What we have learned in this series so far is that because of Jesus Christ we can have love, joy, and peace in this life and in the next. As caring individuals, we can now see the tremendous loss that comes to those who don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior. It would only seem natural that we would want to share the good news that God wants everyone to know Him.
Jesus says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. It is clear that God’s intent is that “all people would be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:4). It is for this reason that Jesus commanded us to fulfill the Great Commission. Show More
The word commission simply means an assignment. The Great Commission or Great Assignment is the assignment from God to every Believer to make Jesus Christ known. It is not optional but should be seen as a normal response of gratefulness for what God has done for us.
All four Gospels contain Jesus’ words in regard to this Great Commission:
Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-18, Luke 24:44-49, and John 20:19-23. The most well-known of these is Matthew 28:18-20 listen to what Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
With great gifts comes great responsibilities and that is what the Great Commission is a great responsibility. It is a responsibility to love! When we understand God’s kind of Love which is unconditional which means “to live your life for someone else’s good”, it is then we recognize that loving unconditionally is a great and challenging responsibility.
Let’s take a closer look at the terms of the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20.
What did Jesus mean when He said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth”. It means that there is no one greater than He and He is able to give that authority to whomever He desires. You have the authority to carry out the Great Commission!
- Look at what Jesus says in Acts 1:8, Let’s look at the three points mentioned here:
- When Jesus says, “you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you”, He is using the Greek work Dynamis, and that means miraculous power, boldness! Dynamis is where we get our word dynamite. So, you are being empowered with dynamite power to share the Gospel/Good News.
- When Jesus says, “you shall be witnesses to Me”, He is saying “I want you to share what I have done for you”! Your personal testimony is the most powerful thing you can share. No one can deny your testimony because it is yours.
- When Jesus said you shall be witnesses to me “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth”, He is saying you start locally (family, friends and acquaintances), then move out to your neighboring cities and states, and then to foreign lands, if you are called, by God, to do that.
There is only one objective or mission in the Great Commission and that is to “Make disciples”. A disciple is one who is already a Believer and has decided to follow Jesus.
There are three steps in making a disciple.
- First, you have to “Go”. You can’t simply wait for candidates to come to you. That may happen, but we are challenged to go, leave our comfort zone, and share the Gospel or Good News.
- Second, “Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. This means that they have to be believers first before you can disciple them. The Word of God will not make sense until the Spirit of God lives in them.
- Third, “Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you”. Disciples need to be taught. Taught those things that Jesus taught, and those things taught by God to the writers of the Bible. Therefore, we teach the truths of the Bible and not the opinions of man. We teach by words and example. Not words only but doing what is necessary to help them become immersed in “the Love of the Father, the Sacrifice of the Son, and the Power of the Holy Spirit”.
Jesus ends the Great Commission by making a promise!
“I am with you always even to the end of the age”. When Jesus ascended to heaven the Holy Spirit descended to live in the Believer. To empower and embolden the individual to share the Gospel. As we walk by faith (2 cor. 5:7) God will do the rest.
It is important to understand that you cannot save anyone. Your responsibility ends with sharing the Good News/Gospel. Only the Holy Spirit can actually change a heart. You are the messenger, Jesus is the message! The Holy Spirit is the agent of change!
When it comes to the Great Commission the greatest obstacle the Devil can put in our way is Fear! The fear of rejection, looking foolish, or ridiculed are all very real fears. You overcome that fear by realizing that you are sharing the love of God with people you love or care about. I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, “what you don’t know can’t hurt you”. Well you know that isn’t true, denial is never a good option in life. Just as someone shared the message of life to us, we in like manner share with others.
If someone should say “no” to your sharing of the gospel, don’t be discouraged. Keep in mind that you are not responsible for their decision. Jesus makes it clear that some plant “seeds” of truths that may eventually lead to salvation (1 Cor 3:6-8). Studies have shown that most people need to hear the Gospel 4-6 times before they make a decision for Jesus. Our responsibility is to share; it is the Holy Spirit’s responsibility to do the supernatural.
So, in the simplest of terms, the Great Commission is about telling others about what Jesus has done for you. Then becoming a friend to them so that you may disciple them. An old Christian saying is, “Make a friend, be a friend, and then bring that friend to Jesus”.
