The Church That Christ Built The Great Commission - Message 2 Acts 1:1-8 - Mathew 28:19-20 by Cooper Abrams

Introduction: The Great Commission - Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:19-20

1. The Book of Acts was written by Luke

2. Theme the Book is "The formation of the institution of the local church and the spread to the Gospel to the Gentiles."

3. The Book is Addressed to Theophilus whose name means "friend of God" or "dear one to God."

4. God in the Book of Acts is unfolding his plan for the Bride of Christ through the institution of the local church (assembly).

5. Foundation of the local church is Jesus Christ our Lord.

a. Christ bought the local church with His blood. Acts 20:28 "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

b. Believers are "joint-heirs" with Christ ( Rom. 8:12-17 Read)

c. "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 11:11) Jesus compared the Old Testament dispensation where God worked with the nation of Israel and the Old Testament saints to the Church Age. The Old Testament period fades in comparison to the high position of those who follow after the cross.

d. Jesus in John 17:20-22, prayed for His disciples and also for you and I.

"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one."

The Book of Acts gives us the history and the founding principles of a New Testament church.

I. Bible tells us that Christ gave believers the Great Commission. Acts 1:2-8 That commission is stated in two passages, Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28:19-20

A. In Acts 1 Jesus explained that the Great Commission would be carried out through the power of the Holy Spirit.

B. In Acts 1:4 Jesus instructed the disciples to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the "promise of the father."

1. That promise was stated in John 14:16-17:

"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."

2. The "Comforter" is referring to the Holy Spirit, the "parakletos" meaning One is called to another's side to give aid.

3. Jesus in John 14:12 stated one of the reasons for the coming of the Holy Spirit saying, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." It would be in the power of God, the Holy Spirit that believers would serve the Lord and show forth the power of the Gospel.

C. In John 16:13-15 Jesus further explained the coming of the Holy Spirit on believers.
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you."

D. Jesus in Acts 1:5 states that his disciples would soon be baptized with the Holy Spirit. These disciples were the 120 referred to in Acts 1:15. Jesus was telling them that although He would not be physically present with them in the flesh His Spirit would be with them and empower them to carry on His plan for the spreading of the Gospel.

E. It is vital for us to understand that we are charged with taking the Gospel into all the world in the power of God. It is the Holy Spirit that directs true missions and it is His power that conviction is brought in the hearts of the lost which enables them to believe and receive Christ.

1. Therefore a church must follow the example of the New Testament and specifically the pattern set forth in the Book of Acts that we go with God's blessing and power.

Sadly, much evangelism is does not follow the New Testament pattern and therefore God is not a part of it. Such evangelism does great harm to the cause of Christ. In later messages these specifics of this false evangelism will be addressed.

2. We must understand that it is a privilege to preach the Gospel and witness to others of the love of Christ. It is not something that is done in human strength or wisdom, but must be directed and empowered by the Lord.

F. Jesus stated that the first priority of a local church of believers was to be His witnesses.

1.This witness is two fold in that it is in deed and in word. Paul explaining his call to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles said:

"That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed" (Rom. 15:16-18)

2. Our task is to live godly lives by the word of God and also to speak it to others. God uses both our deeds and our words in using us to be His witness. You can see then it is paramount that we live godly lives obeying the Lord and also that we seek the lost and that involves learning how to verbally witness for Christ.

II. The Great Commission was also spoken at the same time just before Christ returned to heaven.
A. Matthew 28:18-20. Some would ask the question by what authority do we today preach the Gospel.
1. In verse 18 Jesus said that all power was given unto Him. The Greek word He used is "exousia" (ex-oo-see'-ah) and means power and authority.

2. Jesus then said based on His power and authority His disciples were to Go into all the world preaching the Gospel.

3. This authority was not given to the organization of the church, but to individual believers. He plainly states, "God ye" which addressed each individual disciple. The authority rest in Christ and Christ delegated it to individual believers who collectively take it into all the world.

B. Christians are to take the Gospel to the lost and we have no right to wait or expect them to come to us. God's plan is that we pursue the unsaved. The command is worded to mean "As ye are going." The way Jesus stated this assumes that they would naturally be going to reach the lost.

C. The statement is "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations."

1. The word translated "teach" in verse 19 means "to make disciples." It means that in our witness for Christ we are to teach the lost or instruct them in following Christ.

2. Those that believed were then to be baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

3. Clearly baptism follows the discipling. Let us make this clear. Only those who believe in Jesus Christ would submit to being discipled. And clearly only those who believed and put their faith in Jesus Christ....which is what they were being instructed would then be baptized.

D. Verse 20 states the natural order of the maturing of a believer in that those who believed would be taught to observe or obey all things Christ had taught them.
1. First our witnessing is making one a pupil of the gospel which is what a disciple is.

2. Next those that would listen and be taught would believe and put their faith in Jesus Christ. "Faith coming by hearing, hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17).

3. Third those that believed would be baptized.

4. Fourth they would be taught to obey the Word of God. John 1:1 plainly says the Word is Jesus Christ.

5. Fifth Jesus promises to be with believers always.

E. The picture presented here is that the one doing the witnessing is a teacher and the other one accepting discipleship as a pupil. This means personal witnessing.
1. This passage from the very mouth of our Savior sets the pattern for witnessing to the lost and it does not teach what some call "button holing" in which a person makes a short few minute encounter with a lost person, gives them a 123 presentation of the Gospel asks them to accept Christ and then moves on to the next person. God has commission us to teach and preach the Gospel. In a few minute encounter there is little or no time for teaching. Preaching the Gospel takes time and explains the Gospel to the unsaved. What has been termed "easy believism" has misled many people into thinking that stating a short prayer is all that is involved in a person coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is a sad fact that many of these who are led to say a short prayer and then assured they have been saved are not truly born again. The evidence is that their lives do not change and they are never seen in a church.

ILLUS: I at one time was a taxidermist and I learned a great deal from another man who took his own time to train me. I attended classes to be taught and was a disciple of a master taxidermist named Lannie Ballad. I learned to become a good taxidermist myself because I wanted to and was willing to learn. I also had a great respect for him, and listened and followed what he said. He discipled me in the class and I was his pupil.

When I was in college it was the same situation. I learned as a pupil of my professors because I wanted to learn. It is plain that you cannot force someone to be taught. They must want to lean what you are teaching. And if it is to benefit them they must believe and accept what you say as truth.

F. The reason that many in our churches have such trouble in following the Lord is they are not submitting themselves to the Lord to be His disciple to salvation.

1. Many have a head knowledge - but no heart acceptance of the truth. Man know all the terms, but never seem to be able to live the life God would want.

ILLUS: I once heard Ivan Thomas the great English preacher use this illustration. He said, suppose we were to buy a new car. Few do this but suppose that we take instruction manual and read it, paraphrase it, write a commentary or two on it and then make an outline of the material. We could even set it to poetry put it to music and even sing it.

But suppose we were never take car out and drive it or put it to use. It would never be of any use to us and we would never become one with the car.

To get somewhere with the car we must get in it and drive it. Experience gives us the confidence we need to let it take us where we need to go.

Believe it or not I have read a great deal of the manual for my Dodge truck. I learned what it had to say and then I put it to use. I believed what I read and putting my trust in the author I put it to practice. If I never put it to practice the manual is useless. I even memorize every word of it and do not apply it what good is it.

G. Every believer needs to make the Bible a part of us. If we read it, hear it taught and preached with the desire to learn from it the its natural influence will direct our actions.

1. God's plan is that after we believe in Him and are saved He commissions us to be his witnesses by our lives and by our telling and teaching others. We are to disciple one - who disciples another - or so on.

a. Use personal witnessing

b. Tracts

c. Visitation

2. Everyone who says they are a Christian has in fact is a witness. Everyone is teaching others what you think of Christ and if you love Him or not.

3. Most modern evangelism ignores teaching! It wants to birth babies, but ignores responsibly of a mother. They birth a baby and then forget him.

Conclusion:

1. Do you see that our Lord has given each of us the Great commission be a witness for Christ.

2. Have you personally accepted the privilege and responsibility to go and witness to others? It is as simple as telling others of what Christ has done for you.

Tell them that Christ died for yours and their sins. Tell them how the Lord has changed your life, of the sure hope of heaven that you have and tell them to believe and to confess with their mouths the Lord Jesus as you did.

Tell them that you love them in the Lord and are concerned for their eternal destiny.

3. Prayerfully, make it a priority in your life to learn to be the Lords witness and to seek the Lost.

An assembly of believer must found the work of their church on the Great Commission - God's Word. The believer must:

1. Committing our lives (time) to study - that we may teach.

2. Attending training classes.

Initiation:

1. Salvation

2. Commitment to studying the word.



,2008

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