The Ministry of the Church   Matthew 28:17-20    August 2024

I.  The Promised Meeting.

  A.  Some worshipped. 

        Matthew 28:17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him:…..

  B.  Some wondered.   “…but some doubted.”

To help us understand their doubt, let’s look at another account using this word –

Matthew 14:29-31   And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

The people at this meeting with the Lord were like Peter was in the storm, and we can understand them, and can identify with them, as they are drawn to Him by their faith, and at the same time, fearful to follow through with what we know He will bless us in.  We can imagine Peter saying to himself later on that he wished he had ignored the storm and continued walking with Jesus!

Many of the disciples that met with Jesus at this time had grown in faith, but some still needed encouragement through experiencing a faithful walk with the Lord.  To help them and us, we learn of –

II.  The Power Declared.

Mt 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Simply put, what are you afraid of?  The Lord has power over whoever or whatever it is that we fear!  Based on His power, we read of –

III.  The Priority stated –

Mt 28:19a    Go ye therefore …..

  A.  The Purpose is to glorify God by testifying of the Lord Jesus Christ –

John 17:13-23  And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. 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: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.            It is all about God!

  B.  The Plan given by the Lord –

    1.  To be evangelist, preaching the Word of God

1 Corinthians 15:3-4  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

    2.  To be examples, living our faith among the people.                                  

2 Corinthians 4:1-5  Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.

– and teach all nations,…

Μαθητευσατε – This command is to the church to go forth and make disciples. 

To make disciples as He made disciples –

Matthew 4:19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

The word ποιησω is the 1st person single form of the verb. Its tense is future (which indicates future action, and sometimes a command – you will do this or that), its voice is active (which indicates that the subject performs the action, instead of receives it), and its mood is indicative (which describes a situation that actually is — as opposed to a situation that might be, is wished for, or is commanded to be).  The Lord is telling them and us that ‘I will keep making you fishers of men.  

Matthew 4:23-25  And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.

The disciples were with the Lord, out among the people learning to minster to others, as they are and where they are.

         To be evangelist, to be examples, and –

    3.  To be exhorters of those who have trusted in the Lord for salvation

         – to obey the command of God –

…baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Remember an example set forth in –

Acts 8:35-39  Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing

         We are –

    4.  To be educators in teaching the whole counsel of God.

Mt 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:….

The word ‘teaching’ used in this place is a different word than that in verse 18 ‘teach all nations’.  There the word means, as we have just learned, ‘to make disciples’.  In this case the word is ‘διδασκοντες’ which may be explained as follows –

The course title:   God and His will for mankind

The text:  The Bible

The subjects covered: All things whatsoever I (the Lord) has commanded.

The Venue:  The Church each Sunday with other times and locations as

                      scheduled

                    Daily homework is required and expect quizzes at any time                  

Instructors:  Evangelist, Pastors, and every church member. “Edifying

                    one another…”

Guidance Counsellor:  The Holy Spirit

Graduation:  At death or at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ

An example of the disciples understanding of this command is seen in their actions recorded in –

Acts 5:42  And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach (διδασκοντες) and preach  (ευαγγελιζομενοι)  Jesus Christ.

They continued to teach the believers and continued to evangelize the lost, which they could do because of –

IV.  The Presence of the Lord

….and, lo, I am with you alway,…

Remember what the Lord told the disciples ‘I will keep making you fishers of men’.

V.  The Prospect of the Church

…even unto the end of the world. Amen.

The church will continue until Jesus comes again!

Now, this is how it works –

Conversation: It begins with a conversation – sharing the Word of God.

Conviction: The Holy Spirit applies His conviction to those who hear.

Conversion: The Convicted hearer turns to the Lord in repentance and faith and calls upon Him for salvation.

Commitment:  The converted then will obey the Lord by being baptized.

Content:  The believer will begin to learn the will of God by being taught the Word of God  – “all things which I have commanded you.”

Testimony of Stephanie and Keith

Pray now and then pick up a Gospel tract as you leave tonight and begin a conversation with someone!