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)
What are the major components of the Lord’s Great Commission to His disciples? What right does Jesus have to command His followers to obey this commission? What promise is included in this commission? These questions are to be considered and answered in the next several days.
To begin with, what right did Jesus have to give a commission in the first place? Jesus provided the answer when He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Authority (ἐξουσία; exousia) means the authority to rule. Jesus said He was in control, or in charge. This biblical truth is set forth in Psalm 2 and 110. See also Cf. Dan. 7:14; Matt. 16:28; 24:30; 26:64. This Great Claim forms the basis for the Great Commission.
Jesus then said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Jesus’ command and commission to His disciples was not summarized by the word “Go!” Rather, His command and commission is found in the phrase “make disciples.” The phrase “make disciples” (μαθητεύω; matheteuo) is an aorist, active imperative, plural verb. It is a command occurring at a particular point in time for all of Jesus’ disciples and followers to actively obey.
To make disciples is not only for believers in Christ to urge the unconverted to become followers of Jesus. It also involves mature disciples instructing and teaching the recently converted in their new found faith in Christ (Matt. 13:51-52).
The Lord saved me by His grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Chist alone (Eph. 2:8-9). However, I did not know what followed my conversion. I did not know about how to study the Bible. I did not know the importance of prayer; even the discipline of praying before a meal. The reason I did not know these things, and other matters found in Scripture, was because no one took the time to teach me. The emphasis I encountered was on becoming a Christian, and not becoming a mature disciple. It was strictly about getting people saved and not helping them to become holy once Christ saved them.
In effect, I realized I was on my own. It was up to me to figure things out and to understand biblical truth. What are some of the biblical issues I needed to understand? He is a brief list.
- To hate sin and love holiness (I Peter 1:13-16). .
- To serve and love Christ’s church with all her imperfections (I John 4:7-11). .
- To love the lost and the nations and to have a passion for gospel advance (Romans 1:16-17).
- To “adorn” Christ’s gospel with good deeds of love, justice, and mercy (Titus 2:10, 12, 14).
- To live by faith in Christ and the gospel (Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17).
- To rejoice that the humanly unattainable requirements of a clean record, new heart, and new power to live a holy life have been purchased and provided by Christ alone through grace alone, and they are received by faith alone. Regeneration, justification, and sanctification are all free gifts (JOhn 3:1-8 Romans 3:21-26; Titus 3:1-5).
- To boast only in the cross and the gospel and to flee all pride and self-achievement (Gal. 6:14; Phil. 3:3–9).
- To hope in Christ for future glory and grace, a hope that sustains in the many afflictions of this brief sojourn in the “valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23).
- To deny self and to follow Jesus with singular loyalty (Luke 9:23– 26; 14:26).
- To put sin to death (Col. 3:5-11).
One time I approached a brother in Christ about the doubts I was experiencing concerning my salvation in Christ. I shared with him what I was feeling and the struggle I was having. His response was for me to get it settled. That was it. No effort was made for a mature believer to regularly sit down with me and help me by answering my questions and helping me grow in grace and knowledge (Phil. 2:12-13; 2 Peter 3:18).
Several providential events occurred in my life to help me begin to become a mature disciple. One of them was attending a Bible college. It was during those three years I compared myself to a dry sponge placed in an overflowing theological bucket of biblical truth. The Lord gave me so much knowledge and wisdom from my professors and fellow students. I was never the same. Many of my questions were answered. Many disciplines were forged. I was becoming a man of God.
Another discipline was reading good books by theologians and teachers who explained the doctrines in the Word of God. These included Dr. J.I. Packer, Francis Schaeffer, Dr. R. C. Sproul, Dr. John MacArthur, and Jerry Bridges.
It is important for the church to share the Gospel. However, it is also important for the church to disciple the evangelized who become converts to Christ by the Gospel.This is the church’s task. This is the church’s commission. This is the Lord’s command. We must not fail to obey the commission to make disciples.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 