Lesson 252 - Senior
Memory Verse
"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mark 16:17, 18).
Cross References
I The Appointed Meeting
1. The disciples went into Galilee at Jesus' bidding, [MAT:28:7], [MAT:28:10], [MAT:28:16]; [MAT:26:32]; [MAK:16:7].
2. The risen Saviour appeared, and the disciples worshiped Him, Matthew 28;17.
3. Jesus declared, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth," [MAT:28:18]; [EPH:1:19-22]; [COL:2:9-10].
II The Commission
1. The disciples were charged with the tremendous duty to disciple all nations, [MAT:28:19]; [MAK:16:15]; [LUK:24:48].
2. The converts were to declare their faith to the world through water baptism, [MAT:28:19]; [MAK:16:16]; [ROM:6:3-6].
3. The Trinity of the Godhead is shown in the ordinance of water baptism, [MAT:28:19].
4. Signs and miracles will follow the preaching and believing of the Word, but rejection of the Lord Jesus will bring eternal punishment, [MAK:16:16-18]; [JHN:3:16-18].
III The Empowering Holy Ghost
1. The Great Commission depended upon power from God for successful results, [LUK:24:49]; [ACT:1:8].
2. The Holy Ghost brings to remembrance all of Jesus' teachings; these things are to be taught to the people of the world, [JHN:14:26]; [MAT:28:19-20].
3. Jesus ascended to the right hand of God, and he disciples went forth to carry out their commission, [MAK:16:19-20]; [LUK:24:50-53]; [ACT:1:9-14].
Notes
Jesus Christ our Lord was "declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: [ROM:1:3-4]).
The joy of Jesus' disciples knew no bounds as the truth of the resurrection of their Saviour and Master unfolded to their hearts and minds. Once again their sovereign Lord lived and walked among them. It filled the disciples' hearts with awe and love to behold Jesus suddenly standing in their midst when they were in secret meeting with the doors bolted against intrusion. But Jesus was no intruder in their midst. He comes to those who desire His presence and seek His blessing.
Receiving Instructions
Before His crucifixion Jesus repeatedly told His disciples that His Kingdom was not of this earth, and that He would soon return to the Father in Heaven. He attempted to describe to the disciples the plan of His Kingdom and of the Gospel dispensation, but the hearts of these men, even though they followed their Master very faithfully, were not capable of realising at once all God's plan. However, the time of His ascension drew near, so the last of His words and testament on earth were given to the disciples. Jesus had instructed them to go before Him into Galilee; and there, in the country that had produced most of His disciples, He gave the Great Commission and outlined the life-work of those disciples who were destined to become stalwart defenders of the Faith and intrepid warriors of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The task that Jesus commanded the disciples to perform was tremendous; in fact, it was so great that it could never be carried out except through the agency and direct help of the Comforter, the Third Person of the Trinity, whom Jesus had promised to send from Heaven. First things should be obtained first, and Jesus instructed the disciples to tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until they "be endued with power from on high." Once the power of the Holy Ghost had been obtained, the disciples would be properly equipped to go forth to carry out the rest of their commission.
It was vitally important that the disciples keep in constant communion with God the Father. The Holy Spirit was the communicating Agent, and He fills this same office, and others, still today. "When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you" [JHN:16:13-14]). These verses show the necessity of having the Holy Comforter in the heart to lead and guide. He must be followed if any measure of Christian success is expected.
A Saviour with Power
A very important and forceful statement opened Jesus' discourse with His disciples in Galilee, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28;18). This is a very sweeping statement -" all the power that can be attributed to God, Jesus Himself possessed. A heart of faith has no trouble believing this, for the true Christian knows that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and equal to the Father in power and authority. Jesus not only had that power, but He imparted a portion of that same power for Kingdom work in the present generation to all who are "called, and chosen, and faithful." Jesus is no respecter of persons. He calls every man, woman, and child to walk with Him; He receives them when they answer the call with all their heart; and he gives grace, glory, and strength to help them to be faithful.
How was this God-given power imparted to the disciples to be used? Were they to rule with rigour the Church and the nations that came under their influence? Not at all. They were to go forth into all the world to preach and to teach the Gospel. The doctrine to be taught was the doctrine that the disciples had learned from Christ, and that doctrine would set men free from the bondage of sin. The disciples were not instructed to proclaim the truth to the educated and overlook the uneducated; they were not to visit the civilised nations and forget the heathen; they were not given permission to travel to the easily accessible cities at the expense of the remote and hard-to-reach populations. They were commanded to preach to every creature -" wherever he could be found, at any and every expense of strength, money, or other means at their disposal.
The Christian Commission
Was this commission given to the eleven disciples only, or is it a commission that is binding on everyone who takes upon himself the name of Christ? Without doubt the latter is true. Our Father and our Saviour know the extent of man's ability, and never expect the impossible. These eleven men would not be expected to preach to every man in every part of the world; but the Gospel faithfully proclaimed would make new disciples who in turn would take up the commission, and the Kingdom would grow until the end would be accomplished that had been determined.
Jesus promised, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." These disciples were not destined to live upon earth forever. Jesus had lifted the penalty of sin from their lives; but the sentence of death, common to all men, still remained. What, then, did Jesus mean by this saying, except that the Great Commission includes all generations of Christians? The commission is just as binding upon the children of God today as it was upon the eleven disciples immediately after Jesus' departure.
"God to the angels commission not
Here the glad message to tell,
But to the saved, snatched from the grave,
Gave He the charge that story to tell.
Down through the ages 'twas e'er the same,
Always a faithful band
Told the sweet story of Jesus' love,
Told of Redemption's plan."
Powerful Gospel
The Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven is a powerful Gospel. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith; and implicit faith in the Son of God will bring about great and marvellous things. Jesus assured the disciples that mighty miracles would follow their preaching of the Truth. In Jesus' name devils would be cast out of men; and if the disciples unintentionally took up a serpent, or if they accidentally drank any deadly thing, no harm would befall them. In addition, new tongues would be manifest among them, and they would lay their hands upon the sick and "the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up" [JAM:5:15]). The same miracle-working power that had been manifested in the Son of God would be manifested also among His true followers.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and His Word is the same and will continue forever. Some men would have us believe that the miracles of the Gospel ceased when the first Church was fully established "- that the miracles and the baptism of the Holy Ghost were given to secure a successful start for the Church but are now a thing of the past. Nothing can be farther from the truth, because a true, living faith in God will bring about the same results in our lives as it brought about in the early Church. The Latter Rain Gospel today has witnessed the same miracles that accomplished the preaching of the Gospel after Pentecost, and many, many of them. God works for men to the extent that they allow Him to work; so do not limit the power of God or of His Son.
Water Baptism
The Great Commission included the ordinance of water baptism to be performed upon all who were truly converted into the Church from their former sinful ways. This ordinance typifies the death and burial of Jesus and His triumphant resurrection. (See [ROM:6:3-6].) It is an outward act that is indicative of the inward work wrought by the grace of God. It is performed in behalf of those only who have had a change of heart. Burial denotes death, and the man who is not dead to sin cannot be buried with Christ in water baptism.
The Bible way of water baptism is by immersion. The word baptism is derived from a word that means literally to dip or plunge. John the Baptist must have baptised by immersion, for he went to the portion of Jericho where he found much water [JHN:3:23]). Jesus was baptised of John, and we read, "Jesus, when he was baptised, went up straightway out of the water" [MAT:3:16]). He necessarily went into the water before He could come out of it.
Immersion must have been the Apostolic way of baptism, too. When Philip baptised the eunuch who had been converted through his ministry, "they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptised him" [ACT:8:38]). Are these passages of Scripture not sufficient evidence to establish the grounds of immersion as the proper mode of baptism?
Holy Trinity
The truth of the Trinity in the Godhead shines through the ordinance of water baptism. The disciples were commanded to baptise "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" -" the three Persons of the Godhead, but only one baptism!
When Jesus was baptised, the three Persons of the Godhead were present. Jesus Christ, the Son, obeyed the ordinance; the father in Heaven witnessed to the fact by saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" [MAT:3:17]); and the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God, descended like a dove, and lighted upon Jesus [MAT:3:16]). The baptism of Jesus is the pattern for every Christian baptism; and though the convert who obeys this wonderful ordinance may not see any demonstration with his natural eye or hear any words with his natural ear, yet the Godhead witnesses to the fact of the ordinance obeyed. "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one" (I[1JH:5:7]). Every Christian should obey this ordinance of water baptism at his earliest opportunity, because continued wilful neglect of any command of God will result in eternal separation from God.
The Great Commission was given that the Gospel of Jesus Christ might be spread throughout the world. Not all are called to spread the Gospel in the same way; but when a person willingly serves God with all his heart, the way that he should spread the Gospel will become apparent. When the will and way of God are known, then it is the joy of the Christian heart to follow.
Questions
1. In what appointed place were the disciples to meet Jesus after His resurrection?
2. To whom were the disciples commanded to preach the Gospel?
3. Were they to do this in their own strength? Why were the disciples commanded to tarry for a time in Jerusalem?
4. What signs follow the preaching of the Word?
5. What is the meaning of the ordinance of water baptism? To whom should it be given?
6. Were the eleven disciples the only Christians who received the Great Commission?
7. How long did Jesus promise to be with His disciples?
8. What took place when Jesus had finished blessing the disciples?