When Everything Changed: The Great Commission

Series: When Everything Changed

April 19, 2020 | Dr. Wes George

Passage: Acts 1:6-8

Everything changed when Jesus rose from the dead.

His disciples are compelled with obedience in joining Him on the mountain.

16 But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated.

Obedience is always the result of a transformed life.  They were going to do what Jesus said because Jesus had risen from the dead.

His disciples are compelled to worshiping Him.

17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful.

The implication is that upon seeing Him, they were compelled to worship Him.  It’s like when you see your children or your wife when you or they have been gone for a while.  When you see them, you have to embrace them.  It is the natural response to seeing the resurrected Christ for the first time since His resurrection.

His disciples surrender to the authority of Jesus.

18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

Jesus again takes the initiative by coming up and speaking to His disciples.  Jesus claimed to have all authority in heaven and on earth.  Only God would have such authority.  It was a claim of deity.  It was also the claim of all authority over everything.  So if He has all authority, then what He says really does matter. What He says, He can make happen.  What He says, will happen.

Everything changed when Jesus gave His followers a clear mission:

His disciples make disciples.

19 “aGo therefore and make disciples of all the nations,

Disciple-making is evangelism.

19 "...baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit"

Disciple-making is teaching all things.

20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Disciple-making depends on the power of the Holy Spirit.

20 "...and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Acts 1: 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;

Disciple-making is NOT geographically, culturally, or linguistically limited.

Matthew 28: 19 “aGo therefore and make disciples of all the nations,

. .all the nations. . .panta ta ethna  all the cultural, ethnic and linguistic groups of the world.  People groups is the modern day missiology vernacular.

Acts 1:8. . .and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

. . .in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.

Everything changed when Jesus came into the world.

Everything changed when Jesus lived a sinless life.

Everything changed when Jesus died a substitutionary death on the cross.

Everything changed when Jesus rose from the dead.

Everything changed when Jesus communicated a clear mission.

Everything changed when the Holy Spirit birthed and empowered His church to carry out His mission.

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