The Great Commission

Matthew 28:17-20
Mark 16:14-20
Acts 1:4-8

God's basic plan for saving the world (1Timothy 2:3-4) is the 'Great Commission'.  While some people claim that the 'Great Commission' can be found in Luke and John, we will stick with the three main references that are best known.  However, we will also include the parts which most people leave out.  Further, we will only consider the basic meaning of these verses and deal with a more detailed application at a later time.

Please note that each of the three references tell us a different part of God's Plan.  Usually people preach or teach from only one of them but all three need to be considered together in order to get all of God's Plan.  In Mark, we have the plan for winning the lost.  In Matthew, we have the plan for teaching the saved.  In Acts, we have the order in which saved are to learn, by doing, how to become missionaries themselves.

In addition, please note that the 'Great Commission' is to go to all the world.  It has been noted that there are a lot of people and people-groups which have never had a gospel witness.  Most missionaries go to people and countries which already have some gospel witness.  However, 2Corinthians 10:16 says: To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand..  Yes, there is a need for more missionaries and churches in countries which are familiar, but there is a greater need for people to go where no man has gone before'.

Mark 16:14-20 says: Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into Heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

1. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.  They had refused to believe the message from God and were seeking physical comfort instead.  We see that our Lord upbraided them.  He will also do the same to any saved person who seeks the comfort of this physical life instead of believing the message from God and obeying the command of God.  John 20:1-10 tells us that Peter and John went to the sepulcher when they heard that Jesus was risen, and they investigated, but, according to John 21:1-3, Peter led others to go fishing after they knew the truth.  Thus we see their hardness of heart and that they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.  If they had truly believed and considered, they would have understood the promise of resurrection and have done the work of God with a belief in God's reward.  Bottom line, people who do not do the 'Great Commission' do not believe the true message from the Bible regardless of what they claim.
2. Our main and direct command is Go ye into all the world: 
• Our direct command starts with the word go.  We also see this action verb used in Matthew.  This simple word can not be misunderstood and yet few of the people who claim to be Christian obey this command as easily proven by the small percentage of church membership which is involved in soul-winning in most churches.  I have no access to the numbers, but I imagine that the percentage of people involved in sending missionaries is just as small, even though that is also part of the 'Great Commission'.  As we will see in the next point, this command is made personal, which means that our judgment by God will also be personal.  Therefore, we should personally obey this command regardless of what others do or don't do.
• Go ye:  The word ye means 'each and every one of you personally'.  Every saved person will each be judged at the judgment seat of Christ for their level of personal obedience to this command.  (2Corinthians 5:10-11 says: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.  Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.)
• into all the world:  Obviously, it is impossible for someone to personally go by himself.  Therefore, each of us is commanded to personally partner with others who will go to parts of the world that we can't go to.  In order to partner with them, we must have an ongoing relationship which includes prayer, care, communication and financial support of our partner.
• Saved people who are not involved in the 'Great Commission' while living here will receive the terror of the Lord for at least 1,000-year.  This is the time before the great white throne judgment and it is only after that that God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 
3. and preach the gospel to every creature:
• Here we see the command to bring God's plan of salvation to everyone.  The fact is that there are times when others see and hear us but we do not realize it.  By preaching the gospel to every creature we will preach the gospel even to people who are listening when we do not realize it.  In addition, the word and means that it is not enough to go but that we personally must preach the gospel to every creature.  Moochanaries are people who claim to be missionaries but whom, in fact, receive support while they pay others to do their job or lie about doing the job.  This is one reason why we need to closely read the missionary reports and even send someone to verify the truth of what is reported.
• We are to preach the gospel  so that people received true Biblical salvation.  The Word Study on Gospel shows us that there are several different gospel  in the Bible but all, except the other gospel,  are different applications of the same basic message from God.  The truth is that different groups of people think differently and different groups of people have different life experiences and knowledge.  A gospel  that quotes Bible verses will not work the best in a culture which is taught that Jesus Christ  is only one of several equal teachers and that the Bible is no better than any other 'holy book'.  However, the Gospel of God  does work in that culture.  Therefore, the missionary must be ready to adapt his presentation to the local culture and audience even while keeping the same basic message from God.  That message is how anyone can have true Biblical salvation from God.
• True Biblical salvation is God's life in us.  John 14:6 says: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  The word am is 'a current and ongoing verb of existence'. 
• During conception there is no thought about obedience after birth but a baby is taught to obey after birth.  The Biblical salvation is spiritual conception: the start of an ongoing spiritual life.  Like the physical example, a person does not have to do anything other than accept Jesus Christ  as their personal Lord.  That is not a work  which we do,  However, after our spiritual birth we must work  to overcome our flesh  to give God permission to work  in and through our lives.  Our work  is things like read the Bible, pray, study the Bible, respond when God wants to use is to witness to others.
4. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.  This phrase is talking about the consequence to people who obey God and to those who refuse to obey God.  All throughout the Bible God says that he will bless obedience and curse disobedience.  We see this in this command.
• There is a lot of doctrinal error taught about this sentence.  It does not say that He that believeth (but is not) baptized shall be damned.  The thief on the cross was not baptized, not even symbolically.  There is a lot of detail and Bible support for the truth which I will not present here.
• Basically, baptized is 'identified with the Lord Jesus Christ'.  In this reference, we are not told what happens to He that believeth but refuses to be 'identified with the Lord Jesus Christ'.  However, other places let us know that many of such people are 'double damned' and many are saved but will suffer 1,000-year of tears after they get to Heaven.  Again, that truth is beyond this note.  What is important is that we need to follow up with everyone who makes a profession and try to get them Biblically baptized and then into church as part of the family of God. 
• Many people do not truly understand the phrase: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.  In particular, part of the misunderstanding is due to people using a wrong definition for the word believeth.  This word means 'keeps on keeping on believing'.  This is a lifestyle belief which results in obedience, which is what the phrase and is baptized  means.
• Those who believeth not shall be damned.  This is everyone who does not believe God from their heart.  People who make a profession but never let God change them through their obedience deceive themselves and only have a head belief.  They shall be damned.  Please see the note for John 8:30 about the difference between saving belief  and a non-saving belief. 
5. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
• This does not say And these signs shall follow (each and every one of them personally) that believe.  It does not even promise that one of these signs will follow all who are truly saved.  However, these are symbolically indicative that most truly saved will have some God-given evidence of salvation which the lost can see.  The exceptions are the saved who will suffer 1,000-year of tears after they get to Heaven.
• Our reference also says that signs shall follow them that believe.  Then there are examples of the sighs, not exact signs that every true believer will have.  The true meaning is that lost people must see a God-caused change in your life if you are truly Biblically saved. I have had many miracles and lost people testify that I have many undeniable miracles.  Your evidence may seem smaller to others but you must have it.
6. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into Heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.   Here we see and indicator of what is said in Hebrews and elsewhere which tells us that our Lord Jesus Christ is representing the saved people to the Father, and is especially concerned for those who are truly trying to do the job given to them.
7. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Here we see our Biblical example which we are to follow.  When we do as commanded we can expect that the Lord (will be) working with us, and confirming the word with signs following.  If we do not have this after a time of ministering then there is a problem with our way of doing.  We might be trying the right way but not doing the right way.  When we are missing our verification from God, we need to go back and verify out attitudes and actions against what the Bible truly says.
8. Amen:  The Bible includes this word as a 'second witness' which makes what preceded it something that all saved are to believe and obey as something which will be used when we face the judgment seat of Christ. 

Matthew 28:17-20 says: And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.  Amen.

1. This Passage from Matthew is usually preached as a unit but the first verse (Matthew 28:17) is usually left out.  However, it is important because it shows that they were not ready, nor willing, to do the job that God had given them.  Our doubt will keep us from doing the job that God has given us.  One of the most effective tactics of the Devil is to keep God's people as spiritual children who are full of fears and doubts.  The only thing which gets children over their fears and doubts is to mature.  Likewise, God expects us to spiritually mature so that we can do the job that He gave us.  The first step of God's plan is for us to spiritually mature and, as we see in our next reference, God will upbraided those people who fail to spiritually mature and get prepared to do the job God gave to them.
2. Next we see that All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth.  We can not get the power  to do the job unless we maintain our own ongoing personal relationship to the Son of God and allows His power  to work in and through us.  When we start doing things on our own we will fail.
3. The word go  was dealt with earlier in this Study.
4. The word ye means 'each and every one of you personally'.  This is a personal command which will result in a personal judgment for our level of obedience.  However, we can not personally Go (to) all nations.  Therefore, we must be personally involved in helping to send others to where we can not go.  Most people have heard this before.  However, most have been told to give to missions.  This is wrong because once we give we are done with our responsibility.  However, this command includes the ongoing action command of Teaching them to observe.  This can only be done through an ongoing support relationship with the sent person.  There is more that can be said about this topic but a basic part of this command includes maintaining an ongoing communication and support such as we see in the example given by God the Father and God the Son.
5. After the Go ye we see the word therefore.  This means that our obedience is to be a direct result of God making His power available to us through Jesus Christ.
6. Next we see teach all nations followed by Teaching them to observe.  A whole lot of preachers need to add teaching to their preaching.  Yes, Mark does tell us to preach the gospel to every creature.  However, that is another part of the 'Great Commission' and does not remove the requirement found here.  We are to preach the gospel to every creature so that they get saved but then we are to be Teaching them (the baptized) to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.  Thus, we see that there are two different groups of people and we have a different command for how we are to deal with each group.
7. The word teach is used twice in this command.  Some people claim 'All teaching is preaching and all preaching is teaching', but that error led to many of the problems that we have today.  Preaching  is used to encourage people to obey God's word.  Each message that is preached  is independent of other messages.  However, teaching  builds one lesson upon another lesson.  In addition, teaching  is how God gives knowledge  and understanding  (Psalms 94:10; Psalms 119:66; Isaiah 28:9; Daniel 1:4).  Many churches are spiritual nurseries because preachers 'keep the pulpit hot' with preaching but neglect to teach.  A high percentage of mission works do not teach doctrine beyond the basics, usually because they have never been taught beyond the basics.  As a direct result, cults flourish as they promise to teach newly saved people more than the basics.  In addition to these things, I could write much more but the most basic point here is that our Lord Jesus Christ  commanded the church to Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you,  and this is possibly the most neglected command in churches today.
8. The word observe  is defined as: 'To see or behold with attention so that the exact details are noted and can be repeated; To keep or adhere to in practice; to comply with; to obey'.  One of the biggest problems found in churches of today is a lack of obedience, especially when it comes to the 'Great Commission'.  Further, even those people who do try to do the 'Great Commission' often try to use methods other than the detail instructions found within the Bible.  Ephesians 4:4-6 says: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all..  Yet, the great doctrinal differences between groups who claim to be 'Christian Churches' proves that this part of the Bible is ignored by many.
9. We are to teach what I (the Lord Jesus Christ) have commanded you.  This is probably the most disobeyed portion of this command.  Many preachers preach their 'convictions' or the religious traditions of their group instead of what the Bible actually says.  Many lessons of the Bible are neglected because they upset people.  Most preachers like to preach the last chapters of epistles, with the do  and don't do  commands but neglect the first chapters which give God's people the reasons to obey.  I could go on for a long time but will stop here with the observation that the people are just as much to blame.  God expects His people to verify what is preached and to know their Bible well enough that they can correct a preacher who preaches doctrinal error (Acts 18:26).  The fact is that all of God's people have a responsibility to be sure that this part of the command is obeyed.
10. Next we see that we are to be baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
• One of the reasons that so many people leave so-called Christian churches for the Muslim error is because they do not understand the doctrine of the Trinity.  The main reason that so many people leave so-called Christian churches for the various heresies is that they do not understand the character of God.  They are led into error which they would avoid if they knew the character of God and saw how the various heresies go against the character of God.  The word baptize  means: 'to be identified with'.  The first job after someone gets truly Biblically saved is to teach them the character of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost  so that they can not be led into following another spirit and so that they learn the character which they are to receive.
• A lot of people want to argue about 'sprinkling' versus 'dunking'.  People are to be immersed, during the 'Church Age', as a symbolic representation of the basic gospel which they accepted (the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ).  While God brings severe punishment upon His people who mess up His symbols, that is actually the application and not the single definition, nor the doctrinal meaning, of the word baptize.  The single definition, and the doctrinal meaning, have to be true in every place where the word is used within the Bible.  1Corinthians 10:2 says: And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.  So, were the Jews 'sprinkled' or 'dunked' as they walked across the Red Sea on dry land?  The Jews were 'identified with' Moses and the Mosaic Law.  This is the only meaning which fits with every place where this word is found.  This is the single interpretation (definition) of the word while the differences give us different applications.
• The prior point was made so that the reader could understand this point.  Our reference says: baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  The doctrinal meaning of this phrase is 'identifying them with the holiness and righteousness of God the Father, identifying them with the sacrifice and service of God the Son and identifying them with the ongoing personal relationship which is provided by the Holy Ghost'.  This is the kind of life that they are agreeing to start living when they are truly Biblically baptized and this truth is part of what the church is to teach.
11. The last phrase that we will consider, at this time is: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.  The word and means that it is added to the prior parts of this command.  Those people who do not obey do not receive this promise.  The other thing to hold onto is the phrase even unto the end of the world.  Jesus would not include it unless we needed it.  Our personal death is the end of the world for us personally.  This life ends for everyone.  However, many of God's people are going through this life without the help of God because they refuse to obey this command to be personally involved in all aspects of the 'Great Commission'.  If we want Jesus Christ to be with us throughout all of our life and to personally be with us at death then we need to commit our entire life to obeying this command.

Acts 1:4-8 says: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

1. It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power
2. both
3. And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father:  Most people want to go to the mission field as soon as they make a commitment to go.  However, we need to wait for the promise of the Father.  That is: wait until we are positive that we are fully trained and have God working through us and protecting us.  We don't want to be like Mark who was not fully prepared and left the mission team.  He caused problems by the team not having someone to do the work which he was supposed to do.
4. which, saith he, ye have heard of me:  We need to be positive that our faith and practice is completely based upon the Bible and not upon our culture or religious traditions.  Much damage has been caused by missionaries preaching their culture or their religious traditions as the word of God.  Foreign cultures have different ways of doing things. Unless those ways go against what the Bible literally says, then the missionary is to adapt to the local culture in order to win them to God.
5. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence:  It is not enough that we repented of our sins and cleaned up our life.  We must have God's power or we are wasting our efforts.
6. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?  And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power:  Here we see them worrying about the wrong thing.  Most interest in prophecy is thus.  People want to know the future so that they can prepare their own solution to what happens instead of trusting God.  Our command is to trust God to handle whatever happens in the future and know that God will take care of us so long as we are concentrating on building His kingdom.
7. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:  Again, our power is to come from the Lord Jesus Christ and through the Holy Ghost.  Any other power is wrong to use.
8. and ye shall be witnesses unto me:  Here is our primary message.  It is not just what the Bible says but how Jesus Christ worked in our life and the lives of others.  This is the true basis of people believing that Jesus Christ will also work in their life.
9. both in Jerusalem, and:  The word both here means that there are two options: at home and when we are not at home.  The next phrase is describing when we are not at home.
10. in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth:  Here we see God ordered plan.  We start at home where we have direct supervision.  Then we move to all Judaea (our home country) where people have the same culture.  We also see that such people can quickly contact their home if they need help.  We all travel and vacation in our home country but most neglect the command to be witnesses unto me even while on vacation.  Then we move to Samaria, which represents people with a similar, but different culture.  Here, people can get help from home but it is far more difficult with the need to cross national borders.  This is our training for independent missions.  Finally, we see the command to go unto the uttermost part of the earth.  However, we are not to do this until we are fully trained.

Is Jesus your personal Lord?  If no, today is the day of salvation.  If yes, why don't you ask Him what He thinks of your level of obedience and ask Him to help you to do a better job of obeying the 'Great Commission'?

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