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 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.” (Matthew 28:16–20 (ESV)
14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:14–18 (ESV)
44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:44–49 (ESV)
All four Gospels parallel each other concerning the events on Resurrection Sunday. The Holy Spirit specifically inspired the writers to provide particular information not found in the other Gospels. While each writer provides selective, insightful information, they do not contradict each other in telling the wonderful news that Jesus Christ is alive. Such is the case with today’s text from the Synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark and Luke concerning what theologians call The Great Commission.
Luke records Jesus saying, “44These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,” (Luke 24:44-45).
What specifically did Jesus want His disciples to understand and opened their minds to comprehend? The Holy Spirit does not leave us guessing.
46 …“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:46–47 (ESV)
Jesus affirmed the sinner’s salvation from the penalty, power and the eventual presence of sin was by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Him (Jesus Christ) alone. This truth of His substitutionary death, burial and resurrection was/is to be believed and proclaimed to all people. The truth, and the message, of the Gospel has not changed in two millennia. It must not change.
16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16–17 (ESV)
21 “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:21–26 (ESV)
Jesus commanded His disciples to go and tell this wonderful news. Matthew records these familiar words. “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,” (Matt. 28:19-20)
“It is very clear from the story of the non-Jewish wise men (Matt. 2:1–12), who came to worship the newborn King, and from such other passages as 8:11, 12; 15:28; 21:43; 22:8–10, that from the very beginning the evangelization of the world was included in the purpose of God. See also John 3:16; 10:16. Matthew too, as has been pointed out, had nothing less than this in mind. But as was stated in connection with 10:5, “In God’s plan it was from Jerusalem that the gospel must spread out among the nations.” Cf. Acts 1:8. Therefore the divinely instituted order was, “To the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16). The time to make earnest preparations for the propagation of the gospel throughout the world had now arrived,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.
This commission will be the particular focus of our time together in the days to come. May the Lord’s truth and grace be yours this day, and always.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 