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Hoyte Nelson's Poems/ Reflections & Biblical Essays
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Essay The Great Commission “Going
therefore disciple all nations…” (The Interlinear Greek-English, G. R.
Berry) When
we study an Interlinear Greek-English account of the “great commission,” we
find that it is an awesome, overpowering imperative from the words of our Lord:
(In the power that my Father has giving to me, I am also giving to you), “going
therefore, disciple all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and
the Son, and the Holy Spirit, (and after they are baptized), “teaching
them to observed all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 19:28). I
think the vast scope of the great commission would have “blown-the-minds” of
the disciples (to use an old adage), if Jesus had not have followed the command
with the words, “beginning at Jerusalem….” [However, it was said of them
that they “turned the world upside down” in their day (Acts 17: 6)].
Remember this also, they did so without church buildings, or any thing else that
might have lured the multitudes to their message. Nothing more than the power of
the gospel and their burning desire to see people saved. “Things” are truly
a necessity (buildings, etc.), and programs are an assistance, but none of these
things can of themselves will ever take the place of “going” as stated in
great commission? Food
for thought: Suppose we were to spend half the time at church in training our
people to witness (soul-winning) as we do getting them ready to do other things
that we regularly do, what would be the results in our Global Focus Outreach;
or, suppose we don’t! The
Apostle Paul once said, “To the weak
became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men,
that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 2:22, NKJV). I trust that
First Baptist Church can move out in Global Focus outreach beyond anything we
have yet envisioned, and that we will use “all means” to save some. |