Sent!
Matthew 28:18-20
Preacher: David Williams
Sermon Mt 28:18-20. Theme: Sent! Sermon by Pastor David Williams. Strathalbyn Church of Christ. 20 Mar 2022.
Lord Jesus Christ, open our ears and our hearts to receive your word this day, Amen.
Anyone learning a trade will make plenty of mistakes. Usually, these can be patched up later on the job, but sometimes that can be too late. Take electricians. If an apprentice is not well taught, he may end up making mistakes on the job. It is not just his own life that is at risk – these mistakes pose a hazard to others too. Electricity standards are given to be obeyed – because lives depend on them being obeyed.
Jesus gave a command. One that we should take obey – for lives depend on it. It is called the Great Commission. But why should we obey? Why take it seriously? Because it was a divine command.
1. A divine command.
It came with divine authority. There are four clues to this.
i. There is no doubt he was God, for what did these disciples - these Jewish disciples do? When they saw him they worshiped him, v17. For Jews, this was pure blasphemy unless Jesus was God.
ii. And did you notice how they were to baptise? It was in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, v19. That is, they were to baptise people in the name of the triune God. The Trinity is not mentioned by name in the Bible. “Trinity” is a helpful term that was only coined in the 2nd century. But again and again in scripture, each member of the Trinity is referred to as God or as having divine qualities. For example,
iii. Jesus promised And behold I am with you always, v20.
In chapter one, Jesus was called _Emmanuel, God with u_s (1:23). He is still God with us. Being present everywhere is something only God can do.
iv. Jesus also claimed All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, v18. This fulfilled the vision given to Daniel who saw “…one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven, Dan 7:13. Jesus often called himself the Son of Man. This might sound like a very earthy title, but in Daniel’s vision, this Son of Man was divine.
He approached the Ancient of Days … He was given authority, glory and sovereign power … all nations … worshiped him. His … kingdom … will never be destroyed”, Dan 7:13-14.
2. A divine command.
Jesus was divine, and he intended his words to be obeyed. There are 3 clues to that.
i. It was given on a mountain.
Who issues commands from mountains? God! God revealed himself and delivered commands on mountains. On Mount Sinai, God gave the 10 commandments – revealing how the Hebrews were to live as his people. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus revealed how we are to live as his people, Mt 5:1. On the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus was revealed as the divine Son with God commanding This is my beloved Son, listen to him, Mt 17:5.
Finally, Jesus is again on a mountain, Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them, v16. Here it is not the father but Jesus who is revealing God’s purposes and giving a divine command.
ii. It was his last word.
We tend to take last words seriously. Unless it comes from someone like Spike Milligan – You know his last words? I told you I was ill!
The last words of many of the prophets – Joseph, Moses and David - were given special importance – like a last will. (Gen 27; 48-49; 50:24-25; Dt 33; 1 Ki 2:1-9; 2 Ki 13:14-19). Here we have the last words of Jesus, and
iii. It was a command!
They weren’t words of encouragement or of advice, but of command!
The king of heaven and earth gave us a command. This was the most important thing Jesus had to say before ascending to heaven. It is the most important command ever given to the church. Don’t drift off – I want you – Christ wants you to hear it now. Woe to the church that fails to heed his final urgent charge!
3. What then did Jesus command?
Go therefore and make disciples …, v19. See the pattern here. Jesus had spent 3 years training these disciples. A disciple is meant to hear and obey his teacher. Now these 11 were to make other disciples, who were to make yet more. This is the same as old man Paul commanded Timothy, what you have heard from me … pass on to faithful men who will be able to teach others also, 2 Tim 2:2. Christians are those who make disciples. It is not enough to simply follow Jesus. Jesus has commanded us to be disciple makers. This is the job Jesus has given us to do together.
Doctors learn by a simple process – they see, they do and they teach. They see a suture being stitched up, they practice it, and then find another junior doctor to teach them. Christians should do the same – we hear, we obey and we teach others.
You might have some objections to this. Well if anyone could think up objections, Hoa Stone could. As a orphan he was taken from Vietnam and adopted to parents in Aldgate. Years later, he returned to Vietnam as a missionary. But he was on crutches from polio and had to completely relearn Vietnamese. So, the locals saw him as twice deficient – stupid for looking Vietnamese but not speaking it – and cursed by karma for his disability. If that wasn’t enough, he risked imprisonment for Christian work. Yet his aim to find 100 people to disciple, and to train them to go and each disciple 100 more. He was a disciple maker.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, v19.
We cannot make effective disciples in other cultures without understanding their culture. Like Paul on Mars Hill, we need to be speak the gospel in ways that connect with how they understand the world (Acts 17:22-34). Being fluent in the language is only the beginning. Hudson Taylor made inroads into China because, unlike others, he dressed and even started to think like the Chinese did.
4. But does it work?
Does mission still work? The church in many nations is declining and sliding into heresies. Many missions have seen sharp falls in those offering to serve long term. Frances faces yet another year with COVID uncertainty, a new leftist president, squabbles that beset churches, the sadness as some students drop out or have marriage problems. But Frances is not going out under her own steam, nor even with the support of CMS and local churches. Frances and all of us have two great assurances here.
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me…
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age, v19-20.
So, who is in control? Will apathy and atheism defeat gospel work in Chile? No, for all authority in heaven and earth has been given to the Son. Frances goes in the authority and at the command of the Son of God. When the Lord commands he also enables. Christ with all authority is fully in control of time, of history. Further, he promises to be with us to the end of the age. He will provide us with strength and faith to persevere through any challenges. What a great double assurance this is to our missionaries. What great assurances they are to us all. Jesus has all authority, and he is with us always.
The question is not – will it work, but are you on board with God’s purpose, God’s command, God’s plan for you – his disciple maker?
5. How do we make disciples?
By going, baptising and teaching
Going
Go therefore and make disciples … v19. So often, Christians have said the time of mission is over. Yet Jesus did not put a time limit on it. Instead, as we Go … and make disciples of all nations, he is with us “always, to the end of the age”, v20 (see also Mt 24:14, Mk 13:10).
But isn’t it better to raise up local Christians? Isn’t it better to convert the nations coming to Australia? Why not bring foreign leaders here for training. Yes, there is a place for such solutions, but they do not solve everything. There will always be a need to send missionaries.
Why send? 3 points
i. About 4 in 10 people are unreached (https://www.joshuaproject.net/). They live in people groups with no churches and sometimes no way of hearing the good news. Stephanie, a CMS worker, lived in a city of a million people. Apart from two fellow missionaries, they knew of no other Christians in that city – and her fellow workers were then shot. Many people groups are unreached because they are in war zones or live in great poverty or under hostile religions and governments. Some are just hazardous places to live, like Niger when the ceiling collapsed on Ruth Perkins. Often the only way to reach such groups is by sending missionaries. But it’s not just places like Afghanistan and North Korea. In France, only 1 person in 100 is evangelical (https://operationworld.org/locations/france/). It is illegal to hold a bible study on a French university or school. Missionaries are going back into countries that once knew the gospel to re-evangelise and disciple them.
ii. The churches in many countries lack trained leaders. This is where Australia can really add value. Aussies are well regarded in many countries. In France, we are liked because we are not British, and our soldiers died on French fields. In other places we are liked because we are not American and the locals understand our weird sense of humour. But also, Australia has some of the best bible colleges in the world, and these colleges have sent several lecturers to the CEP (Centro de Estudios Pastorales), where Frances works.
iii. Third, ever noticed something unique about the church. It is the only truly international community. Where else do you find masses of people from backgrounds all over the world, living together, loving each other. It started when the divisions came down between Jewish and Gentile Christians, and such dividing walls continue to come down. There is no place for racism in the church, although sadly church history has been plagued by racism. But Christ is building a family with people from every nation. You may remember Paul’s instruction about not despising other members of the body – the eye can’t say to the hand, “I have no need of you”, 1 Cor 12:21. Well, this is true for people groups too. We need Aboriginal Christians, Chileans, Japanese and yes, even the Kiwis! And they need us too. The church is an international family and sending missionaries is a vital part of growing this family.
And by going, I’m not talking about a quick drop in. To earn the trust and respect of locals – think of Strath – you’re not a local unless you’ve lived here – what would you say, Don? What would you say, Doreen? 15 years, 20 years? Well Frances has served 34 years so far. Many missionaries say that after 7 years, things start to take off with their ministry. The locals know they are around for the long haul – they are committed. They are becoming fluent in the language and culture.
But people are not going. Why not?
“I’m not called!” Not being called is the most hopeless excuse Christians have invented. It is a cop out. A cop out based on poor theology.
i. I’m not called – is plain wrong. When someone says to me, “I’m not called”, I say, yes you are. Christ said, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (cf., Acts 1:8). Can you get a clearer call than that? He didn’t say, Peter and Andrew, Go, and the rest of you, you can stay home.
ii. There is a myth that only special ones were called in the Bible. No, they weren’t. Calling is not used in the Bible of missionaries or of prophets either. Paul & Barnabas were sent, they were set apart, but they weren’t called (Acts 13:1-4). The most common two words for call in the Greek are phonew φωνέω – to cry out, and kalew – καλέω which can also mean to invite. But it applies to all people: All are called to repent, all are called to believe.
iii. A better question is – am I called to stay? Maggie Crewes was the daughter of farmers in Meningie. She heard missionaries and asked herself. Is God calling me to stay? She could think of no good reason for staying, so volunteered. She has now been serving for 30 years in four continents.
iv. Sometimes the best missionaries are not called but dragged with great reluctance. To quote Frances, “I was convinced that God was sending me, although my lack of faith gave me very grave doubts about his wisdom in the matter!”
v. OK, not all can go. But many can and should. So, what of those who stay, how can we be involved in going, in sending? An army is like an iceberg. You only see the top 10%. The rest is working behind the scenes in maintenance and health, supplies and transport. So, it is with missionaries. Frances relies, not just on the experts in CMS who deal with health and IT, visas and language, legal and accounting issues. She also relies on a whole army of volunteers. They support her by praying, giving and caring. It is a job for the whole church.
How can we be good senders?
By praying, giving, and caring.
i. Praying
It is easy to get overwhelmed by the needs we hear about, isn’t it? I suggest start by focusing on one part of the world. Getting newsletters is a great way to do this. And Frances writes some great letters too! That way, you can pray specifically and intelligently about particular needs – rather than just “God bless Chile”. Even Jesus took 3 disciples with him to pray in Gethsemane – they weren’t much use as it turned out! But how much more do we need others to pray with us. Will you stand with Frances and the CEP as they seek to raise up new leaders of the church in Latin America? Will you commit to praying one day a week for this great continent? Use the cards given out today to put in your Bible or on the fridge as a reminder to pray.
ii. Giving.
Only a tiny amount of all charitable giving goes overseas, and of overseas donations, an even tinier amount goes to gospel ministry – taking the good news to the nations. The data for this is very hard to come by but think about it. Most of the money going overseas supports important work like disaster relief, refugees, literacy, health and education. But only a tiny amount goes to making disciples – fulfilling Jesus’ Great commission. Unlike famines and orphanages, gospel work will never attract government grants. It rarely gets tax breaks. Even major denominations shy away from it, preferring to fund politically acceptable welfare projects. Non-Christians clearly won’t be interested in funding gospel work. That means, the only ones left to fund people like Frances, are people like you and me. Evangelical Christians across this state who have seen God’s vision for reaching and discipling the nations.
It is worth reviewing your finances from time to time. Ask yourself, how is my giving supporting the gospel going out, not just in Australia, but to the world, that people may find life? There is no cause more worthy of our money than this.
iii. Caring
Missionaries need top quality training and care on the field. For pastors in Australia, the dropout rate is high – many burn-out or marriages fail, but stresses are so much higher in missionary work. Missionaries need much practical help – for instance, with accommodation and cars when they are home. It is easy for them to be forgotten too. Short emails and birthday cards are much appreciated.
So we can all be involved in going – in sending – by praying, giving and caring.
Baptising and teaching
Evangelism is just the beginning of making disciples. But making disciples is much harder and more time consuming than simply preaching the gospel. And woe to us if we simply evangelise and fail to disciple. It is like giving birth and then leaving the babies to figure out how to feed and protect themselves. That is what young turtles have to do, and many get eaten by crocodiles. Young Christians are very vulnerable. It is our duty to mentor and disciple them well and protect them from crocodiles.
We make disciples by teaching them. Jesus commanded us to make disciples … teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, v19, 20.
This is where the work of the CEP is so vital. It is a soundly biblical, evangelical college training pastors, and not just for Chile. Students come from many other countries in South America. Frances teaches Greek, in Spanish. Why does this matter? I’ve thrown in a little Greek today – apart from showing off, I did it to show that knowing Greek is important if pastors are to teach the Bible accurately. No translation can give you a 100% understanding of what was originally written. There will always be words that can’t be translated clearly enough, or odd stuff – like strange verbs – that don’t match up to English ones.
The work that Frances is doing will protect young Christians and churches from crocodiles. Knowing Greek will ensure that future leaders of the church will be able to deal with heresies that misuse the Bible. Some of her students will go on to write Spanish Bible commentaries and studies that need a sound knowledge of Greek. Good sermons are built on knowing Greek too.
Lives depend on our apprentice sparkies obeying the standards. Lives depend too on the disciples of Christ obeying his command. His command to make disciples of all nations. Will you engage with Christ in his global mission?
Pray: Lord Jesus, you have all authority in heaven and earth. You promised to be with us always. And you send your church to make disciples of all nations. Equip Frances and the CEP with all they need so that your gospel can go to every tribe and people group across South America, so that the churches can grow in faithful obedience to you. Enable us to be faithful as we pray, give and care for your work of global mission. In your name, Jesus we ask, amen.