JUST HOW GREAT IS TWO THIRDS OF HIS COMMISSION?

Following His Resurrection, and prior to His Ascension, Jesus gave these instructions to His disciples:

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.’ Amen.” (Matt. 28:18-20).  NOTE:

1)     Because I have been given authority over both heaven and earth, I am to be your Lord.

2)     As your Lord, I command you to go teach ALL nations the Gospel.

3)     As your Lord, I command you to baptize ALL who believe the Gospel.

4)     As your Lord, I command you to teach ALL who believe the Gospel and are baptized, those same things I have taught you.

5)     As your Lord, I will never leave you.

Today, the Church has understood that Jesus is to be our authority.  The Church has understood that we are to teach the Gospel to every nation.  The Church knows that it is to baptize those who accept Jesus.  Apparently, the Church does not seem to grasp the command to teach believers the same things Jesus taught His disciples.  Apparently, what the Church has done is teach the Gospel and baptize, and then left the new born believers to “feed themselves.”  If you were to ask a hundred born again believers from anywhere around the world, “Whose responsibility is it that you learn all that Jesus taught His disciples,” you would get one hundred responses, “Mine.”  And, quite honestly, they would ultimately be correct.  After all, the Word does say that they have the Holy Spirit, and therefore, they have no need that any man should teach them (1 Jn. 2:27).  Right?

But what about the command to teach them ALL that Jesus taught His disciples (Matt. 28:20)?  What about the Lord’s thrice telling Peter to “feed My sheep” (Jn. 21:15-17)?  What about the fact that God provided Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, and Pastor Teachers to fulfill His “Great Commission” (Eph. 4:11-16)?  What about Paul’s admonition to older women to teach the younger (Titus 2:3-4)?  What about the rebuke of older Christians for failing to teach others (Heb. 5:12)?  Mature Christians should treat those younger than themselves in the Lord, as a parent would his child (Eph. 6:4)!

Do you know how to identify young believers?

They are the ones who desire the sincere milk of the Word (1 Pet. 2:2)!