THE GREAT COMMISSION IN

TEN PARTS Part 9

The five accounts of the Great Commission are

in:

Matthew 28;Mark 16;Luke 24;John 20;Acts 1.

PART NINE: THEY LOOKED STEDFASTLY

Acts 1:8 NET But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has

come upon you, and you will

be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth." 9 After he had said this, while they were watching, he

was lifted

up and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 As they were still

staring into the sky while he was going, suddenly two men in white clothing stood near

them 11 and said,

"Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up into the sky? This same Jesus

who has been taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven."

We have covered 8 parts of the

Great Commission:

1 The authority behind it: Jesus Christ.

2 The obligation: Go.

3 The place: All the world and everyone in it.

4 The method: Teach.5 The message: Hear, believe, repent, confess Christ, and be baptized.

6 The act of obedience: Immersion.

7 The perpetuation: Teach. 8 The Confirmation: Approved

witnesses and miracles.

There are four points that will help us to understand

the importance of this ninth lesson.

1 The Gazing

Acts 1: 9 After he had said this, while they were watching,

he was lifted up and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 As they were still staring

into the sky while he was going, suddenly two men in white clothing stood near them The apostles had spent 3 ½ years with the Lord.Precious moments they

had spent with Him would be on their minds often.

This would include His words, His actions, and His sacrifice. But it would now include the

precious hope of His

return. Although He was not physically gone, they had

been well prepared to go to Jerusalem and begin their work as His ambassadors.

2 The Responsibility: Obey the Commission

Acts 1:11 NET and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up into the sky? This

same Jesus who has been taken up from you into

heaven will come back in the same way you saw him go into

heaven."With the word “Why?” the two heavenly messengers helped to

move these eleven

men from the intense gazing to the mission at hand. The Great Commission can be understood in part with the

word “try.”

We are to do this in light of the awesome obstacle that hovers all over the world – the sinfulness of the human race (Romans 1:18-3:23).

Romans 1:18-3:23 NET For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven

against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness, 19

because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it

plain to them.

20 For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, because

they are understood through what has been made. So people are

without excuse.

21 For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened.

22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an

image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals

or reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their

hearts to impurity, to dishonor their bodies among themselves.

25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation

rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God

gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural

sexual relations for unnatural ones,

27 and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their

passions for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved

mind, to do what should not be done.

29 They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness,

covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They

are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful,

contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents,

31 senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless. 32 Although they

fully know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things

deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who

practice them.

2:1 Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge

someone else. For on whatever grounds you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same

things. 2 Now we know that God's judgment is in accordance with truth

against those who practice such things.

3 And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge those who practice such things

and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God's judgment? 4 Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his

kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God's kindness leads

you to repentance?

5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God's righteous

judgment is revealed! 6 He will reward each one according to his

works:

7 eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek

glory and honor and immortality, 8 but wrath and anger to those who live

in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness.

9 There will be affliction and distress on everyone who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory

and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For there is no

partiality with God.

12 For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law

will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will

be declared righteous.

14 For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, these who do not

have the law are a law to themselves. 15 They show that the work of the law is

written in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting

thoughts accuse or else defend them,

16 on the day when God will judge the secrets of human hearts, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus. 17

But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your

relationship to God

18 and know his will and approve the superior things because you receive instruction from the law, 19 and if you are convinced that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to

those who are in darkness,

20 an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth 21 therefore you who teach someone else, do you not teach

yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?

22 You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit

adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who

boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law!

24 For just as it is written, "the name of God is being blasphemed among

the Gentiles because of you." 25 For circumcision has its value if you

practice the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become

uncircumcision.

26 Therefore if the uncircumcised man obeys the righteous requirements of the

law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised man

who keeps the law judge you who, despite the written code and circumcision,

transgress the law?

28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something

that is outward in the flesh, 29 but someone is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart by the Spirit and not by the written code. This person's praise is not from people but

from God.

3:1Therefore what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Actually, there are many advantages. First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the

oracles of God.

3 What then? If some did not believe, does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of

God? 4 Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human being

shown up as a liar, just as it is written: "so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are

judged."

5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he? (I am speaking in human terms.) 6 Absolutely not! For otherwise how could God judge the

world?

7 For if by my lie the truth of God enhances his glory, why am I still

actually being judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say, "Let us do evil so

that good may come of it"? as some who slander us allege that we say. (Their condemnation is deserved!)

9 What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already

charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin, 10 just as

it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one,

11 there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. 12 All

have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one

who shows kindness, not even one."

13 "Their throats are open graves,they deceive with their tongues, the poison of asps is under their

lips." 14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."

15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood, 16 ruin and misery are in

their paths, 17 and the way of peace they have not known." 18 "There is no fear of God before

their eyes."

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are

under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole

world may be held accountable to God.

20 For no one is declared righteous before him by the

works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge

of sin.

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God

(which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been

disclosed

22 namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

But we are also to do this with the understanding that God has given us a

perfect plan for the conquering of sin.

2 Timothy 3:16 NET Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and

for training in righteousness,

17 that the person dedicated to God may

be capable and equipped for every

good work.

This plan was promised Jeremiah 31:31 NET "Indeed, a time is coming," says the LORD, "when I will make a new

covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 It will not

be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I delivered them from

Egypt. For they violated that covenant, even though

I was like a

faithful husband to them," says the LORD. 33 "But I will make a new covenant with the whole

nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land," says

the LORD. "I

will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my

people. 34 "People will no longer need to teach

Their neighbors and relatives to know me. For all of them, from the least

important to the most important, will know me," says the LORD. "For I will

forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they

have done."

John 16:13 NET But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he

will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his

own authority, but will speak whatever he

hears, and will tell you what is to come.

it was their power Romans 1:16 NET For I am not ashamed of the gospel,

for it is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to

the Greek.

1 Corinthians 1:18 NET For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who

are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the

power of God.

and it was perfectly delivered

1 Corinthians 2:9 NET But just as it is written, "Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or

mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who

love him."

10 God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who

among men knows the things of a man except the man's spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God

except the Spirit of God.

12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God. 13 And we

speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.

14 The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because

they are spiritually discerned.

15 The one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is understood by no one. 16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him? But

we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 13:8 NET Love never ends. But if there are

prophecies, they will be set aside; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be set

aside. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, 10 but when what is

perfect comes, the partial will be set aside.

The Decision

Hebrews 12:1 NET Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and

the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, They kept themselves pure. By remembering the “great

cloud of witnesses,” and by “laying aside every

weight,” they were able to run the race to the finish line. They kept

their minds on Jesus. 2 keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer

and perfecter of our faith. For the joy

set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding

its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand

of the throne of God.

And they accomplished the goal. There was a plan and they followed it! Are we ready to accomplish the

Great Commission in our generation?

3 Think of him who endured such opposition against

himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in

your souls and give up.

The Opportunity Today

2 Corinthians 6:2 NET For he says, "I heard you at the

acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped

you.“ (Isa 49:8) Look, now is the

acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation !

Men and women are still lost; and in greater numbers than ever before. Sin is still

in

control of all disobedient souls. Sin is still too serious to pass off as if it were not there Acts 3:14 NET But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and

asked that a man who

was a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the

Originator of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this

fact we are witnesses! But the gospel is still

perfect for the purposes of “diagnosing” our malady, and for

providing the remedy.Finally, this mission can only be

accomplished by the genuine people of God – THE CHURCH

OF CHRIST!

We must not be passive at the loss of souls. We must not be too easily satisfied with our past efforts. We must not refuse to do that which we

know to be good.

James 4:17 NET So whoever knows what is good to do and does not do it is

guilty of sin.

Let us accept three challenges:

Don’t postpone the harvest; give sinners

the opportunity to hear, believe, and obey.

John 4:34 NET Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to complete his work. 35

Don't you say, 'There are four more months and then

comes the harvest?' I tell you, look up and see that

the fields are already white for harvest! 36 The one who

reaps receives pay and gathers fruit for eternal

life, so that the one who sows and the one who reaps can

rejoice together. 37 For in this instance the saying is true,

'One sows and another reaps.'

Pray Matthew 9:36 NET When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on

them because they were bewildered and helpless, like

sheep without a

shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is

plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore ask the Lord

of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest."

Be a laborer.Isaiah 6:1 NET In the year of King

Uzziah's death, I saw the sovereign master seated on a

high, elevated throne. The hem of his robe filled the

temple. 2 Seraphs stood over him; each one had six wings. With two wings they covered

their faces, with two they covered their feet, and they

used the remaining

two to fly. 3 They called out to one another, "Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord who commands armies! His majestic splendor

fills the entire earth!" 4 The sound of

their voices shook the door frames, and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 I said,

"Too bad for me! I am destroyed, for my lips are contaminated by sin, and

I live among people whose lips are contaminated by sin. My eyes have seen the king, the

LORD who commands armies." 6 But then one of the seraphs flew toward me. In his

hand was a hot coal he had taken from the altar with

tongs. 7 He touched my mouth with it and said, "Look, this coal has touched your lips.

Your evil is removed; your sin

is forgiven.“ 8 I heard the voice of the sovereign master say,

"Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf?" I answered,

"Here I am, send me!" 9 He said, "Go and tell

these people: 'Listen continually, but don't

understand! Look continually, but don't perceive!' 10 Make the

hearts of these people calloused; make their

ears deaf and their eyes blind! Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their

ears,their hearts might understand and they might repent and be

healed." 11 I replied, "How long, sovereign master?" He said, "Until cities are in ruins and unpopulated, and houses are

uninhabited, and the land is ruined and

devastated, 12 and the LORD has sent the people off to a distant place, and the very

heart of the land is completely abandoned. 13 Even if only a

tenth of the people

remain in the land, it will again be destroyed, like one of the large

sacred trees or an Asherah pole, when a sacred pillar on a high

place is thrown down. That sacred pillar symbolizes the special

chosen family."