A Time to Send

In that message we examined some of the imagery - and Jesus’ actions and responses while upon the Cross. The APPLICATION of the message was unto us in that it’s Time for us Christians - if we’re to be Christ-like - to be Crucified. Galatians 5:24 “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

We spoke of how a Crucified Christian will:

Bear the Marks

Endure the Shame

Pray for their Persecutors

Have a Blameless Testimony

Care for Others more than Self

They’ll have Good Company - and Good Reason

They will be Victorious & will do so Voluntarily

Last week I’d presented unto you a message titled ‘A Time for Resurrection’

(Being Easter) This message revolved around the second part of Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

We spoke of how a Resurrected Life is:

A Surprise of Life

How we have a Shepherd for Life

There is a Shift of Life (Focus)

The Source of Life (Faith)

A Satisfaction in Life

All because of a Sin-Bearer for My Life

Today we’re continuing forward in the history of man. Today we’re going to examine what’s AFTER the Resurrection. As Paul Harvey would say, this is ‘The Rest of the Story’. Given that this week is our Missions Conference where we focus on Missions, it’s a very timely message as well. The Title of this Message is ‘A Time to Send’.

The Bible tells us that after the Resurrection of Christ: Acts 1:1–3 “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:”

So after Jesus had Risen from the dead, He didn’t simply make a brief appearance that could have been explained away by slight of mind by devout followers… He shewed Himself - proved Himself for 40 days! Then what we have between Mat. 28:16-20; Mar. 16:14-20 & Act. 1:1-9 is what is known as the “Great Commission”.

Now before we move on, I want to make one thing clear: Upon the Cross, Jesus said ‘It is Finished’. In that, He was talking about His work of Redemption for you and I. He was talking about HIS WORK - not ours.

Because what Jesus gives just before He ascends unto Glory is the work that He is tasking us to do. The work of the Church began on the day of Pentecost some 2,000 years ago and guess what? It IS NOT finished.

That being said, we’re going to look first at ‘The Great Commission’

I. The “Great Commission”

Let me ask you a question: Have you ever wondered why it’s been dubbed ‘The Great Commission’?

Commission (def) The act of committing or sending to; the act of entrusting, as a charge or duty.

So what Jesus is doing in these verses is ‘committing, sending, entrusting a charge or duty’ to the church… but why do we call it ‘Great’?

It’s “Great” Because:

It’s Important

(Ill.) There’s something called the ‘Franklin-Covey’ planner / organizing system (Otherwise known as the Eisenhower Matrix). In that system you were supposed to categorize every task that you were called upon to do. You had to put them in 1 of 4 categories: Important / Urgent; Important / Not-urgent; Not-important / Urgent; Not-important / Not-urgent.

The key was - you’re to figure out how every task falls, and focus on the ‘Urgent / Important’.

Now, one key to this on trying to determine what is ‘important’ is this: If a task is not important to you, but it’s important to SOMEONE who is IMPORTANT TO YOU - then it becomes important to you. In other words - picking up my dirty clothes is not high on my to-do list. But keeping my wife happy is, so guess what - I try to pickup my dirty clothes.

The fact is, spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ is both Important and Urgent! It’s important enough for Christ to give His life for! It’s important enough for that to be His last Command unto those He gave His life for! Sharing the Gospel by every right and reason should be in THIS BOX - but so many Christians treat it as if it’s in THIS BOX.

It’s the ‘Great Commission’ because it’s Important. It’s the most important thing to Christ, and SHOULD BE the most important thing to you and I.

It’s Inclusive

I’m thankful that the Gospel that Jesus promoted is a ‘whosoever’ Gospel!

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

1 Timothy 2:1–6 “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”

You will not ever share the Gospel with someone who God doesn’t want to save!

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Men have clicks. If it were up to man, we’d choose some to save and some to damn - BUT I’M GLAD THAT GOD IS GREATER THAN MAN! He desires for all to be saved!

It’s a ‘Great’ Commission because it’s UNTO ALL!

It’s Impact

This Gospel that we preach today has the ability to make an impact like nothing else on earth!

The Gospel changes individuals, communities, countries & the world!

(Ill.) You can go back and see what the Gospel has done:

It took 11 cowardly men who fled from Jesus in the garden - to bold as lions, dying for the faith of the Gospel!

It took a land with peasant God-fearing farmers and created the greatest country in the world in America!

And it took a worthless lost sinner like me and changed me. Gave me a new life, new focus, purpose, peace, joy - when I think of what I was like prior to Christ, and what He’s done IN me and WITH me - I stand amazed!

Our great country stands on the brink of destruction - morally and economically. And there’s no politician that can fix it - BUT THE GOSPEL CAN! A Godly people in a free land will put forth Godly representatives! But the truth is, our politicians right now are a mirror image of where we are at as a country - AND IT’S NOT GOOD! AND THE REASON THAT AMERICA IS WHERE IT IS, IS BECAUSE WE’VE NEGLECTED THE GREAT COMMISSION!

We see the Great Commission. Secondly, let’s examine the Charge.

II. The Charge

What exactly is the Great Commission?

The Gospel must Go

If you were to break down the Great Commission in the simplest terms, it’s simply ‘The Gospel must Go!’

Matthew 28:19 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”

Mark 16:15 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Acts 1:8 “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.”

So the last thing that Jesus is stressing to His followers before He ascends and completes His ministry for His first manifestation upon earth is that ‘The Gospel Must Go’

Let’s look first at ‘The Explanation’. What is the Gospel?

The Explanation

Gospel = “Good News”. It’s ‘Good News’ that we have church! It’s not bad news, it’s good!

Mercy & Grace has been extended to man

An escape from the Hell that we deserve

An entrance to Heaven that we don’t

The Gospel in it’s simplest form is found in Paul’s writing to the church in Corinth: 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:”

So the Gospel is that:

Jesus Died for our Sins

God does not take pleasure in the pain of others or Himself. There was a purpose for the Crucifixion of Christ, it was to pay for the sins of mankind. In fact, the Bible tells us: Galatians 2:21 “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

The Good News is that Jesus died for our sins

He Rose for our Justification

Jesus died - but He didn’t stay that way! He died, went and set the captives free, then raised the third day according to the Scriptures! Romans 4:25 “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

Justification - ‘Just as if I’d never sinned’.

His Death proved the depth of His Love for you and I

His Resurrection proved the might of His Power!

And now we have the…

Forgiveness of our sins

I have been washed white by the crimson flow!

This is the message that Jesus commands His followers to spread! The Good News of the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus for the sins of mankind - and that they can be saved if they will place faith in Him!

This is the Explanation of the Gospel - but that’s not all. We also need to see the Extent

The Extent

Where did Christ command that this Gospel be preached?

He used various descriptions:

Mat. 28:19 - ‘all nations’

Mar. 16:15 - ‘every creature’

Act. 1:8 - ‘Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth’

In short - Near, far and everywhere between!

So to recap… This thing called the Gospel, which includes the Death, burial & Resurrection of God robed in flesh,

The thing that is capable of the forgiveness of sins…

The sins of ANY AND EVERYONE

The Gospel - the only thing capable of changing hearts, lives communities and countries

Christ has commanded that His followers go and preach that to ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY! God has called YOU and I to make sure that the Gospel GO’S!

The Gospel is not meant for us to sit and rest in, but to GO AND TELL!

That’s the Commission… and it’s Great!

So this Great Commission - the Charge unto US that the Gospel must Go - how do we do that? What does God expect of us?

III. It’s Completion

How do we go about Completing this ‘Great Commission’?

God expects us to do so:

Personally

There is no getting around this expectation.

God will call and equip men to preach the Gospel. To expound upon the Scriptures to help nourish His sheep. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 4:11–12 “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”

So he calls and equips for certain functions, but the Command is to ALL to tell others about Jesus!

(Ill.) Some people will say ‘God has called me to be a soul winner’ - THINK AGAIN! READ Mark 16:15 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” You’re ‘ye’ ain’t ya?

God may not have called or equipped you to prepare and deliver sermons - (but then again, maybe he has). But He’s called ALL to share the Gospel!

It must be done Personally

By Proxy

This is where missions comes in.

Remember the call is to ‘all nations’; ‘every creature’; ‘Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth’

Well, most of us cannot go to the uttermost part of the earth. And if we did, who’d witness to the lost in our Jerusalem? We remedy our obligation to this just like the church at Philippi did with Paul - we support a Proxy. Someone who we support to go in our stead. AND I’M THANKFUL THAT THIS CHURCH DOES THAT!

We have people in various other countries all over the world sharing the Gospel to every creature! We have people in: other parts of America, Mexico, United Kingdom, the Philippines, etc… that we are sending by proxy!

We must send by Proxy

Both are Important

Both aspects of missions - and both are missions - are important.

It’s important that each of us spread the Gospel personally.

It’s important that each of us spread the Gospel by proxy.

Both are Important, and both are Imperative

Both are Imperative

Imperative (def) necessary

Unfortunately, some feel that BECAUSE they witness personally, or they don’t feel they can afford to, they don’t support the missions program.

Likewise, there are those who will give to missions - and feel that because they do so - that frees them from the obligation they have to witness personally.

But church, you’re not commanded to do one or the other, you’re commanded to do both!

Consider for a moment what Jesus said: Acts 1:8 “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.”

Church, it wasn’t just the eleven that the Holy Ghost descended upon in Act. 2 - it was the 120 that was in the upper room (Act. 1:15)! If you’ve been born again, you’ve received Power - and God expects you to use that power to do as He’s commanded!

God expected them all - in one form or another - to fulfill the Great Commission - in it’s entirety, not partially!

Both are imperative

Conclusion

As I’d mentioned at the onset - our work church is not finished. It will not be finished until one of two things happen: Either Christ calls us home, or He comes in the clouds of glory!

That being said, I want to make sure as a steward of the Gospel that I give you lost soul, an opportunity to put your faith in Christ. (Share the Gospel)

Christian - it’s time to Send. What are we sending? The Gospel. To our Neighbor and to the Uttermost. Are you fulfilling your obligation of the Great Commission? If not, it’s time.

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