The Plan Matthew 28:16–20

INTRODUCTION Last words are important. If you’ve ever been with someone in their final moments of life on earth, you likely won’t forget the last words they spoke. Last words have a way of leaving an indelible mark on all who hear them.

Over two thousand years ago in , one man spoke his last words on earth. Words that would form the bedrock of an entire movement. There to hear him were eleven men. The original group included twelve, but one of them was dead and gone. They had just left , to meet on a mountain in Galilee. Galilee, of course was their home. Jesus had chosen them - fishermen, farmers, tax collectors - from towns and villages that dotted the area. And the journey to get back meant they had to travel past Jericho, across the , and north maybe 60 to 90 miles on foot.

About a week had passed since that decisive weekend where Jesus was crucified. Now he had risen from the dead. And when he saw the eleven disciples in Jerusalem, he told them to meet him on a mountain in Galilee. Now we don’t know for sure which mountain Jesus meant. But it was these mountain top experiences that marked pivotal moments in the life of Jesus. Right before Jesus began his public ministry, it was the devil who took him up to a high mountain and unsuccessfully tried to tempt Jesus into worshipping him (4:8). Jesus was on a mountain when he gave his greatest sermon - the (5:1), where he revealed the very lifestyle that the kingdom of God demands. It was on a mountain where Jesus took Peter, James, and John and revealed who he really is in the transfiguration (17:1). And it was on a mountain that the resurrected Christ met with his eleven disciples to give them his plan for seeing the spread throughout the world.

What Jesus said to his disciples that day on the mountain in Galilee changed the course of their lives forever. He said to them the words which have come down to us as the blueprint for how God intends to spread his glory among the nations. These were perhaps the most important words he ever said to them. But these words are no less important to us. You see, Jesus intended for his disciples (both then and now) to make those final words their first work. Because it is in these words that we find what believers are to do in the period between Jesus’ first and second coming. Listen to what he says in Matthew 28:16-20.

READ Matthew 28:16–20….

This is our last sermon in a series of messages we’ve called Authentic Discipleship. Far from viewing discipleship as optional or a second step in one’s faith, we’ve seen that to be a Christian is to be a . And to be a disciple is to be a Christian. We’ve learned that: • Disciples are those who have responded to God’s gracious initiative (The Invitation) • Disciples are those who take up their cross daily and live a life of self-denial (The Cost) • Disciples are those who live out their new calling in community (The Community) • Disciples are those who use their gifts to serve the church (The body)

TRANS: Today, we’re going to see that to be a disciple is to be a disciple-maker. In other words, one of the marks of true discipleship is helping others follow Jesus. A disciple is someone who deliberately invests in others so that they will look more like Christ. But how? What does it look like to help others follow Jesus? First…

1. We Make Disciples By Trusting His Authority (vv16–18) In verse 16 its recorded that the eleven disciples obediently went to the mountain in Galilee. And then if you look at the beginning of verse 17 you see that their response when Jesus appears. They instinctively worship him. Now Matthew uses this term more than once, and what it means is that they fell down on their knees and faces in adoration. Remember, these original disciples were Jewish - and every Jew knew that you don’t worship anything that is not God. And so for them to worship Jesus meant that the recognized him as God. There was no doubt in their mind that this man, who they’ve spent the better part of three years with, who was crucified, and now risen - that he is God. Had they not believed that, they wouldn’t have worshiped him.

But look again at the second half of verse 17. It says that some doubted. Doesn’t this sentence make you feel a bit uncomfortable? In one sense it’s one of those small details that reminds us of the historical accuracy of the gospel accounts. Because if someone was making this up, they wouldn’t think to include something that appears to be so contradictory. And yet, because it happened, Matthew (an eye witness) includes it here.

So what did they doubt? The word doubt can mean to “waiver.” It can mean to question the reliability of something or to be uncertain of a particular course of action. But I find it hard to believe they were doubting who Jesus is. Think about: standing on that mountain, this is their fourth encounter with the resurrected Christ. The first happened in . The disciples, with the exception of Thomas, are in a locked room and Jesus appears to them. Later in that same chapter, Jesus appears again after Thomas says that he won’t believe unless he can see and touch Jesus. The third time is in John 21 when Jesus reveals himself by the sea of Tiberias. They know then, that this Jesus.

Perhaps they’re not doubting the reality of who Jesus is, but instead doubting themselves? After all, their training is over. The apprenticeship is done. The disciples are going to become the disciplers. Jesus is about to give them a mandate to carry his gospel to the ends of the earth. They’ve witnessed the trial and . Surely they were wondering if they were up to the task of carrying out the mission before them. Perhaps they were doubting as to whether or not they had what it takes carry this out?

And so Jesus, moves them from a posture of doubt to the providence of God. In verse 18 he says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” You see Jesus knew that making disciples would be difficult. He knew it was going to be hard. And so he starts with his own authority. He begins by stating the fact that he has a universal authority. That’s what he means by heaven and earth. There is no place where the rule and reign of Christ is not extended. Paul said it well in Colossians 1:16, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”

And this isn’t new when we come to Matthew 28. Over the course of Jesus’ three years with these eleven men he has been building a consistent picture of authority. He has authority over disease - healing the blind, the lame, the lepers. He has authority over demons - casting them out and causing them to flee. He has authority over sin - forgiving sin, judging sin, conquering sin through his death and resurrection. He has authority over nature - calming the storms. These are just some examples, but clearly they paint a picture of someone who has a universal and absolute authority. Let me put it another way: nothing can happen outside the authority of

Jesus. Every circumstance, every action, every world event, and everything that happens to you - none of it occurs outside of his authority.

But lest we think Jesus is simply touting his lordship, we need to realize that the command in verse 19 can’t happen without the statement in verse 18. Jesus is telling these disciples - and us - that he has everything in heaven and earth at his disposal to accomplish the mission. If Jesus tells us that disciples are those who make other disciples, then it’s not going to happen because you’re smart, or talented, or successful. It’s going to happen because He is capable of doing what we would otherwise fail at.

I want us to feel the weight of Jesus’ command to make disciples. But it does us no good to feel it as a burdensome call. Instead, we need to view it as a weighty privilege only made possible to those who under the authority of Christ. And unless we trust in his authority - unless we trust that Jesus Christ has everything and everyone at his disposal - the call to make other disciples will be an unbearable task.

TRANS: To be a disciple is to be a disciple-maker. We make disciples by trusting in his authority. Second….

2. We Make Disciples By Obeying His Strategy (vv19–20a) When I was in college, there was an organization called “Go Now Missions.” Several times a year they would recruit people to travel overseas for short-term missions trips that typically would last the entire summer. And the way they would hook people was by saying this: “The says, ‘Go.’ So go now or you might never go. This is your chance to go and be a part of the great commission.’” Well, there’s a problem with that. There wasn’t a problem with encouraging students to go on short-term trips. You know that. We love missions at Calvary. We give sacrificially to fund missionaries. We’re doing two trips this summer outside of the US. And honestly, my hope is that every year we see more people giving, more people going, and more people praying for the spread of the gospel.

But it would be a massive mistake for us to think that the command in verse 19 can only be accomplished if we take missions trips. Look again at what Jesus says: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all I have commanded you.”

There are four important words in what I just read. “Go, make disciples (one word in Greek), baptizing, and teaching.” Now out of those four words, only one of them is a command. And it’s not the word “go.” It’s “make disciples.” The command is to “make disciples.” He doesn’t say, “Make converts.” He doesn’t say, “Get people saved.” He says, “Make disciples.” And it’s a command to make disciples of all nations. The words “panta ethane” in greek literally means all peoples. Meaning, everyone, everywhere. People of all ethnic backgrounds, social backgrounds, economic backgrounds. Meaning people in our community as well as people across the globe. And if Jesus is saying this to the disciples he has made, then it only makes sense that this would be expected of the disciples they would make. Which means a disciple is someone who makes disciples, who makes disciples, who makes disciples….without end.

So think of this imperative, “make disciples” as the baseline command. And the other three words, “go, baptizing, and teaching” as the words that describe how making disciples is carried out. First off, Jesus says “go.” Now the structure of the language assumes that you’re already going. Perhaps a better way to translate it would be to say, “as you are going through life.” Whether you go through life in the same town in Western Michigan all your days, or whether you

travel all over the world. We make disciples as we go through life. From the time we become a Christian until the end of our days here on earth.

This means that as you go through life, the very gospel which Christ has entrusted to you, he now expects you to deliver it to others. Or put more simply, he expects you to share the Word. We cannot expect to make disciples if we neglect sharing the word with those who need it most.

While “go” or “going” is the first participle, consider the second one - “baptizing.” This is the way that we identify our lives with Christ and His church. Literally, it says in the original language, baptizing them into the name, which is identified with the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In other words, you identify, you associate your life with His. Your life is now a demonstration of His life. That is why baptism is so important. What happens in physical baptism is we identify our lives with the life and the death of Christ. We identify our lives with His church. It is involved in showing the Word.

Now the third word - the third participle in disciple-making is “teaching.” Jesus commands us to make disciples by not only by going (sharing the word) or by baptizing (showing the Word), but by teaching the Word. Teaching them what? Everything that Jesus taught. And notice how he says it - teaching them to observe. He’s not encouraging them to simply sit in a class and learn doctrine. Although there’s nothing wrong with that. But he’s telling them, and us, to train others to follow Christ. You can certainly find a course on how to study the , but wouldn’t it be more helpful if another believer or believers sat down with you and walked you through the Word? And so Jesus is saying that we make disciples by teaching people to be obedient, Godly, healthy disciples. It’s only by teaching them that we expect others to then go and make disciples themselves.

Let me give you a hypothetical situation. Suppose you have this friend whose is not a believer. For years you’ve been trying to show him the beauty of the gospel. He’s seen your faults and sins, but he’s also seen you mature and strive to be more like Christ. In as many ways as possible you’ve tried to show him the love of Christ. You’ve shared the Word with him. You’ve verbally explained the Gospel to him.And one day, he calls you up in the midst of despair wanting to know how to become a Christian. And so you explain the gospel again, he makes a genuine profession of faith, and you pray together. Would you then say, “Great! You’ve prayed the prayer. You’re good to go. Best of luck figuring out everything else!” Or would you feel as sense of obligation? Wouldn’t you have a responsibility to teach him to obey? To teach him to observe? To teach him how read the Bible, to pray, to grow, to share? All this, with the expectation that he then goes and makes disciples? Because Jesus didn’t simply intend for us to make converts, but disciples.

One of the reasons why we’re looking at the theme of discipleship is to clear up any confusion as to what a disciple is. Disciples are made, not born. If it were the other way around, then every Christian would be a healthy, mature, reproducing believer. But that’s not the case. It requires a lifelong commitment from the time you profess Jesus until the day you meet him face to face.

Bill Hull, a pastor and writer says it like this, “At a minimum, a disciple goes public in his witness through baptism, and submits to the authority of others by being taught. He makes himself available for training; he understands the virtue of accountability. He devotes himself to a lifetime of learning.” The word disciple literally means to be a student or a follower or a learner. A disciple is someone who continues in the teachings of Christ. Our belief isn’t a one-time event, where we become a Christian. Our belief must be continual trust in who Jesus is and what he says. A disciple commits to reading the Bible and applying it to their lives. And the goal

is not for our own well-being, or to simply acquire a knowledge of the Bible. Disciples are taught and trained so that they can then go and teach others.

Consider this: the next time you’re listening to a sermon, or partaking in Bible study, or some sort of teaching/training event - remember it’s not just for you. In a sense it is for you. That you might be encouraged, corrected, trained in godliness. But consider entertain the idea that you’re receiving the truth of God’s word so that you can pass it on to the next person.

You see, in all of this we cannot miss the fact that a disciple is committed to reaching the world. In :36-38 it reads this: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Jesus says the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. In other words, there are a lot people ready to hear and receive the Gospel, but there are not a lot of people who are doing it. This prayer is as urgent now as it was then. There are people all over the world who are lost, and broken, and without the gospel. Jesus has compassion on them. Will we? Will we be laborers in the harvest? Will we bring the message of redemption to others? Will we make disciples who then go and make other disciples?

Now if we say “yes” - if we commit to becoming multiplying disciples of Jesus Christ - it’s going to require that we follow his strategy. If you haven’t noticed it already, Jesus has a plan. We only have to look at how he lived and what he said, and see that he had a strategy for us to follow, and it’s multiplication, not addition.

Too often our goal is addition and not multiplication. We think about adding people. But if we only think in terms of getting people saved, and not making disciples, it stunts the plan. Just getting people saved is addition, but making disciples is multiplication. I normally don’t interject math into my sermons - but I’m sure you would agree that multiplication is more effective that addition.

For example, if we run a weekly attendance of about 300+ people here, just imagine what would happen if everyone said “I’m going to make disciples.” Well, in a year or so you might then expect 600+ people. And in a couple more years, 1200+ people. I can stop doing math now, you get the picture. When disciples are multiplying themselves, they reproduce much faster than if we simply try to add people to our body.

But consider the fact that his strategy depended on the faithfulness of the men God had given Him. In John 17, Jesus prays his high priestly prayer before he is betrayed and taken to stand trial. In that prayer, he does not mention the crowds he preached to or the miracles her performed. Rather he prayed for the disciples, the men God had given him. He mentions them over forty times. He says in verse 18, “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” Jesus leaves the work into the hands of his disciples. It’s not that we need better methods of evangelism. It’s that we need better men and women. Disciples who will make disciples. Jesus’ strategy depended on his disciple’s willingness to follow his method of reproduction.

His strategy focused on the few in order to reach the masses. Jesus’ plan focused on the long term. And in the long term, multiplication will give you more than addition. These eleven men that he is speaking the great commission to, these are the few that he entrusted the gospel

message with. For three years, the majority of his time was spent with them. Teaching them and training them. Sure, he preached to some crowds, but his focus was on the few. Likewise, you and I are entrusted with this gospel message, and the most effective means of spreading it is by focusing on the few. (One of the reasons why D-Groups were started)

Many of you attend worship regularly. Some of you are in a small group. And some of you are even doing one-on-one mentoring. But I want you to think about the fact that Jesus spent a lot of time with a group of few. “Jesus, it must be remembered, restricted nine-tenths of his ministry to twelve Jews,” writes Eugene Peterson. Three of those twelve Jews were Peter, James, and John. These three men would have observed more than the others what Jesus said, did, and taught during the three years they followed him. While Jesus spent nine-tenths of his time with the twelve, he spent concentrated time with these three—his core group.

Peter, James, and John were present with Jesus during some of the most intense moments of his ministry and struggle, no doubt because Jesus was preparing them for their leadership roles in his soon-to-be church. For example: • At the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (:29). • At the raising of Jairus’ daughter from the dead (:37). • On the mount of transfiguration with Jesus (:2). • At the , when Jesus explained the end-time events (:3). • With Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, just prior to his trial and crucifixion (Matt. 26:37).

So what should we do? Find a group of 3-5 people of the same gender. Meet regularly to study the word, pray, memorize scripture, and hold each other accountable. Make a time of accelerated growth. And go into it knowing that at some point you’ll need to multiply.

TRANS: To be a disciple, is to be a disciple-maker. We make disciples by trusting in his authority. We make disciples by obeying his strategy. Thirdly….

3. We Make Disciples By Depending on His Presence (v20b) When you come to the end of the Great Commission and Jesus gives these words, “Surely I am with you” (Matt. 28:20). The emphasis in that verse is on that “I am with you.” Almost like He is saying, “I, myself, am with you. I am with you always even to very end of the age.”

Now if you look back to the very first chapter in Matthew, you’ll see how Jesus was introduced. At the beginning of Matthew. We have got a picture of His name. In :22, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet.” Now here it is, verse 23, “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means— “God with us.” That is the introduction of Christ; the conclusion of this picture of Christ in Matthew 28, God with you.

But the picture in between is God in the flesh with His disciples. He lives with them for three years. Then He dies. He is gone so they think. Then He rises from the grave, and He is back. Now we have really got it made. Look what all we can do now that Christ is back. Then, He ascends. That would seem like a bad thing. However, the beauty of this is Jesus ascends to heaven days after this so that His presence is no longer limited to one physical body on the face of this earth. His presence is now dwelling in every single disciple of Christ on the face of this earth. “I am with you always” (Matt. 28:20)—“I give you my presence.”

And this is what we know - throughout the Bible that God promises to be with us. We all know that. It says it over and over and over again that God will be with you wherever you go. We

know God’s presence is always with us. Why did Jesus emphasize it right here in Matthew 28? Why would He bring that up right here? Perhaps Jesus is saying very clearly this: “You will never realize the power and the greatness of my presence until you give yourselves to this mission. However, when you give yourselves to this mission you will see and experience and know my presence in ways you never could have imagined before.”