Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
One of the most profound instructions that the LORD gave to the disciples who became Apostles was in Matt 28:19-20. It is called the Great Commission.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Some translations of verse 19 say, Go and make disciples of all nations. Regardless of the translation, the LORD told them to teach or instruct all nations of people and to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
Now, many will make a doctrine of whether you were baptized in the name of Father, Son or Holy Spirit or Jesus Name. This is nothing to debate and I don’t want to focus on this! My focus today is on the Great Commission!
How many churches and believers have been obedient to follow the Great Commission? Every church has a vision but we also have a mandate to fulfill the Great Commission. This is not a thing of the past! It is a thing of the present time, in which every man, woman, boy and girl needs to hear the good news of the Gospel!
Soul winning is not a thing of the past. It is a present-day event in which many people need to hear of the good news and saving grace of Jesus Christ our LORD!
The filling of our churches and church growth should be based on one thing, and that is enlarging the Kingdom of God and decreasing hell’s kingdom.
It is for soul winning and fulfilling the Great Commission, through the preaching and teaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom to save souls. If this is not our mission, then we are not fulfilling the Kingdom mandate.
Remember the words of the Apostle Peter in 2 Pet 3:9, ” The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples who became Apostles, and the LORD said something so profound that we miss many times!
Let’s read it! Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Notice he said you shall receive power to do what? Be witnesses unto me! The power is not given so everyone can see us. The power is given so people see Christ’s power working through us to be witnesses for the Kingdom of heaven!
What does it mean to be a witness? A witness is someone who saw or experienced something. Someone who was an eyewitness to an event. The dictionary describes witness as:
A person who sees an event, or someone who saw an event, or something to take place. It is an observer, onlooker, eyewitness, spectator, viewer, watcher, bystander, or passerby.
As it relates to the Gospel, it is someone who came to Christ, saw the works of Christ, or had a personal account or witness.
Question? Have you been saved and experienced the goodness, grace and mercy of the LORD? Has God done anything in your life, that needs to be shared? Then you are a witness of all that Christ has done and is doing in your life in this present time!
Never forget, we are to be witnesses of his power, witnesses of his grace, and witnesses of his love. We are not to get saved, experience the power and then sit down!
To sadly, this is what we do. Someone once said, “We go from the streets to the Savior, then to service for the Savior, then back to the Streets to witness for the Savior.” Listen, we live in a world that is gone crazy, and they need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ!
It is God’s desire that everyone of us be a witness for Jesus Christ to display the love, grace, power and anointing of God! If we have experienced his transforming power, we are to be witnesses of it! Remember Jesus once said, “I am the light of the world, then he said, you are the light of the world!”
Joh 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.”
Mat 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Mat 5:15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
This is the time that we as a church are to be witnesses! We are not called to get saved, sit down and fall back. We are Christian soldiers in the Army of the LORD, who must advance forward for the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of darkness is advancing every day. We see it and read about it every day.
Do you have on the armor of God? Then it’s time to get in the battle and be a witness for Christ! This is our Commission! Sadly, this has become the Great Omission in many churches and believers’ lives!
The question is will you be a witness for Christ to share, invite, or tell someone about the good news of our Messiah and Savior? Let them know that God loves them despite where they are, what they have done, or presently doing! That he wants to know them personally, and to fulfill the purpose he has for their life!
Remember you are a witness, and your testimony and life can be a blessing to someone who may be going through something today! Don’t miss your moment to be a powerful witness for Jesus Christ!
God bless,
Pastor Quinn.