Christian Living

THE CHURCH THAT CHRIST BUILT, THE GREAT COMMISSION

by Charles (Chuck) Robey
10/19/15
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(Ephesians 2:19-22) So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the  apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being  the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

The Bible tells us that Christ gave believers the Great Commission. And this charge is found in two separate portions of scripture.  In  (Matthew 28:19-20) Christ gives the charge to go.  And in (Acts 1:8) He  gives instructions, as to where to go.  So let us break this commission down in two parts

THE COMMISSION

In (Matthew 28:18) we see the authority to go. This authority was based on the power of the risen and exalted Savior, Jesus Christ. And in (Matthew 28:19-20) we see the three principles of the Commission- to go to all nations,  to baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and to teach or disciple the converts.

THE MARCHING ORDERS

In (Acts 1:8) Christ gives the marching orders to witness in Jerusalem,  in Judea, in Samaria and the rest of the world. Jerusalem represents where we live. Judea and Samaria could represent the county or state where we live. Then comes the missionary charge, in spreading the gospel to the world.  You see, it is often times easy to witness to our friends and church members. However, it gets difficult at times to witness when it becomes inconvenient to go elsewhere.

However,  Christ gave the all important promise that we will not be left empty-handed when sharing the truth of His love and sacrifice for sinners, as He promises the help of God's Holy Spirit. Thus, the Holy Spirit can and will override our fears, our faults and move us outside of our comfort zone. You see, it is the Holy Spirit that gives you the power, the strength, the  Holy  boldness, ability, and the confidence to be witnesses for Christ. You will never do it on your own.

What was the importance of Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, to the spreading of the gospel ? Jerusalem was reached for the gospel, due to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Many came to Christ, but many did not, and this door needed to remain open. Judea and Samaria was reached for the gospel, by efforts of a great number of individuals (Acts 8:5-17) (Acts 9:31).   

And the world would then be reached by another breakthrough. It was simply God's plan of sending missionaries to all the earth.

WHY GO

Are there any "less-than-desirable" individuals you may not like ? Not so with God. Everybody matters to Him.  So, just how much then do you pray for God's kingdom to grow. How much do you share your resources, skills ,money and time ?   

Nonetheless, it is our duty, as followers of Christ to obey His commands. Especially, in doing our part to keep anyone from being lost from God (2 Cor 5:14). Because God cares, we must care.  

You may wonder  how you should go about sharing their faith. You do it two ways:  you’ve got to show it and share it. The old cliché "you are the only Bible some people read" is certainly true. As a result, when ask what's the difference, you then have an opportunity to explain what actually does makes you different.  

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