Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”Pastor Bruce stated how the Great Commission and the Great Commandment go hand in hand. Remember the Great Commandment:
28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”Pastor Bruce pointed out that in order to spread the Word of Christ, we need to first remember to LOVE people and then tell them about Jesus. We need to have personal contact. So many churches are trying to reach people via the internet or TV but we need to actually go out and talk to people. Every church, no matter the denomination has to embrace the Great Commission, no church can be higher then the other nor should they believe that they are in a position of power. Another aspect he spoke about was that, although it is good to have fellowship with believers it is imperative that we also have fellowship with non believers as that is the only way we will reach those who do not know Christ. Pastor Bruce, read some statistics that various religious organizations have researched. He stated that there is near 6800 communities in the world that live in darkness...meaning that they have never heard the Word of Christ, they don't have access to a Bible in their own language and they have no one to teach them.
29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[b] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[c] There is no commandment greater than these.”
32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
Back up to him speaking about every believer spreading the word, Luke 22:27 states this:
For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.Pastor Bruce had this idea about Luke 22:27; "But I am among you as one who serves." This is Jesus talking to his disciples at the Last Supper, when they where bickering about who was greater at teaching. He wanted to point out that just because they where at the table that they where the greatest because He was sitting at the table serving them (remember Jesus washed their feet) so that we should not concern ourselves with how "great" we think we are but be concerned with serving others.
Here are the points from the Sermon outline:
- The Great Commission begins with WORSHIP (Matt 20:17). We need to prepare our hearts by worshiping Him in order to reach others. (this is where fellowship with BELIEVERS is important)
- The Great Commission Requires intentional strategies for EVANGELISM (it The Great Commission is in Jesus' authority and we need an outward perspective)."
- The Great Commission requires intentional stratigies for DISCIPLESHIP
- disciple is mathetes which means learner
- if disciple means learner, then we could easily say that "Therefor go and make students of Jesus of all the nations"
- requires ongoing teaching, which for those who have been reached by the gospel but do not have churches begin to lose sight of Christ since they are not continually taught
5.The Great Commission must be fulfilled in the SPIRIT of the Great Commandment.
- Great Commission and Great Commandment go hand in hand.
- Pastor Bruce also brought this idea up about the "End Times". And I'm going to say what I always say when approached about this subject. 1.) Jesus did not even know when He would return and so therefor we can not rely on a calendar made by others in the past to determine when the end will be. 2.) (this is Pastor Bruce's idea) that Matthew 24:14 Says this:
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.Pastor Bruce's idea was that in order for end times to come the world will need to hear the gospel, even reaching those communities, Nations, Tribes and Tongues who have yet to be reached...that's about 6800 people groups...we've got a bit to go.
In closing, the main point was that in order to fulfill the Great Commission we first need to follow the Great Commandment! Then go and be DOERS in the world!
I will be putting the link the the actual sermon on here as soon as it is added to the website.
