Posts Tagged ‘ Great Commission ’

VerseD: Matthew 28:19

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

Matthew 28:19, ESV

With the Authority of Christ with us, we have no reason to fear others, rather we should boldly proclaim the gospel to all.

VerseD: Isaiah 43:18-19

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Isaiah 43:18‭-‬19, ESV

Our world is a spiritually dry wasteland, and we often long for what people in the past seemed to have. Yet, God the Holy Spirit flows through each believer in Jesus Christ to bring our Lord’s grace and love to this dry and weary world to the glory of the Father.

VerseD: Habakkuk 2:14

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Habakkuk 2:14, ESV

Our God came to us. He has sent us to spread His fame and glory around the world until His return.

VerseD: Isaiah 6:8

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Isaiah 6:8, ESV

The Word should change us. The call of the Lord should push us.

May we proclaim the change that comes through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit.

VerseD: Luke 11:13

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Luke 11:13, ESV

The greatest gift God gives us is Himself. The greatest gift we can give others is the Gospel, the good news that they can be saved from their sins and receive God Himself.

VerseD: Mark 16:15

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”
Mark 16:15, ESV

Our purpose in life is to glorify God. The best way to do this is to tell others about the work of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins and offer us eternal life.

VerseD: Matthew 28:19

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
Matthew 28:19, ESV

God changes us, but how will He change others if we do not obey His command to make disciples?
Good use us to bring change to the world.

VerseD: Matthew 28:19

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
Matthew 28:19, ESV

We should not be hiding away from the world or pushing others way from God. Rather, in the authority of Jesus, we should be going into the world and doing everything in our power and beyond to help this world understand God’s Word and lead them to righteousness.

VerseD: Matthew 22:37-39

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 22:37‭-‬39, ESV

Love God.
Love people.
The best way to do both is to fulfill the Great Commission: make disciples who love God.

Message Series: Malachi 3:5-15

It is about time for a short message series.

For the past few weeks and over the next couple of months, I will upload short messages based on the book of Malachi. It will probably be eight total and based on the section divisions in the English Standard Version of the Bible.

No special titles. Just taking a quick look at what was said.

So read along with me, and let us study what Malachi said to his people about 2,400 years ago.

Malachi 3:5-15

Remember that Malachi literally means “my messenger”, so he is God’s messenger, as all the Prophets were.

Chapter 1 was about God’s love for His covenant people – those who obey and love Him – versus those who refuse to listen to Him. The priests offered lame, sick, and injured animals as sacrifices, basically taking the Lord’s name in vain by calling it acceptable even though they were worthless gifts.

Chapter 2 can be called the passage about “bovine scatology”, because priests then (and many now) led people astray with false teachings. So God rebuked them and showed they are outside of the covenant.

Chapter 2 finishes with God rebuking not only the priests but any who practice what God said not to, and leads into chapter 3 in which God calls out those who call evil good and vice versa (which leads to His eventual judgment!)

Now, on to discuss stealing from God:

“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. 12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.

13 “Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? 15 And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’”

  • God does not change: He is Father, even if we push Him away.
  • The tithes and offerings of ancient Israel went to feeding the Levites and those who served the Temple.
    • To not give offerings and tithes was to say:
      • “God does not need my offering.”
      • “I want the priests to starve.”
      • Breaks both great commandments!
  • Saying “I’m not called to preach or share the gospel” is saying it is vain to serve God.
  • Saying “Everything is so horrible, how can there be a good God?” pushes people from God.
  • Whether atheist or a Christian who refuses to share the Gospel or lives just like the world is also stealing from God:
    • Leading people from God is in essence stealing souls from Him and pushing them to eternal torment.
    • Refusing to tell people the Gospel is stealing souls from Him, because you only seek the benefits of His grace but refuse to share that grace with others (pay for services provided, if you will, such as shopping or eating out but refusing to pay).