Transformed By the Great Commission

Imagine if Jesus’ people, the Church, were fully mobilized to preach the Gospel to every person on earth. With all the advantages available to us, we would complete the Great Commission in a very short amount of time. This thought is really not difficult to fathom. All that stands in the way of mobilization on a global scale is a transformation – a personal transformation through the Great Commission.

Here is what I mean. During the forty days between Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension he revealed Himself by “many infallible proofs”; spoke to them about the Kingdom of God; and gave them orders through the Holy Spirit. We know these “orders” as the Great Commission. The eleven remaining disciples were to continue the ministry Jesus began in Palestine and extend it to the ends of the earth; to every creature under heaven. These common men were entrusted with an uncommon task. It would require a personal, radical transformation. In fact, Jesus ordered them to remain in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit – Agent of the Great Transformation – the very same One Who assisted Jesus in His ministry. Once empowered by the Divine Helper they were fully enabled to fulfill the Great Commission.

Let’s examine the last words (orders) of Jesus – aka The Great Commission – before He ascended to heaven. Each Gospel writer records the commission differently. Each record emphasizes a different aspect of our identity as Christ’s followers and our responsibility to do what He commands to be done. These “last words” transformed a group of frightened, discouraged, unbelieving followers into world-changers. Peter, the Denier, was changed into a bold preacher on the day of Pentecost. The rest obeyed the “last words” even to death by martyrdom. Such is the transforming power of the Great Commission.

Here is a brief description of each Gospel writers account of Jesus last words:

In Mark’s Gospel account, Jesus encounters the disciples for the first time since being raised from the dead. He immediately chastises them for not believing the testimony of the few eye-witnesses of His resurrection and for their hardness of heart. Jesus commissions the eleven to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Mark’s emphasis on the Great Commission is believing; becoming a believer. Through His words, Jesus is moving these hard-hearted, unbelievers to a place of faith – a faith so unshakable that they would one day die as martyrs before denying Him. He delegated His authority to them as believers to perform signs and wonders in His Name.

One cannot fully identify with and engage the Great Commission without absolute conviction of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. As Christians we do not have the luxury to pick and choose what we believe. Many so called “believers” today embrace the doctrines of Pluralism, Universalism, Moral Relativism, challenge the authority of the Bible and the existence of satan and hell. To engage the Great Commission we must first be transformed from doubt and unbelief to faith evidenced by actions.

Matthew’s depiction of Jesus’ last words begin with the proclamation: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” This is not a delegation of authority; it is a declaration of Jesus right to rule. A disciple is one who comes under the rule of another. This must be understood to be a disciple and to make a disciple. When Jesus laid out the terms of discipleship, He spoke of unswerving allegiance to Him, self-denial, forsaking earthly possessions, taking up the cross, etc. True discipleship goes beyond simple believe-ism. What Jesus had in mind are people who are transformed by following Him to becoming like Him.

In Matthew’s gospel, baptism as part of the disciple making process does not prefigure water. “Baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” signifies the complete immersion into the nature of God. The end product of this process is absolute obedience to the One Who has the right to rule my life. We become engaged with the Great Commission because we are determined to obey Him to the uttermost.

Luke’s gospel reveals yet another side of the Great Commission. Jesus tells His chosen that “repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” He then introduces another point of identification – “you shall be witnesses.” Luke enhances this thought in Acts 1 when He tells the eleven they will be transformed by the Holy Spirit’s power into “witnesses.”

“Witness” comes from the Greek word martureo which means: to give evidence; produce proof [based on firsthand, personal knowledge.] We witness to what we have experienced for ourselves. The Great Commission transforms us into people who proclaim and demonstrate the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Proof Producers. A witness is prepared by the power of the Holy Spirit to perform “greater works” Jesus said we would do. This is why Jesus insisted the disciples wait until they be clothed with power from on high.

John’s gospel account of the Great Commission is profoundly simple: ““As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” Jesus is directing us to identify with Him as a Sent One from the Father: Concurrently, He referred and related to His Father as “the One Who sent Me.” No one ever sends themself. We are sent by another, on assignment, for their sake – not our own. A Great Commission Christian lives like a Sent One every day.

Where does Jesus send us? Into the world. As the incarnate Son of God, Jesus immersed Himself into a dark, sinful world. He rubbed shoulders with the worst of humanity without ever sacrificing His identity as God’s Holy Son. Jesus was an alien on the planet He created in order to fully reconcile God’s fallen creation. We, also, are strangers on a pilgrimage to our heavenly homeland, rescuing the lost as we go. The Bible calls us ambassadors of the Kingdom who are committed to the ministry of reconciliation.

Each one of the Gospel writers presents a different portrait of who we are in the context of the Great Commission. Notice, each image is a progression revelation. We grow from being an unbeliever to Believer; to Disciple; to Witness; and finally to a Sent One. This is the transformative experience of the Great Commission. The one who yields to this process is useful and fruitful in the Kingdom of God.

To be transformed by the Great Commission means
• I have a whole-hearted conviction as a Believer in Jesus.
• I live an authentic life for Christ as His Disciple.
• I am a relevant Witness to the world that Jesus is alive.
• I am available to God as a Sent One.