Interim b/w Rev. 10 & 11, Matt. 28:19-20
Matthew 28:19-20
“All Authority in the heaven and on the earth has been given to Me.”
As Zechariah prophesied (chapter thirteen), God raised up the Sword and “struck” the Shepherd and all the sheep were scattered. And then the “nations” were brought up against Jerusalem. But God would cause “living water’ to flow out of Jerusalem, the City of God – to the east and to the west.
In no less than in three recorded occasions our Lord had commanded His disciples to gather on a mountain in Galilee.
“And there you shall see Me,” He said.
Scattered and confused and dejected, and under great fear of the Judaist Sanhedrin and of the Roman government, the thousands (of remnant) who had followed Jesus into Jerusalem (in great expectation of His becoming their King) took flight from the Mountain of God.
Henceforth the “mountain” of God would be “moved”… the old one removed and cast – burning – to the sea; and the new government of God would be over all the mountains of the earth (significance of the Mountain in Galilee)!
Life itself would flow east and west into all nations of the earth; and the Rock (which is Christ) would cover the earth as the water covers the sea.
From that mountain in Galilee, at the command of the Risen Lord to His disciples, the voice of Christ Himself would be heard in every nation, every tongue, and every tribe. And the highways shall be made straight; and every valley shall be exalted; and every mountain shall be brought low. And kings and nations and tribes and families shall flow into the New Jerusalem.
By “covenant succession”, not apostolic succession, you and I (of the pagan Gentile nations) are “New Jerusalem” inhabitants. From generation to generation, and from faith to faith, the Command of Christ to His disciples on that mountain has reached even to us. And we all were dead in our sin. Ever deeper, and ever widening, the River of Life has flowed all the way to the east and all the way to the west! And the “life changing”, “society changing”, “culture changing”, “language changing” fifth Kingdom of Daniel is being established over all things.
Christ Jesus is King. And all things are accountable to Him. It is His inheritance. It’s His Divine Right. And His Princely pre-eminence flows from His mouth in splendid Revelation.
“All authority in heaven and upon earth has been given to Me.”
Jesus is God the Son. All authority is His authority. It belongs to Him. Having “emptied Himself” in order to be born of a woman, He is now risen… the Son of God with Power!
Authority is His inherently! It is from His being! His Person! That’s what the word “authority” means. So, Exousia means “self-determination”. Authority originates in Him. He is “self-existent”, “self-known”, and “self-determining”. And “without Him nothing was made that was made”!
“All authority” means absolute, inherent, original authority. Christ the King has, in Himself, the authority to create and the authority to eternally decreate! It is inherently His. God the Son, by Divine Right, is authority!
Therefore all other authority is derivative! (That’s what the “ex” in “exousia” means! It comes from Him.) It is His originally, and it belongs to Him; and wherever else authority exists, it is given to exist by Him.
1) He has “all authority” in heaven. “The heaven” is a created realm. The angels, being creatures, do what they do because it is given them to do it! As much as Satan would like for his authority to be original, it isn’t. He is given to act and to exercise power – by decree!
2) Jesus Christ has “all authority… upon the earth! Ownership is authority. And the earth is His. He created it. All other ownership is derivative ownership. All government belongs to Him, and He gives governmental authority to whoever and whatever He chooses. (That’s why we must honor all governments – whether civil, ecclesiastic, or familial.) We don’t honor powers and authorities because of the office; we don’t honor authorities because of the man – whether they be good or bad; we honor them because the authority belongs to Jesus. And He gives it to whoever He chooses.
The power to burn belongs to fire because it is given that power by God the Son. Hurricanes and tornadoes don’t blow because of some inherent natural power…. Wasps and scorpions and ants don’t sting because the power rests in them to do so. It is given them to sting… that power is derived! These are creatures you see; and their Creator made them and endowed them. So, it isn’t because a scorpion is a scorpion that it has power to sting.
Wives and children are to “respect” – to honor – their husbands and fathers because the “head” of the household has been given authority by God the Son! It’s not because of the man, or because of the manner in which he exercises his “headship”! It’s because Christ the King established headship!
Further, “all authority in the heaven and upon earth has been given to Me. Therefore… (since I Am Creator/God; since I Am the Self-existent, Self-knowing, Self-determining One; since all authority rests in Me originally; since all other authority is “derivative”, and comes from Me) therefore, having gone, disciple the nations….”!
The commission to the disciples was from “ultimate Authority”. He gave the authority to these disciples to do what He commanded. And that authority – having been given – was received by them. Therefore it is a DIVINE, and a truly great, commission! They were given authority to disciple the nations!
“Having gone” (or “as you go”) is one of two words translated “to go”. And it is the one used on every occasion, Old Testament and New, in which a man is “sent” to prophesy. Man is given to prophesy.
And since that’s the case, these disciples (soon to be apostles) would soon understand that this is the same word by which God sent the prophets of old; and that this Jesus was O Logos – the Word of God; and that this was a Divine imperative from ultimate Authority!
Now. The disciples of Jesus (the scribes of the New Testament), having been instructed in the Kingdom, are likened unto servants whose housemaster went into the treasure and brought out both old and new (Matthew thirteen). The Lord of All, Who had been given all authority in heaven and upon earth, had instructed (discipled) them. The Word of God made Flesh had instructed them in the Word of God! They were confronted with the Truth! They were “discipled” as to what was (in the Law and the Prophets); and they were “discipled” as to what was to be. “Old and New” is one Revelation from the Word of God; and all of it is indispensable.
So, what are the “disciples” to do?
“All authority in heaven and upon earth has been given to Me. Having gone therefore disciple the nations….”
Go into the treasure and bring out both old and new!
Having gone into the nations (the “ethnos” – the peoples of the world – the kingdoms of earth), instruct them in the WORD! You have heard the Word of God instructing you in the “Word of God”. Now you, with the very “voice” which you heard, instruct them! “Disciple” them. Instruct them in what the Law said; instruct them in what the prophets said. And, then, instruct them in what the “Fullness” of the Word says. For what God said in the “old” has now come to pass in the “new”.
And, just as the “old” Revelation flows into the Fullness of the “new”, so the old Covenant flows into the new! Therefore, “disciple the nations, baptizing them….” God has dealt with His people… having covenanted with them. And the “mark” of His covenant was placed on their bodies!
Now the Fullness of the Covenant has come to pass; the Law is to be put in their hearts; and they will be My people who were not My people; and I will be their God, and they will be My people! I will strike the Shepherd and “cut Him off”; and henceforth there will be no more “cutting off”. My people will receive the “mark” of baptism! By “oath” of confession they and all their house will come under My Covenant… in the Name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And the “sign” and “seal” of My promise to Abraham their father will “mark them out” for Me to see.
Further,
“All authority in the heaven and upon the earth has been given to Me. As you are going therefore, disciple the nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; teaching them to keep….”
All of Jesus’ “teaching” was concerning Himself. He either began with the Word from the Law and the Prophets, or He referred back to the Law and the Prophets. And it was all in continuous reference to Himself. Continuous.
So it was the Word of God made flesh continually confronting men with the Word of God! The “starting point” was the Word – the Absolute Authority. It is not “about” Jesus; it’s not “concerning” Jesus; it’s not “in reference to” Jesus; it doesn’t “contain” the Word of Jesus… it IS the very “voice” of Jesus! It is O Logos…. The WORD – from the self-determining One Who is absolute authority! The apostles never “applied” the Scriptures to Jesus; they never “applied” the Scriptures to men! They spoke with the Voice of the King! And He commanded conformity in all areas of life.
And the Third Person of the Trinity (by Whom men are baptized) hears the “voice of Christ” speaking the Word, and He “baptizes” and “enlightens” and “molds’ and “rebirths” and “conforms” men to the “voice” that He hears! He doesn’t speak on His Own; but He speaks what He “hears” – “The Voice of Christ” – as it “trumpets” the Truth in confrontation with dead men!
Further, “Teaching them!” (continual, present tense – active voice) Teaching them what?
“…teaching them to keep all that I did command to you.”
This is the only time Matthew uses this word “to keep” in this way. And it’s obvious from the rest of Scripture that it has two similar meanings.
1) The peoples of the nations of the earth are to “obey” the Word of God Made Flesh. His voice is heard in the instruction and teaching of the apostles; and He is Possessor of all authority. Therefore He is the “source” of and “focus” for all obedience!
2) But the other (similar) meaning of “to keep” is equally powerful; for the people of the nations of the earth are to “keep” all His Word inviolate! It is the prophet Daniel (the recipient of the vision of the five kingdoms of history) who, in his prayer of national repentance, uses the same words and phrases that our Lord uses. John’s Revelation does too. Daniel says:
“And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said ‘O Lord, great and awesome God, Who keeps His covenant mercy with those who love Him and keep His Commands.’”
Our Lord commissions His disciples concerning the WORD. It is the transmitted message of Jesus Christ. It is the Word of Revelation from Jesus. It s the Word of the King. He spoke it! And since He is the “fullness” of the Word – O Logos Himself – it is the whole Word of God. He spoke it all!
And that Word must be transmitted intact! “…teaching them to keep intact all that I did command you.” Watch over it. Safeguard it. For by it the nations are confronted and brought into conscious obedience to His Kingship.
Further,
“… teaching them to keep all that I did command to you.”
Teaching the nations of the earth to obey and keep intact “all I did command to you”.
Here is a word (command) which comes from absolute authority. In our study of it we learned that, in every case, it is referenced to the Law and the Prophets; and, in so many cases (such as in Acts chapter thirteen) it is purposely linked to a direct quote from the prophets having to do with the nations! This is the Great mystery of God!
As we’ve already said, Jesus always began with the written Word of God concerning Himself. He spoke It and It concerns Him! And His command to His disciples is expressly linked to the inclusion of the Gentiles in the Covenant!
In Acts chapter thirteen the pharisees were obstinate toward the teaching of the apostles. And Paul spoke directly to them and said,
“It was necessary that the Word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles, for the Lord has commanded us (there’s our word “all that I did command to you)….”
And right there Paul quotes Isaiah (chapter forty-nine, verse six): ‘have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
“…teaching them all I did command to you.” Jesus commanded His disciples concerning His commands; and His commands had to do with the Law and the prophetic Scriptures; and the prophetic Scriptures had to do with Him and with the salvation of the nations!
So the Word of God made flesh commanded the apostles concerning the Word of God. The word “command” – from the One with all authority – confers the authority of legal representation in a Divine commission! The apostles are the legal representatives of the Word of God; they are commissioned with regard to it by the One with the Authority to confer legal representation; and they are to teach the nations to obey it and safeguard it.
(A compromised gospel; a situational gospel; a minimalized, or simplified, or trivialized gospel; a mysticized gospel; a subjective gospel… is not the “voice of God the Son”. It is not the Word of God! The Gospel is the power of God into salvation. It is the transmitted voice of Christ, spoken by the apostles, and obeyed and kept intact by the nations. “…all that I did command to you.”)
“And, lo, I with you AM even until the end of the age.”
As we’ve seen all through the Gospel the little word “lo” is always indicative of significant events or sayings which are directly attributable to the prophetic Word. And we are certainly not disappointed on this occasion.
For Jesus Christ personally identifies Himself with “Jahveh/I Am” in Exodus chapter three. Moses, at the burning bush, hears the voice of God sending him to lead the people out of Egypt. And, complaining that he can’t do it, he asks God’s NAME so that he can tell the people Who sent him. And from the same Hebrew root word from which comes “JAHVEH”, God said “I AM THAT I AM”. Tell them “I AM” sent you. The self-existing, self-knowing, self-determining One, Who is, and was, and forever will be – IS!
“I AM” Who parted the sea; “I AM” Who protected you front and rear in the pillar of fire and the pillar of smoke; “I AM” who descended to Mt. Sinai to speak with Moses; “I AM” Who inhabited the tabernacle and the temple in the clouds of angels from beneath the Throne-room!
And it is “I AM WITH YOU” Immanue,l promised to God’s people in Isaiah! It is Jesus, the Risen Lord, Who has been given all authority in heaven and upon earth. “I AM” Immanuel.
And His disciples hear Him say, “I AM” will be with you, even to the end of the age. Elohim; El Shaddai; El Elyon; Jahveh Sabbaoth; El Olam; Adonai…. Ehyeh – I AM – “with you even to the end of the age.”
All through the discipling of the nations; all through the establishment of the Church; all through the hardships and persecution and humiliation and suffering; all the way to the parousia of the Christ, the personal, faithful, covenanting, Creator-God…. Jahveh Lord Jesus Christ will be with them – discipling the nations, establishing the Church, confronting men with the Gospel of God, submitting all authority, making all creation accountable to Christ the King.
Not apostolic succession, but covenantal succession is implied in the Great Commission. Now, all who are reborn in Him are obligated to confront men with the voice of Christ; all are obligated to disciple the nations; all are obligated to keep (obey and safeguard) the Gospel. His authority is behind the command. And what would be absolutely impossible otherwise, now becomes gloriously possible – even an assured reality.
What we have just witnessed is that the Great Commission is “cosmic salvation”. Not a “Darwinian cosmology” of human evolution toward utopia, but a personal, cosmic salvation!
“God so loved the world (the cosmos) that He gave His only Son….”
“Behold, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.” (cosmos)
The world’s problem is sin; and Jesus Christ has authority over sin and death!
“All authority in the heaven and upon the earth has been given to Me.”
And, while we faithfully pursue His commands, and as we pray “Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven”, all His enemies are being made His footstool.
What is your role?
Well, there is another “great commission” in the Scriptures.
There is another place in Scripture where the full intent and content and concept of the great commission appears. And that place is – In the Beginning.
“In the Genesis… God….” “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Before… there was no space, no stars and galaxies, no earth, no time. The “universe” didn’t exist. And God, in Whom there is all power and authority, brought it all into existence by the Word of His Power. He “Spoke”. And it was. Moses writes, “God created….” The Hebrew word is bara – “to make from nothing.” By the Word of His Power, God brought it all into existence… where nothing existed before.
Similarly, the apostle John begins his Gospel with these words,
“In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God; and the Word was God; and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
“The Word” – O Logos – Lord Jesus Christ. “I AM.” “I AM THAT I AM.” “I WILL BE THAT I WILL BE.” WAS. IS. SHALL BE. “In the beginning was the Word….” “In the beginning God….”
By the Word God brought the universe (the cosmos) into being… – … space; and the earth. And He made light and dark (and periods of time). Then He made the stars and planets. Then He separated the waters from the waters, and the waters from the dry land (making boundaries for each). Then He made all plant life, and, subsequently, all animal life. Then, last (and separate from all other life) He made man.
“Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.’”
“Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”
So, a man, with an appropriate helper (that’s what “helpmeet” means), was given the power and authority to “have dominion” over all living things (a kingly task); multiply (bring forth many men to fill the earth); and subdue it all (bring it all into order; submit it to man’s authority – under God).
This is called “the creation mandate”. In simple terms, God says… “this is why I made you.” “Man in My image does these things….” Birds do what they do because I made them birds. Fish do what fish do because I made them fish! Spiders do what spiders do because I made them spiders. Now, “man in My image” does these things because I made them “man in My image”!!!
“Man in the image of God” on earth was in communion with God; and he heard and responded to the instructions of the One Who created him.
He was to 1) fill the earth; and 2) subdue it; and 3) have dominion over it. And he was to do all his work in six days… resting the seventh. And there were blessings promised for obedience; and there were curses promised for disobedience!
And, of course, you know the story. This individual man, the first one, rebelled… wanting to be “as God”. And all the curses promised by the “covenanting Creator” faithfully came to pass!
Man in the image of God had “estranged” himself from God; he had become unholy and unclean by nature; and he had been irrevocably cast from the presence of God (death). We won’t go through all the effects of “the fall”; but the entire creation suffered the ill-effects of the curse.
And here is the “root” of the issue with respect to the individual and the great commission… (the two great commissions). The ill-effects of sin and the curse were devastatingly comprehensive! Man, of a “sin-nature”, is forever at enmity with God… having no capability to please Him in any way or at any time! This condition is his individually; and there is no possibility of his amending, or changing, his condition. So, there’s the very root of the issue!
So, “man in the image of God,” the first man, the representative man, the “federal head” of mankind… was cursed by God and died! And thereafter all his progeny would be born in that same condition. Individual, personal judgment by God – the root of the issue.
All men would be at enmity with God… doing what was right in their own eyes; and the earth would not be filled with righteous men… subduing it and having dominion over it in the Name of God the Creator! And for His glory. Instead, it would be filled with rebellion!! Individual, rebellious men!
But!! God loved His creation! And filling it; and subduing it; and bringing it under His Kingly dominion was covenantally commanded! And what He has commanded to be accomplished will be accomplished! (It can’t be otherwise.)
And what was required was a new beginning. A new Genesis. A new creation. It was necessary that there be a new federal “Head” of mankind (the first one had a “sin” nature!). The sanctions of the curse had to be completely satisfied (for the first one); the full debt had to be paid (for the first one); a perfect obedience had to be substituted (for the first one).
And when all of this took place God would be satisfied; and He would be reconciled to this depraved and cursed creature called “man”, as well as all the rest of His creation.
God so loved the world that He gave His Only Son… to do that! The apostle Paul, in Second Corinthians chapter six, says:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, Who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation… that is, that God was, in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the Word of reconciliation.”
So it is Jesus Christ the resurrected Lord Who has reconciled individual men to God. It is Jesus Christ the resurrected Lord Who is the new “federal Head” of mankind. The sin of man was imputed to Him; and He received the covenantal payment for it. And His righteousness is imputed to us! Man couldn’t do anything about his condition; but Jesus did!
And that Word of reconciliation is now to be preached to the nations of the world! Do you see the connection between the Great Commission and the creation mandate (the First Great Commission)?
The Word of reconciliation must be preached (and taught); and men must be “rebirthed” into our “new Adam”. We have to have a new beginning; we have to have a new authority; we have to have a new nature; we have to be made new creations in order that we fulfill God’s original creation mandate! Be fruitful and multiply. (Fill the earth with Godly offspring.) Subdue the earth and have dominion over it. Be “vice-regents” of God, and rule the cosmos in His Name and by His holy Law-Word! For His glory!
The first Adam did not do that. But the second Adam is our new beginning. He did that in the place of the first Adam. And that Word of reconciliation is now to be preached. And He sends His apostles with these words…
“All authority in theheaven and upon theearth has been given to Me. Having gone therefore disciple the nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to keep all that I did command to you. And, lo, I with you AM, even until the end of the age.”
I am the second Adam; and I shall have dominion! I have kept My Father’s Word; and now I have been given all authority in heaven and upon earth!
All His authority is behind the command. Therefore what would be absolutely impossible is now an assured reality! What God commanded to be done (which Adam did not do), is now to be done by Christ. Whereby, before, all who were in union with Adam were in union with his rebellion and his sin and his death. Adam is the father of all who come after him in natural succession.
BUT, all who are in union with Christ are freed from sin and the curse and are now set free to obedience in covenant succession! Not in “natural” succession (as from Adam), but in covenant succession through Christ! And we do that-which-Adam-was-commanded-to-do in the beginning!
You see, there is a covenantal obligation (it is not a suggestion). All who are reborn in Him are obligated to make disciples… teaching them that Christ is the Owner of all things; and that His Word is absolutely authoritative! And they can’t do that on their own… they’ve already failed in Adam, you see!
But in Christ there is the proliferation of Godly offspring; and there is a subduing of the earth; and there is dominion over the cosmos! In the Name of Christ, and under His absolute Authority! He has commanded it, and it will be done! Where Adam failed… Christ did (and is, and will) succeed!
Now, we are looking at the implications of the Great Commission for individuals… I know. But what I’m about to say has to do with individuals; because individuals ought to know this. It’s important!
What is it? Discipling the nations, and teaching them all that the Word has said, and confronting them with the authority of Christ… is not just to be seen as the salvation of individuals! Although that’s important it’s not the broad picture given us in the Great Commission or in the creation mandate!
Our religion today is so intent on personal salvation and on the “inner”, spiritual person, that the original mandate and the Great Commission of Christ for His Church have “faded” into the background of the Churches’ mission!
The view of the creation mandate was cosmic order and dominion! And, now, the view of the Great Commission is cosmic salvation in which cultures, societies, nations and families (as well as individuals) are Christianized! Whole pagan cultures are to be turned to Christ; and the mark of God is to be placed on their bodies; and they are to be taught the transmitted (spoken) message of Jesus Christ. The Word, O Logos, is to be spoken to every area of life; and it is all to be passed from faith to faith – generation to generation!
And, you see, this isn’t “another” cosmology; it isn’t an alternative cosmology; it isn’t one of several cosmologies… this is the cosmology. It is an ordered creation as God intended it when He created it. Not just the limited sphere of the “inner personal life” (as evangelicals would have it), but to bring every realm of life into account.
Since Jesus’ authority is unlimited and comprehensive, all realms of life are accountable to Him. As Paul wrote in the second chapter of his letter to the Church in Philippi:
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
So you see that it isn’t “inner spiritual life” that we’re talking about here… but it is the individual in outward submission to ultimate authority! It is outward confession; it is bringing thoughts and words captive to Christ; it is submitting the daily operation of the home and business to the dominion of the King; it is outwardly disciplining the tongue; it is doing the definition of love; it’s doing the works of repentance and faith! It’s teaching them to “keep” all that He did command to us!
Our Lord Jesus Christ has won the Headship of it all, as Paul says in Ephesians chapter one:
“And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the Fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
His salvation and authority are overwhelming; and all the powers and governments and principalities and dignitaries and headships must be confronted and altered! Listen to Paul again in Second Corinthians ten:
“…the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ….”
They are all pervasively corrupt (these governments and headships and principalities), because depravity extends to the far reaches of society. It permeates it all! But, you see, the salvation extended to the world by Jesus Christ the Lord is not only salvation from sin, but it is cosmological salvation from the implications of sin! The entire world order operates better when it has turned from sin to do what is right under the authority of Christ the King! And it is the responsibility of the individual, by the obligation of covenant succession, to confront the institution (the world order) with its accountability to Christ. It’s the only way to be set free from the guilt of sin, and it’s the only way to be set free from the power of sin… the implications of sin! And since it’s the only way, it’s your obligation to confront the world order with the Word of God! “As you go….”
The apostles were the foundation of the New Temple of God; and they were the first-fruits of the Gospel. But we (of the nations) are their fruits and the continuation of the Kingdom! It has come to us by covenant succession! So there’s no possible way to separate ourselves, individually, from this commission!
We are not apostles. There are no more apostles. But we are confessing believers. We confess to being reborn in Christ. We testify to Him. Therefore we result from the Great Commission and the work of the apostles! And our duty, in the age in which we live, is to continue their work – in our own situations and in our own callings. Individually we are responsible to see to it! Whatever our callings, the Churches are to be established; and the peoples are to be confronted with the authority of Christ and His commands. It’s our obligation!
The goal…? Everything is to the glory of God; but, the goal is the original creation mandate! Subdue the earth. Bring it under the authority of Christ and His people. Replenish it with Godly offspring. And bring it into order.
Each individual is to do that under the rule of Scripture, each in his own situation. And, remember I said… “under the rule of Scripture.” One can’t come out from under the rule of Scripture in order to address the mandate.
A woman, for example, isn’t to step out from under the rule of her husband in order to begin preaching and ministering to the nations! As responsible as we are to continue the Great Commission, we are not to break the rule of Scripture in order to do it. An elder can’t do that; a deacon can’t do that; a minister can’t do that…. Nobody has absolute authority; so how can one take himself out from under Christ’s authority? One can’t bring “accountability” to society and culture and families if one is not, himself, accountable!!!! (Funny how that works.)
Now. Quickly… our motivation. Jesus, our ultimate authority, commanded us to do it! And He also teaches us to pray for it! And He wouldn’t command us to do it; and He wouldn’t teach us to pray for it, if it were not to be done. How “inane” (or vain) it would be if the King should command us to do it and not provide for it to be done! Or to pray to Him for its accomplishment… yet refuse to hear the prayer, and not provide for, and execute, the result! So the motivation for us is too simple! (It’s why I’m in the pulpit… I want to be involved!) Jesus has commanded it; He’s required us to pray for it; and it’s going to be done. The nations have been and will be discipled and brought under the covenant and confronted with their accountability to Christ the King. And they will be taught to keep all that Jesus commanded.
And since He will do it, the motivation is to be involved. Will you be involved in it? Or will you just “go along for the ride?” Many, who call themselves believers, just sit back and watch. They wonder why Jesus hasn’t done much lately. That’s deadly.
Some check out of society and check in to a monastery (there are a lot of different kinds of those) in order to pray and deal with that “inner self”. That’s deadly too!
Others have too pessimistic a view to be effective at all. They’re paralyzed with fear! That’s deadly.
The point here is… Jesus Christ our Lord has been given all authority in heaven and upon earth. And you as an individual believer, under the rule of Scripture, need to be an active participant in His dominion mandate.
And now, next week, we will begin Revelation chapter eleven.