Explore the Bible: April 5
Our Task • Matthew 28:1-20
By Joe McKeever
Each of the gospels has a variation of the Great Commission. In Mark, it’s “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (16:15 NASB). In Luke, it’s “…that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things” (24:47-48). And in John, it’s “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (20:21).
Over the years, God’s people have chosen Matthew’s version as the definitive one, the commission we call “Great.” “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (28:18-20 NASB).
He is risen. And because He is risen, we are commissioned.
HE IS RISEN.
All of Scripture — Old and New Testament to this point — points ahead to the Easter event: the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. And, from then on, the entire New Testament points back to that weekend.
This is the zenith, the high point, the epitome of the Scripture’s message.
It was their hope; it is our Gospel.
The crucifixion of the Savior for our sins, His burial in a borrowed never-before-used tomb, and the empty grave and risen Savior on that Lord’s Day morning — this is what we preach. It’s the greatest news ever, and has never been improved on.
I was in seminary before I learned that the evidence for His resurrection is historical, is plentiful, and is reliable. Until then, I suppose I had thought this was something one had to take on blind faith. There are no words to describe how good it felt the moment I read the article in Christianity Today magazine on “Evidences for the Resurrection” by a London law professor with the interesting name of J. N. D. Anderson. Later, when he wrote a book on the subject, I bought it and devoured it.
Let’s pause here and encourage anyone who has never considered the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection to do so. Fortunately, the resources are abundant and most church libraries will be an ideal place to start. Any of the books by Lee Strobel and Josh McDowell are great and highly recommended.
WE ARE COMMISSIONED.
To His disciples the risen Lord said, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.” That’s quite an opening, to be sure.
Before issuing the Great Commission, our Lord was making clear that He had the right to do so.
His command was specific and was all-inclusive: Throughout the entire world, you are to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to obey.
Those three commands make up one Great Commission. It’s our assignment.
Everything His people do, every ministry His churches employ — all must be related to these three facets of the Great Commission.
It’s important to note what Jesus was not commanding. We are not sent to make friends, members, advisors, associates, participants, helpers, investors, or even converts. We are instructed to turn the people of this planet into disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
A disciple is one who has made a life commitment to follow Jesus and become like Him. A disciple will last through good times and bad, through sufferings and temptations. A disciple will bring glory to the Father.
After we make that once-and-for-all commitment, we are to be baptized. In baptism, we declare to the world our identity as a Christ-person, while also proclaiming the death-burial-resurrection in the act of baptism. Our Lord Jesus will have no secret disciples. Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously said a secret disciple is a contradiction in terms. “Either the secrecy will kill the discipleship or the discipleship will kill the secrecy.”
Having made that commitment, for the rest of their lives the disciples devote themselves to learning the teachings and instructions of the Savior and putting them into practice.
A century ago Billy Sunday was the most influential evangelist in this country. Having played baseball for a number of years, he would color his sermons with sports illustrations. When he preached about the Great Commission, Mr. Sunday connected it to the bases on the baseball field. First base is salvation, second base is baptism, and third base is “learning to obey Jesus.” “The runner must touch all three bases,” he would say, “or he’s out.” He does not skip first base and cut across the pitcher’s mound. He must become a disciple of Jesus.
From first base, the runner does not skip second and cut across the pitcher’s mound. He must publicly declare his faith and be baptized.
Third base represents a lifetime of studying God’s word and obeying Him. And eventually, Mr. Sunday said, “The Lord brings us home!”
I had my 86th birthday last weekend. I’m closer to home than I’ve ever been. (But so are you, may I say? Smile, please.)
I hope you enjoy Matthew 28 as much as I do. It’s a wonderful lesson.
McKeever is a member of First Baptist Church, Jackson.