The King's Commission: Making Disciples of All Nations

All authority on heaven and earth has been given to me. Well, who gave it to him? God the father. Right? Jesus is the ultimate authority. And this not only underscores his deity, but also tells us that we should listen to him and and obey what he's about to say. Right? There's no greater authority than Jesus, and therefore his words are supreme. His authority is absolute. He's a sovereign one. [00:46:29] (27 seconds)  #AllAuthorityInJesus

This is how the good news about Jesus spread. It was attested to by all the gospel writers. We wouldn't be here if those first disciples hadn't followed through and been faithful. And so the great commission also is prophetic. It follows up on God's promises that all peoples on the earth would be blessed through his people, Genesis 12. It also is fulfilling prophecy in the old Testament about the light of salvation reaching the ends of the earth, Isaiah forty nine six. [01:05:18] (32 seconds)  #GospelFulfillsProphecy

So who are we to make disciples of? It says all nations. The Greek word there is ethnos. That is basically all people groups. Not so much geographic boundaries as it is cultures, languages, tribes, and so forth. People from every walk of life. Now this was big news for those first disciples, some of whom like, wait a minute. Isn't this just for us? Isn't this just for the Jews? No. Of course, it wasn't just for the Jews. [00:56:31] (27 seconds)  #MakeDisciplesOfAllNations

We are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. Doesn't that encourage you too? It's not like you came to know Jesus, and all of a sudden you're dislike him. If if that's true for you, let's talk. Okay? But if you're like me, it's been a process, and one degree of glory to another, and that comes from the Lord who is the spirit who indwells us. [00:52:14] (22 seconds)  #TransformedIntoChrist

And so regardless if that is the case, if there was the more than 500 that's referred to here, or even if it was just the 11, what we see from the other accounts is that the great commission is applicable to all Jesus' followers, not just those first 11. It's for all people. It's for his church, And it has been throughout the ages, and it still is today. It is for you, and it is for me. We are the church. [00:41:19] (30 seconds)  #GreatCommissionForAll

So when you believe on him, you will be baptized in the sense that you'll be immersed in the life of God, the father, the son, and the holy spirit. And water baptism then is a symbol of that in association with your confessing, your acknowledging Jesus, and your obedience to his calling to baptism. And lastly, being discipled, It is being further taught all that he commanded to observe it, not just knowledge, but obedience. And my friends, it is worth living your life for him and to him. It's worth being his disciple, [01:07:57] (37 seconds)  #BaptismAndDiscipleship

So my friends, let's go high on the mountain as well. Let's listen to Jesus' call to go and make disciples. There is no higher calling than that. You wanna change the world? Do you think the world's a bad place? You think it's a mess? It is. You wanna do something about it? Do this. Make disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. [01:08:56] (20 seconds)  #GoMakeDisciples

Now that has been referred to as the great commission for ages. It is a commissioning. It's sending people out with authority to do a task, and it is great because of what the task is and also who's empowering it. The central task is to make disciples. That is the primary imperative. The root the root word for disciple is mathetes, and that is a learner or a pupil, a follower. [00:48:45] (30 seconds)  #DiscipleMeansLearner