The Great Commission
Theme: Good News to Share
Theme Verse: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10b NIV
Readings: Mark 16:15-18, Matthew 28:16-20
Optional: Acts 1:8
Memory Verse: Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. (Mark 16:20)
First look at Matthew. This is another resurrection appearance of Jesus with his disciples. He appeared many times. "The eleven disciples went to Galilee to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. Note that despite their doubts they obeyed. A word received: Come to me with your doubts. Give me your doubts. I will minister to your soul healing as you give me your doubts.
Then Jesus came and said to them, "All authority (exousia = all power to rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore..." Notice the basis of Jesus' command and our obeying. He has all the authority and power. It is clear Jesus is proclaiming his Kingship. This has always been God's plan. Daniel 7:14 says, "He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed."
Because Jesus has authority and power he is able to delegate it to his disciples. They are in the hands of the King. They are to "make disciples" (one who follows, lives with, imitates both actions and character of the rabbi they follow). They are to make disciples of all nations. Before the crucifixion and resurrection Jesus was sent only to the Jews (although he made a couple of exceptions), but now it is time to go to the whole world, to all nations. We see this order in Acts 1:8, "you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." They are to go to all nations. They are to go not just to individuals but to people groups.
SHARE the Good News.
Mark 16:15 says, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." A word received: No one is excluded from this. I want everyone to hear the good news. They are to make disciples, not just convert people and move on, but to baptize and teach. We are to teach them, by word and example to follow Jesus and become more like him (the big words for this are sanctification and mission). New believers were to be baptized in the Name of the Trinity. Name implies possession and protection. Converts are NOT our followers. We are to teach new disciples of Jesus to obey all that Jesus has commanded us. A King must be obeyed. A command is not a suggestion. Are we fuzzy about these things? How are we doing? If we are not, how do we get there?
The last thing Jesus says to his disciples is, "Lo, I AM with you always." A word received: I have told you over and over again that I will never leave you. I will continue to tell you that as often as you need to hear it, because I love you. [See the note at the end.]
"Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere and the Lord working with them and confirming his word by the sings that accompanied it". (Mark 16:20) A word received: I want you to share just as the disciples did. They obeyed me. I want you to obey me. Notice the Lord "working" (not past tense) with them and confirming his word by the signs that attended it. A word received: I want to work with you too. Jesus is still working and confirming his word if we will obey him and walk closely with him. A word received: When I work with you, there are signs that point to me. Ask me to work with you more so that my kingdom can be built up.
Then Mark quotes several things from Jesus: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16)
A word received: It is not your kingdom and your rules, it is my father's kingdom and his rules that count.
"And these signs will follow those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons;" (Mark 16:17a)
A word received: I want you to cast out the demonic.
"they will speak with new tongues;" (Mark 16:17b)
A word received: I want you to receive all my gifts for you willingly.
"they will take up serpents;" (Mark 16:18a)
A word received: Torre, I preserved your life.
"and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them;" (Mark 16:18b)
A word received: Jean, I preserved your children.
"they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mark 16:18c)
A word received: Your job is to lay lands on the sick, my job is to heal them.
So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19) A word received: I long for you to be with me. Jesus is both at the right hand of God, a place of honor and authority, and with his disciples. Jesus is no longer limited by his earthly body. By his Spirit he can be with each of his followers.
The final note of preparation is, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8) They were to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit to come on them to be his witnesses right where they were and to the ends of the earth. Waiting is a sovereignty issue. The Lord is in charge and he has his own timing. Also waiting on the Lord helps to refine and shape us in his likeness.
Note: It is interesting to look back a few verses to Matthew 28:10 where Jesus tells the women to tell the brethren to go to Galilee and they obey. The women tell the men what Jesus said and they in turn obey, even though some doubted. This is a re-creation and reversal of the disobedience of the garden of Eden.
Look at two verses from Deuteronomy which also apply to Jesus first disciples and to us: Deuteronomy 31:8, "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Also Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms."
How to teach the teachers: My commission to you is: follow me. Follow me as I reach out to the lost and the dying. Follow me as I heal the sick and bring good news to the poor. Follow me as I call my people to repentance. Follow me!
A word received: Follow me as I teach them what they need to know.
A word received: I AM with you. I AM calling you to a new boldness in declaring who I AM. I want the teachers to be forthright about what I said and taught.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 30
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1. Jesus said, "I will never leave you," because he loves you.
2. When we have doubts, bring them to Jesus.
3. Jesus' disciples obeyed him and shared about Jesus. Jesus wants you to obey him and share.
4. Jesus wants to give us the power of the Holy Spirit to obey him. We have to ask Jesus for that. Do you want to?
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