?
  4. Jesus begins with “All authority...” and ends with “I am with you always.” How do these two statements give us courage in living out the mission?
  5. Who in your life might God be calling you to disciple or reach out to? What is one step you can take this week?
  6. How is our church participating in the Great Commission? Where do we see strengths, and where might God be inviting us to grow?

Homework: Ephesians 1