The Great Commission

The GREAT COMMISSION
A presentation by Dr. Peter Hammond

The Great Commission
“And Jesus came and spoke to them saying: ‘All authority has been
given to Me on Heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples
of all the nations, baptising 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. Amen’.” Matthew 28:18-20

The Great Commission is great! It contains:
-A great Truth - Jesus is Lord over all areas of life.

-A great Commission –
we are to make disciples of all nations.

-A great Command – we are to teach obedience
to all things that the Lord has commanded.

-And a great Promise – the Lord Himself
promises to be with us for all time.

A careful reading of the Great Commission (Matthew.
28:18-10) should make it clear that we are called to do
far more than merely “share the Gospel.”

Jesus Christ declared: “All authority has been given to
Me in Heaven and on Earth…” The Lordship of Jesus
Christ in every area of life must be proclaimed and practiced.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all
the nations…”.

We are not called to make converts, or
“decisions”, but disciples.

We are to make disciples, not only of individuals, we
must start there, and of families, which is vital, we are
not only to disciple congregations and communities.

The Great Commission commands us to make
disciples of nations – all nations!

“…Baptizing them in the Name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit…”,
complete submission to Almighty God is essential.

“…Teaching them to observe all things I have commanded
you…”. Education is an essential part of the Great
Commission. And we are not just to teach faith, or a selection
of a few of our favourite things.

We have been instructed by the Lord Jesus
Christ to teach obedience to everything that He
has commanded.

This Great Commission must be our
supreme ambition.

The last command of our Lord Jesus
Christ ought to be our first concern.

“For I am not
ashamed of the
Gospel of
Christ, for it is
the power of
God to salvation
for everyone
who believes.”
Romans 1:16

We must never allow distractions, danger,
disappointments or determined opposition
to deter us from obeying Christ’s Great
Commission

Our purpose on earth is to “Make
disciples…teaching obedience…”

The life-blood of the Church is it’s evangelistic zeal. No
matter what the situation, or how adverse the circumstances
may seem to be, our Lord’s Command is to:

“Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out
of season, convince, rebuke, exhort with all
long-suffering and teaching.” 2 Timothy 4:2

We are commanded to: “Go into all the world and
preach the Gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15;

“Repentance and remission of sins should be
preached in His Name to all nations…” Luke 24:47

Jesus declared: “As the Father has sent
Me, I also send you.” John 20:21;

Christ made it clear that we are to be “witnesses
to Me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

When we consider the greatness of The Great
Commission, that Christ is commanding us to
follow His example,

to be sent,
even as
He was sent,

to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins
to all nations,

to be His witnesses
to the very ends of the earth,

to make disciples of the nations, teaching
obedience to all things that He has commanded

-we are overwhelmed! The task seems impossible. Which of
us can possibly feel adequate to the incredible responsibility of
discipling the nations?

But every command of Christ comes with a promise. When the Lord
commands us to go and make disciples of all nations, He reminds us that
He has all authority in Heaven and on Earth, and He promises us:
“Lo, I am with you, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

When the Lord
commanded us to go into
all the world and preach
the Gospel to every
creature He promised
miraculous power: “And
they went out and
preached everywhere,
the Lord working with
them and confirming
the Word through the
accompanying signs.”
Mark 16:20

When the Lord commanded “That repentance and
remission of sins should be preached in His Name to
all nations…” He promised “power from on high.”
Luke 24:47-49

When the Lord commissioned His followers:
“As the Father has sent Me, I also send you”
He breathed on them and said:
“Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:21-22

And at the Ascension,
when the Lord
commanded His followers
to be His witnesses
“To the ends
of the earth”
He promised:
“But you shall
receive power when
the Holy Spirit has
come upon you.”
Acts 1:8

Nothing that God has
commanded us to do is
impossible.
As we read in the Book of Acts:
The Lord went up!
The Holy Spirit came down!
The disciples went out!
(Acts 1:8 - 8:1).

A handful of
disciples in an
upper room
went out
and changed
the world!

The greatest
experience is to
come to Jesus.
The greatest task is
to disciple the
nations for Jesus.
The greatest
priority is to go
for Jesus.

Changed lives -
changing the lives
of others.
Forgiven sinners,
sharing the way of
Salvation to other
sinners.
Blessed Christians,
seeking to bless
others.

The first recorded words of
Christ in His early ministry
were:
“Repent for the
Kingdom of
Heaven is at
hand…Follow
Me, and I will
make you
fishers of men.”
Matthew 4:17-19

Our Lord’s call to repentance, to discipleship
(“Follow Me”) and to Evangelism
(“And I will make you fishers of men”)
are all inter-related. We are called to come to Him for
Salvation and to go for Him to bring the message of Salvation
to others.

Jesus is:
“The Lamb of
God who takes
away the sin of
the world!”
John 1:29

Jesus is:
“The Light
of the
world.”
John 8:12

Jesus is: “The Way, the Truth and the Life. No-one
comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6.

There’s no other way,
no other religion,
no other hope for mankind.

“Go out into the highways and hedges and
compel them to come in that My House may be
filled.” Luke 14:23.

“Freely you have received, freely give.”
Matthew 10:8.

Jesus said:
“He who is not
with Me is
against Me,
and He who
does not
gather with
Me scatters
abroad.”
Matthew 12:30

You are either a
missionary or a
mission field.
You cannot be
neutral in
missions.
Walking by on the
other side of the
road is not an
option for
Christians.

“Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are
already ripe for harvest!” John 4:35

Jesus commanded us to look at the fields. We need to
investigate and understand the missionary challenge.

How well do you know your World? Did you know that there are
12 000 ethno-linguistic people groups in the world? 21 % of the world’s
population are Muslims, 13% of the world’s population is Hindu.

There are 67 countries which restrict religious freedom and persecute
Christians. Over 400 million Christians live under governments which
persecute believers.

Africa occupies 22% of the
world’s land surface.
41% of Africans are Muslims.
14 countries in Africa have less
than 1% Evangelical
Christians: Mauritania,
Morocco, Libya, Tunisia,
Comores, Djibouti, Niger,
Senegal, Somalia, Algeria,
Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau
and Mali.
Over 100 million
church-goers in Africa do
not yet possess a Bible or
New Testament.

“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are
few. Therefore pray the Lord of the Harvest to send
out labourers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38

The Lord
commanded us to go
into all the world
and preach the
Gospel to all
Creation.
This is a command,
not only to go into
all the geographical
world, but into every
level of society.

We must go into the world of business and
education, the judiciary, government,
entertainment, economics, medicine, sports
and the arts.

And we are to proclaim the Gospel of
repentance and forgiveness of sins.

We must deal with the primary issue of sin. People are not innocent
victims needing deliverance, but guilty sinners needing forgiveness and
mercy from Almighty God. “As the Father has sent Me, so I am
sending you.”

As with Christ’s Incarnation we need to become one with, and identify
with the people we are sent to. We need to live and speak the Gospel in
their language and in their culture. “The field is the world, the good
seeds are the sons of the Kingdom, …” Matthew 13:38.

“You are the salt of the earth…you are the light of the world…”
Matthew 5:13-14

“Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works
and glorify your Father in Heaven.” Matthew 5:16

The best sermon illustration is the life of
integrity of a Christian neighbour,
colleague or family member.

At Evangelism Workshops, Great Commission Conferences,
and Biblical Worldview Seminars that I have conducted
throughout Africa, Europe and the USA,.

I found that the vast majority of delegates surveyed came to
Christ through personal evangelism, from friends, family and
strangers in one-one-one witnessing and counselling.

Even in large groups of several hundred, I’ve seldom found
more than 3% who could, along with myself, report being
converted through an evangelistic crusade.

There are normally a few dozen who report Gospel literature having been
used of the Lord to bring them to repentance. However, at every
evangelistic workshop and conference that I have surveyed, the vast
majority report that it was through family, friends, neighbours, and even
strangers, in one-on-one personal evangelism that they were converted.

Jesus said: “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will
also confess before My Father who is in Heaven. That whoever denies
Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father who is in
Heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33.

We dare not let opportunities to witness for Christ pass us by.

“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My Words, of him the Son of Man
will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s
and of the holy angels.” Luke 9:26.
Do not be intimidated into silence, fear God and not man.

Jesus assured us: “There is no one who has left house or brothers or
sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for My sake and
the Gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundred-fold now in this time -
houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions – and in the age to come, eternal life.”
Mark 10:29-30
Sacrifice is required.

If you are serious about missions and share our vision of winning Africa
for Christ, participate in the Great Commission Course (5 - 24 January
2018 ) and for evangelistic resources that you can use to disciple the
nations for Christ.

“I must preach the Kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for
this purpose I have been sent.” Luke 4:43.
Do not bottleneck the Gospel. Reach out across boundaries.

“Let us cross over to the other side.” Mark4:35.
Overcome all obstacles for the Gospel.

“On this rock I
will build My
Church and the
gates of Hell shall
not prevail
against it.”
Matthew 16:18
Victory is assured.
The best form of
defence is attack!

“The Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing and
forceful men lay hold of it.” Matthew 11:12
Be bold, innovative and persistant in seeking first the
Kingdom of God.

Nothing is impossible, nothing is beyond the reach of
prayer - except that which is beyond the will of God.
No one is unreachable.

The will of God will never lead you
- where the grace of God cannot keep you.

“And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in
all the world as a witness to all the nations and then
the end will come.” Matthew 24:14

“when the earth shall be filled with the
knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the
waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14

“That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in Heaven,
and those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father.” Philippians 2:10-11

Is your church consistently praying for the fulfillment
of The Great Commission?

It is written: “My house shall be called a
house of prayer for all nations” Mark 11:17.

“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be
Your Name. Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in
Heaven…” Matthew 6:9-10. We need to pray for God’s Will to be
obeyed – not just in the Church – but in the world! You are not to be the
salt of the church, but the salt of the earth, the Light of the World.

This is the Word of God: “Blessed are those who hear
the Word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28

Give up your small ambitions and follow Jesus!

Frontline Fellowship
PO Box 74
Newlands
7725
Cape Town
South Africa
E-mail: admin@frontline.org.za
Web: www.frontline.org.za

“All the ends of the
world shall remember
and turn to the Lord,
and all the families
of the nations shall
worship before You.
For the Kingdom
is the Lord’s
and He rules
over the nations.”
Psalm 22:27-28

The Great Commission

More Related Content

What's hot (20)

Similar to The Great Commission (20)

More from Peter Hammond (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

The Great Commission