"THE GREAT COMMISSION ACCORDING TO MATTHEW"
INTRODUCTION
- In Matthew's account of "The Great Commission," notice the main
thought of Jesus' command...
- "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations" - Mt 28:18-20
- Jesus wanted His apostles to make disciples
- Are you a disciple of Jesus?
- More than likely you believe in Jesus
- You might even be one to attend church services regularly
[But is that what it means to be His disciple? Let's take a close look
at...]
- THE MEANING OF A DISCIPLE
- THE DEFINITION OF A DISCIPLE...
- The word "disciple" literally means a learner
- It denotes "one who follows another's teaching" - Vine
- A disciple was not only a learner, he was also an adherent
- For this reason disciples were spoken of as imitators of
their teachers
- The goal in being a disciple
- As stated by Jesus: to be like the teacher - Lk 6:40
- To be His disciple, then, is to strive to be like Him!
- According to Paul, this coincides with God's goal in the
redemption of mankind, that they be conformed to the image of
His Son - Ro 8:29
-- Do you have a strong desire to follow Jesus and become like
Him? Unless you do, it cannot be said that you are truly His
disciple!
- THE MARKS OF A DISCIPLE...
- One who abides in the words of Jesus - Jn 8:31
- This would imply being a diligent student of the teachings
of Christ
- It also requires one to be a doer of the Word - Mt 7:21-27;
Jm 1:21-25
- One who loves the brethren - Jn 13:34-35
- With a love patterned after the love of Jesus ("as I have
loved you")
- With a love that is visible to the world ("by this all will
know")
- Made possible when we have been born again - 1Pe 1:22-23
- One who bears much fruit - Jn 15:8
- Notice the word "much" (also found in verse 5)
- Jesus is not talking about an occasional good deed
- But a lifestyle which prompts people to glorify God! - Mt
5:16
-- To be a disciple of Jesus means more that just a casual church
member; it requires commitment to the teachings of Christ, the
love of brethren, and bearing fruit
[Now that we understand the nature of discipleship how does one begin?
For the answer we return to our beginning text (Mt 28:19-20)...]
- THE MAKING OF A DISCIPLE
- IT INVOLVES BAPTISM...
- Why baptism?
- Remember the goal of discipleship: to be like Jesus
- He was holy and sinless, yet we are to be like Him
- Fortunately, baptism is described as an act of faith which
puts us in contact with the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ
so we can be forgiven - Ac 2:38; 22:16; Ro 6:3-4
- It is also the means by which one "puts on Christ" - Ga 3:27
- So baptism is the logical starting place for true
discipleship!
- What is baptism?
- It is an act of submission which must be preceded by faith
in Jesus and repentance for our sins - Ac 2:36-38; 8:36-37
- It is also an act of submission which involves a burial in
water, in which one then rises to walk in newness of life
through the power of God - Ac 8:38; Ro 6:3-4; Col 2:12
- When done according to the Word of God, baptism then becomes an
act of faith on our part which results in a wonderful working
of God in our lives!
- Our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus - Ac 22:16;
Ep 5:25-27
- We are regenerated and renewed by the Spirit of God- Tit 3:5-6
-- When done in faith and repentance, baptism is truly a rebirth
involving both water and the Spirit! - Jn 3:5
- IT INCLUDES TEACHING AND OBEDIENCE...
- This brings us back to the very definition of discipleship
- For Jesus clearly states:
- We are to be taught (that is, to be learners)
- We are to observe (that is, to be adherents or doers)
- In this way we embark on a life devoted to learning and doing
all that Jesus commanded
- We are to continue steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine
- Ac 2:42
- We are to imitate them, even as they imitated Christ - 1Co
11:1
-- Thus baptism is the beginning of a life of learning and obeying
the words of Jesus Christ - Lk 6:46
CONCLUSION
- Only those scripturally baptized, observing all Jesus commanded, can
truly be called His disciples!
- Only they can take consolation in the promise of Jesus: "and lo, I
am with you always, even to the end of the age" - Mt 28:20
Do you desire this wonderful promise? You must be willing to accept the
authority and lordship of Jesus Christ in your life (cf. Mt 28:18). Are
you willing to be a disciple of Jesus Christ...?