THE GREAT THE GREAT COMMISSIONCOMMISSIONTHE GREAT THE GREAT

COMMISSIONCOMMISSION

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THE GREAT COMMISSIO

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The former account I made, O The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had through the Holy Spirit had given given commandmentscommandments to the apostles to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of things pertaining to the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:1-3)God. (Acts 1:1-3)

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THE GREAT COMMISSIO

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The author of the book of Acts here The author of the book of Acts here refers to his earlier work, which is known refers to his earlier work, which is known to us as “the gospel according to Luke.” to us as “the gospel according to Luke.” The commandments are known The commandments are known collectively as “the great commission.”collectively as “the great commission.”

Let us examine the commission, that we Let us examine the commission, that we may see why it is great, and what its may see why it is great, and what its commandments are.commandments are.

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Matthew 28:18-20Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and spoke to them And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, "All authority has been saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and in earth. given to Me in heaven and in earth. Go therefore and make disciples of Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of with you always, even to the end of the age."the age."They were to make disciples of all nations.They were to make disciples of all nations.They were to baptize them in the name of the They were to baptize them in the name of the Godhead.Godhead.They were to teach them to observe all They were to teach them to observe all commands.commands.

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Mark 16:15-16Mark 16:15-16

And He said to them, "Go into all the And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."not believe will be condemned."They were to preach the gospel to every creature.They were to preach the gospel to every creature.

He who believes and is baptized will be saved.He who believes and is baptized will be saved. He who does not believe will be condemned.He who does not believe will be condemned.

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Luke 24:46-48Luke 24:46-48

Then He said to them, "Thus it is Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things."witnesses of these things."Repentance and remission of sins were to be Repentance and remission of sins were to be preached.preached.Apostles were to testify of the gospel facts.Apostles were to testify of the gospel facts.

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John 20:21-23John 20:21-23

So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."retained."If the apostles have forgiven your sins they are If the apostles have forgiven your sins they are forgiven.forgiven.Otherwise they are retained (You still have them).Otherwise they are retained (You still have them).

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COMPOSITE ACCOUNT The apostles were to make disciples by The apostles were to make disciples by

preaching, teaching and testifying concerning the preaching, teaching and testifying concerning the facts of the gospel (primarily, Jesus’ death, burial facts of the gospel (primarily, Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection), the commands of the gospel and resurrection), the commands of the gospel (belief, repentance and baptism) and the promise (belief, repentance and baptism) and the promise of the gospel (the remission of sins; salvation).of the gospel (the remission of sins; salvation).

Those who believed the facts and obeyed the Those who believed the facts and obeyed the commands would receive the promise.commands would receive the promise.

Those who did not believe the facts Those who did not believe the facts oror did not did not obey the commands would not receive the obey the commands would not receive the promise.promise.

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Acts 2:22-24Acts 2:22-24

"Men of Israel, hear these words: "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know-- Him, being delivered by also know-- Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by possible that He should be held by it.it.

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"For David says concerning Him: 'I "For David says concerning Him: 'I foresaw the Lord always before my foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You have One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your You will make me full of joy in Your presence.'presence.'

Acts 2:25-28Acts 2:25-28

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"Men and brethren, let me speak "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.corruption.

Acts 2:29-31Acts 2:29-31

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"This Jesus God has raised up, of "This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. For David did you now see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: 'The Lord said to my says himself: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'make Your enemies Your footstool."'

Acts 2:32-35Acts 2:32-35

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"Therefore let all the house of Israel "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." Lord and Christ."

Now when they heard this, they Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"do?"

Acts 2:36-37Acts 2:36-37

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Then Peter said to them, "Repent, Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."God will call."

Acts 2:38-39Acts 2:38-39

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And with many other words he And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse "Be saved from this perverse generation." generation." Then those who gladly received his Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were about three thousand souls were added to them. added to them.

And they continued steadfastly in And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.and in prayers.

Acts 2:40-42Acts 2:40-42

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Peter testified regarding the facts of the Peter testified regarding the facts of the gospel. (22-36)gospel. (22-36)

Some of the people believed the facts and Some of the people believed the facts and asked about the commands - they became asked about the commands - they became disciples. (37)disciples. (37)

Peter preached repentance and remission of Peter preached repentance and remission of sins. (38)sins. (38)

Peter put baptism between repentance and Peter put baptism between repentance and remission of sins. (38) remission of sins. (38)

3,000 obeyed the commands. (39-41)3,000 obeyed the commands. (39-41)

The apostles continued to teach them. (42)The apostles continued to teach them. (42)

ANALYSIS

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COMPOSITE ACCOUNT The apostles were to make disciples by The apostles were to make disciples by

preaching, teaching and testifying concerning the preaching, teaching and testifying concerning the facts of the gospel [primarily, Jesus’ death, burial facts of the gospel [primarily, Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection], the commands of the gospel and resurrection], the commands of the gospel (belief, repentance and baptism) and the promise (belief, repentance and baptism) and the promise of the gospel (the remission of sins; salvation).of the gospel (the remission of sins; salvation).

Those who believed the facts and obeyed the Those who believed the facts and obeyed the commands would receive the promise.commands would receive the promise.

Those who did not believe the facts Those who did not believe the facts oror did not did not obey the commands would not receive the obey the commands would not receive the promise.promise.