The Great Commission - Another View

The Great Commission - Another View

When Jesus gave us the Great Commission as reported in Matthew 28 & Mark 16, I believe He gave us the just start of the great commission - the bare bones. However, later on, Paul then gave us a greater and deeper insight to what the Great Commission really is all about.

2 Timothy 4:1-5
“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. “

Let’s just examine these words a little bit. Let’s try to grab hold of some of the truth and relevance for today’s church. This is a mighty word from a All-Mighty God

There are five statements or instructions and one terrible warning in this passage so let me take them one at a time and in order and I will try not to miss anything out. This is the Great Commission broken down and presented so that we may best understand what it is the Lord requires of us as His disciples.

1. “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:” Here is the start of your mission statement. Here is your complete authority. You are charged with the following duties

2. “Preach the Word;” What more is there to say. Preach the Word. How many churches this coming weekend will actually preach the Word – the Gospel of Jesus Christ? How many preachers will give an altar call? How many unsaved people will be convicted of their sin and come, fully repentant, before the throne of Grace?

3. “Be prepared in season and out of season;” When Jesus sent the 72 out (Luke 10) He charged them similarly to be prepared wherever you are, whenever you are there, at a moment’s notice – to Preach the Word. To speak Jesus Name to someone or to many someone’s.

4. “Correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” Jesus also charges us or commands us to challenge and correct un-Godly attitudes, talk, thought, or actions. He says for us to rebuke the wrong-doing. Rebuke the sin but love the sinner. He says for us to encourage those who will listen to us to live a more Godly life – to correct the attitude, clean up the talk, control and clean up the thoughts, and to stop or otherwise correct our actions.

5. “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” Here is a ‘today’ warning. How many churches preach to their audience? How many pastors, scared for their own standard of living, preach either easy listening or worse still preach what the congregation want to hear? How many new thoughts on what constitutes the Gospel are being promulgated as the truth when really it is all man made thinking or myth?

6. “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” Here is the crunch for all of us. Keep your head – don’t go following the latest fad. Don’t give in to external pressure to preach what folk want to hear. Don’t worry about the consequences of preaching what the Lord gives you – just do it !! Endure the hardships your words may cause you when Johnnie Legal rebukes you for preaching the gospel; when pastor chastises you for preaching the truth instead of what he wanted you to preach. If God gives you a word to preach, test it and then preach it if it’s OK. Do the work of an evangelist – what did you think the Great Commission was all about? Preach the Gospel and having done that, then heal the sick and all the rest of it. But preach the Gospel FIRST. In short – discharge ALL of your responsibilities as an evangelist and therefore of your ministry.

There you have, I believe, the gist of what the Great Commission is all about. It’s ALL in God’s Word – every word of it. If it’s not in God’s Word it isn’t worth saying. Preach the Gospel. Preach the Gospel. Preach the Gospel.

Just DO it !!