And we turn in our Bibles now to Matthew 28 as Jesus Himself reveals and declares His royalty, His authority over all things in heaven and on earth. Matthew 28. We'll be reading verses 16-20. Those familiar words of Jesus' great commission. Before we do, let's ask God to bless His Word for us. Lord Jesus, we do praise Your name. We praise You for being the glorious King who in the fullness of time lived under the law and fulfilled the law, submitting Yourself even to death and then rising victorious to claim what is rightfully Yours. Authority in heaven and on earth and the glory and honor among the peoples and nations of this world. We pray, Lord, that our understanding of Your work and of our role in serving You would grow today. May this Word, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, help to transform our minds and our hearts and our lives. We ask in Your name. Amen. Matthew 28, beginning with verse 16. Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him. Some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Surely, or behold, I am with you always to the very end of the age. The Word of the Lord. Well, congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ, when we think about the last words of Jesus, we might think about those last words spoken from the cross. Or we might think about those last words spoken at the end of John's revelation, Behold, I will be coming soon. In our text this morning, we have Jesus' last words at the completion of His earthly ministry. Those last words that Jesus spoke after His perfect life, after His sacrifice on the cross, after His glorious resurrection. In other words, we have the last words of King Jesus having accomplished what He had come to do. having accomplished that earthly ministry and now preparing to enter into the glory of heaven. We call it the Great Commission. Just last week, William Godfrey, Bill Godfrey to most of us, son of this congregation, was ordained to ministry at the Grace United Reformed Church just south of Los Angeles. And there he was commissioned to be minister of word and sacrament. And that practice of giving a charge or a commission to a new minister is established here by Jesus in Matthew 28. It's that great commission, the last words of Jesus to His new ministers and through them, His church. What this means is that Matthew 28 is for us, even though in very brief terms, Matthew 28 and this Great Commission is the statement of Jesus, of our purpose and His plan for the church. And as we consider our lives today amongst so many churches attending to so diverse of priorities as the American Evangelical Church, we are wise to step back and to consider what it is that Jesus has said that we are to commit ourselves to. We are wise to consider what the purpose of our King is for His church. And that's what we have in this Great Commission of Matthew 28. And it begins with His message. His message that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. You notice that the setting of this message is on a mountain. We're told in those first verses that Jesus is on a mountain and He had evidently told the disciples to meet Him there. Now, he doesn't call the whole of the believing community of that time, but he calls his eleven disciples, we're told, and they worship him. Profound statement. You can check me on this over the weekend, but I believe it may be the first time in the Bible that we're explicitly told flesh and blood is worshipped with righteousness because it was Jesus who was worshipped. on that mountain. There are a number of Old Testament texts to illumine what is happening here. And I'll point you to two of them. One is Exodus 3. Some of our children may remember what happens on Exodus 3. Likewise, on a mountain, that one's Mount Horeb, other places called Mount Sinai, where God commissions Moses to be His minister before a burning bush. Remember that story? Moses is going about his work and he sees a burning bush and he goes to it and God reveals Himself to him on that mountain saying, I am God, Moses. And the name that is used there is a name that would refer to the special creative act of God. His authority over heaven and earth. He is saying to Moses, I am God, Elohim, and I have come down to deliver My people. God commissions His new minister Moses with a message and then goes on to give him a mandate to go and get those people out of Egypt. Interesting parallels between that Old Testament mountain and the commissioning that God gives to Moses and this New Testament mountain and the commissioning that Jesus gives to His disciples. Maybe a statement of Jesus' divinity. There's another Old Testament parallel and maybe a more important one for us to consider. In Daniel 7, verse 13. Please turn there with me. Daniel 7, verse 13. We find on page 864 in your pew Bible. whereas the parallel passage in Exodus 3 may underscore the statement of Jesus' divinity, this passage underscores Jesus' humanity and His accomplishments as the Messiah. Daniel 7, beginning with verse 13, Daniel says, In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory, and sovereign power. All kingdoms, nations, and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away. And His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. Jesus is the Son of God, made Son of Man, who here at the end of His earthly ministry declares that all has been accomplished and all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me just as Daniel prophesied so long before. And so taken together, these Old Testament texts illumine the message of Jesus here in Matthew 28 showing that He speaks as God with all authority in heaven and on earth and as the Son of Man who has been given all authority. And so we should recognize that this message is a message of good news. The good news of Jesus Christ that He has accomplished salvation. He has accomplished what the Father had sent Him to secure. His perfect life, His death on a cross, and His glorious resurrection have satisfied the law of God, broken the guilt of sin, crushed the power of Satan and defeated death forever. The good news that the kingdom of heaven Jesus came preaching about and teaching about and revealing in His miracles had been established. And the King is now reigning and speaking to His new ministers. Jesus commissions His new ministers with this Gospel message and He continues to provide him a mandate. We see His message and we see His mandate very simply, make disciples. As we study these passages, we need to study carefully. The Great Commission has become so comfortable, so familiar to us, that we often fly through its words in order to move on to the other more interesting text of Acts or the letters of Paul. But brothers and sisters, we have here our purpose as Christ's church. Two words. Make disciples. And yet to understand them, we need to understand that this message and this mandate go together. Because it is the Gospel that makes the mandate make disciples so urgent and at the same time so powerful. Daniel's vision since Jesus has been given authority and dominion over all things he rightly expects as king that his glory and his kingdom would extend to all the peoples and nations and languages of the world. He just gave his life for this kingdom And now he's saying to his new ministers, I want you to find my people and bring them in to that kingdom. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations. Three things then about this mandate. The first is that this expectation, this mandate to make disciples is given to His new ministers. Those 11 disciples we're told about. He didn't call the whole community. He brought to Himself on that mountain 11 disciples and commissioned them to go forward as His ministers of word and sacrament. If my believing, faithful dad were here, there would be a bit of a sigh of relief that this responsibility is given to the ministers. He's a builder and doesn't spend a whole great deal of time each day making disciples or baptizing or teaching all that Christ had commanded. And on the one hand, his relief would be legitimate, right? And yet, though this distinct responsibility is given to ministers, as we'll see in a moment, it's not an exclusive responsibility. But first, we notice this responsibility is given distinctly to Jesus' new ministers. And what we find is that this pattern of commissioning and ordaining develops and proceeds throughout the New Testament and indeed throughout history. You think about how the apostles were gathered with the whole community at Pentecost and the Spirit came and while the whole community is filled with the Spirit, it's the apostles and those new ministers who are given the distinct responsibility to carry out the ministry of word and sacrament amongst the people. And then that responsibility grows and expands. You can think of Barnabas or John Mark, Silas, and then Timothy. Likewise, called and ordained and given that commission to make disciples of the nations. 1 Timothy 4, verse 14, Paul says to Timothy, Do not neglect the gift given to you when the council of elders laid their hands upon you. And what we see through this text and through the book of Acts is that while Jesus gave this distinct responsibility and this mandate to His new ministers, that responsibility is shared through the offices of the church. Saying to Timothy, do not neglect the gift given to you when the elders laid their hands upon you. Right? Which is why in our church, our minister is not the CEO of the elders, but he is among the elders, a part of the consistory, serving together with the other offices of the church to make sure that we are committed as a body to making disciples of Jesus Christ. And we could go on, of course, about the way we understand ecclesiology or the organization of Jesus' church, but it's sufficient to say that through the lens of Matthew 28, this message and this mandate is given to the ministers and other office bearers of Christ's church. And second, there's no ambiguity about the means. How do we grow a church? Well, Jesus grew His church from those eleven and those few other believers along with them at Pentecost to what is today a worldwide confessing community body of Jesus Christ through baptizing them and teaching them all that He had commanded. We might say that the means are the means of grace, ministry of Word and Spirit that Jesus Christ promises to bless and through them those humble, seemingly insignificant things to win out His people from this dark world. We see the ministers. We see the means. And then there are the ministers, the members. The other hand. Alright, you had the sigh of relief. But you too share in this mandate that Christ has given. It's through the ministers and the work of office bearers that the means of grace are brought forward to the people and disciples are made while members are added to the body of Christ so that the whole of the body works together to support and sustain the distinct purpose of making disciples to the glory and honor of our Lord. The Gospel is proclaimed. Individuals are baptized. We take part of the Supper. We're catechized. We're taught and the church grows. That's what we see unfold throughout the whole of the Old Testament. That's what we see unfold through church history. And we see it wonderfully summarized for us in Ephesians 4. We see this pattern, or as some have suggested, this strategy for church growth explained in Ephesians 4, where in verse 11 we are presented with the crucified and glorified Jesus Christ, the King who has given gifts to His church. It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers to prepare God's people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up until we reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. You see how this mandate is given distinctly and yet not exclusively to ministers and office bearers, but they, along with all of us, are part of the body of Jesus Christ, the church who has been given the responsibility to work together and to serve together in order to build that body of Jesus Christ into the worldwide confessing place that He intends it to be as King, as the one with all authority in heaven and on earth. He, the head, works through us, His body, Every member doing its part to make disciples. This organized body of Jesus Christ. You and I, different members, working for one purpose. How does that purpose function in your life? Now, brothers and sisters, have we lost a sense of purpose? There are many things that Jesus calls us to do as parents, as employees, as neighbors, as part or members of a state. Many things that He calls us to do and all of His callings are holy, righteous, and good. And yet, if we lose sight of the unifying purpose to all of these things, we will lose the vision and passion for why we exist. To make disciples for the glory and honor of Jesus Christ and all of the various things that He calls us to do, we have this singular idea of existence. Jesus wants disciples. And it's so profoundly difficult. So profoundly difficult. My dad would sigh relief over not having the distinct responsibility of making disciples because for him, building a house is much more objective than many others of us might be able to relate. The work of making disciples in Jesus Christ to go out and speak the good news and to teach the good news and the responsibilities of living as part of the body of Jesus Christ is a profoundly difficult task because even saints remain weak and sinful people. The responsibility broke Moses, didn't it? It broke him. And how many other untold stories of ministers, elders, deacons, and congregations have likewise fallen under the weight. Make disciples. Oh, it's so much easier to go and be a part of community building. It's so much easier to go and be a part of various social services. And while all of them may be good, we're called to make disciples and with whatever we do as the organized church, as the body of Christ, we are called to see it fit together and work together in order that the disciples of Jesus might be secured among us, among our communities, and among all the peoples of this world. What a weighty task. Many have broken. But we're not alone. Jesus has given this message. He's given this mandate. And He's done so while committing Himself to the mission. You see, in these words, we hear Jesus' message of good news. We hear His mandate to make disciples. And we hear His mission. When He concludes in that last verse saying, Behold, a command to arrest our attention so that we would never forget that I am with you always to the end of the age. You see, the Great Commission is His message. It's His mandate. And it is His personal mission that He exists to see fulfilled. A number of you are familiar with C.S. Lewis' story, Prince Caspian. That story is told a long time after Aslan, the lion, had given his life to save Narnia. After many hundreds of years, we have the story of Prince Caspian. And within that context, he and the people feared that Aslan had forgotten them. There's a lot of darkness, much destruction. Our King has left us and has forsaken us. Of course, Aslan, the story goes on. He didn't forget them. He didn't forsake them. And it ends with good news. Brothers and sisters, so does ours. Our story is guaranteed an ending of good news just as its beginning, so also its conclusion of good news. After giving this great commission, Jesus ascends into heavens. He ascends into the clouds. And He is seated at the right hand of the Heavenly Father. And He now rules all things by the Word of His power. And in light of Pentecost, we see through the personal presence of His Holy Spirit. Why did Jesus go into heaven? Well, not to leave us to our own strength through our own devices, but He went into heaven to rule all things and to be personally with us in all things by His Holy Spirit. Romans 8 verse 26 says it so beautifully that the Spirit helps us in our weakness. The Spirit intercedes for us because we're so weak, we don't even know how to pray or what to pray. the Spirit intercedes for us so that we can know that all things work together for our good, knowing that He predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son. And those whom He predestined, He also called to be disciples. And those He called, He also justified. And those whom He justified, He also glorified. What we can be assured of is that what God has accomplished through the work of His Son, He will complete through the ongoing ministry of His Holy Spirit, even through weak folks like you and I. Jesus is committed to the ongoing vitality and success of his message, his mandate, and his mission. I want to conclude on a few thoughts that were sown as our men's Bible study has studied Matthew 28 and these words of the Great Commission. When we read these words, they are so often so familiar that we say, okay, I got the message. I understand the mandate. The mission of Jesus is interesting. But how does that work out in my life? Indeed, a great question. The too simple answer is, we'll read the rest of the New Testament and that's how we see it working out, right? But there's more specific that can be said. Let me just highlight three things for you in closing about how this great commission of Jesus Christ unfolds within the reality of living day to day. And the first thing that should be said is that the local church is a beachhead from which Christ operates and works with power to change lives and to change the world. Because it is within that official, organized body of individuals that the means of grace are brought forward. That faith is given, right? Where does true faith come from? The preaching of the Gospel. The means of grace are offered. That faith is given and strengthened and inspired and that a direction for living and serving is also authoritatively prescribed from the Word of God for the people of God. And it is through this local church that Jesus continues to dwell and to work to make disciples. What's the second thing? What's the second setting within which Jesus continues to work from the beachhead of the local church. He continues the warfare against sin and Satan. He extends the work of making disciples. Oh, brothers and sisters, let us not forget the family. We can never write off as parents the responsibility of discipleship to the church. We can never say, that's just simply the minister's job or that's what the elders do. The work of discipling the next generation of believers is so crucially ongoing within the work of the family. Where mothers and fathers, where husbands and wives pray together, study the Word together, keep one accountable, encourage one another, husbands and wives sustaining the work of discipleship together and then as parents raising up the next generation of children to learn the basic things of the Bible. To put these truths of God before them so that as they grow in their understanding of God's Word that they would engage with the world in a way that is full of light and truth. discipleship within the local church and through the local church, the family. And I would suggest just very briefly, probably too briefly, also as we go out into our various callings in society. Matthew 5.16 says, Let them see Your good works and glorify Your Father in heaven. 2 Corinthians 8, verse 21, Paul says, We aim to do what is honorable not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of man. 1 Peter 2, verse 12 says, Keep your conduct among the Gentiles or unbelievers honorable so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is in heaven. And then 1 Peter 3, verse 15, Be ready to give an answer for the hope that you have with gentleness and respect. From the beachhead of the local church goes out this fortified work of discipleship through ministers and office bearers and missionaries and evangelists and all of us within our respective responsibilities within the family and our callings within society. Very simply, that the lives we live would reflect the character and righteousness of our God. And then on those special occasions, we might be ready to give an answer for why we have such hope and zeal for life. Friends, as we let these things sink into our thoughts and form our prayers, our lives towards that singular purpose of discipling will be amazingly enlightened, inspired, and empowered. It's when we forget about these things and our roles and responsibilities as members of the body of Christ, as husbands and wives and children within the home, and as employees or employers within the world. It's when we forget about these things that life becomes so diffuse that it seems to lose all purpose and all significance. And we wonder what is the purpose or reason for life anyway. But let us have ears to hear this morning that we exist as the body of Christ to make disciples for the greater honor and glory of Christ around the world. And it's towards that end that He's given us to suffer. To remind us of who we are and to give us the strength to be it. Let's pray. Our Lord, we give thanks for Your message of good news. For Your mandate to build Your kingdom. And for the great assurance that this mission is not simply our mission, but it's Your mission that You've called us to join. Lord, we pray that this church might be given the strength and clarity of faith and mind and life to be devoted to the making of disciples through the means of grace, through the catechizing of our children, through the ongoing education of our adults, through the care and instruction of our homes and through faithful, diligent service within the communities. Only You, Lord, can give success. And so we come and ask that You would indeed act for the glory of Your name, for the good of Your people, and the greater glory of Your kingdom. In Jesus' name, Amen. Thank you.