THE GREAT COMMISSION

Matt. 28:16-20

Morning Meditation 6/20/16

Verses 16-20 says, “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshiped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

We have in this passage of Scripture what we call the Great Commission. It is where Jesus gave his church the commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, baptizing the converts and then teaching them to do all things “whatsoever I have commanded you.” Then those to whom he gave the commission had the promise “And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”

Jesus had established his church during his personal ministry and given them discipleship training and had them prepared for this occasion. I’m sure they probably felt very unprepared. They certainly did not want to do without his bodily presence. But this was a must. It was and is a part of God’s plan for Jesus to ascend into heaven, take his seat on the right hand of the father and wait until the time for the rapture and resurrection. During that time of waiting the Church that Jesus Build will be taking the gospel to the world through missionary enterprise.

The Church on Pentecost received the baptism of the Holy Spirit which was not its organizational service but where it received its power to carry out the great commission. If the church started on Pentecost it is preaching under a commission received before it came into existence.

Anyhow this week I am at Maranatha Baptist Mission in Natchez, MS where they have an Institute of Missions each year to help train God called church sent men to establish local indigenous Churches on the various fields of the world.

First, they are trained in what a church is. Many missionaries go out completely equipped to win souls to Christ and this is commendable. But they do not have a clue what to do to organize them into a New Testament Church after they have won them. They have just not been trained in what a church is. If you do not know what a church is how could you ever hope to form one after the New Testament model? A lot of people believe that a church is just a group of saved people getting together and having a Bible study.

The Bible teaches that you can get in and out of a New Testament Church. So it is more than just attending a Bible class.

Jesus formed the first Church out of material prepared for him by the for-runner, John the Baptist. John preached repentance and told those who listened to him, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire (Matt. 3:11). John preached Jesus and baptized Converts.

When Jesus came on the scene he took the converts of John and made them the core of the disciples who would be his full time associates. John 1:35-37 says, “Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God. And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.”

When Judas fell from his office of apostleship and they were electing someone to take his place one of the requirements for this is described in Acts chapter 1. Acts 1:21-22 says, “Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.” An apostle had to have John’s baptism and continue under the ministry of Christ until he was taken up.

So from this is I take it that a New Testament Church should be organized out of people who have accepted Christ as a personal Saviour and can give testimony to his saving grace. These disciples of Christ should also have Scriptural baptism administered by a New Testament Church which is operating under the authority of Christ. I had a man tell me one time that he baptized himself in a swimming pool. Well, I never heard that one before. I tried to be as nice as my frustration would allow me and explained to him that he needed baptism at the hands of a church that had the commission from Christ to baptize.

Missionaries who go out to foreign fields should have a commission from their local church to baptize their converts. When they have enough in number and God has raised up leadership who can take responsibility the church should be organized. At the organization there should be a covenant and articles of faith adopted so that those who join this fellowship of believers will know what is believed and what is expected of them.

This church should have been trained before organization to recognize heresy so that it will be dealt with in a disciplinary fashion if it surfaces in the church. Discipline is necessary in a New Testament Church and if you don’t exercise discipline in love the leaven of sin will permeate the assembly and will render it powerless and it will become disgrace to the name of Jesus. Satan will attack every New Testament Church on both these areas.

Satan is constantly attacking the church with doctrinal and moral error. None of us like to tell someone else he is wrong. But the church has to proclaim the standard and keep the faith and in order to do so, some people won’t like it. Do we stop and bury our heads in the sand when we are opposed? Not if we obey the Lord. It is the truth that sets men free. Not compromise.

Pray for Maranatha. She is doing a great job in training missionaries to start New Testament Indigenous Churches on the field.

God bless each of you

In Christ

Bro. White