All That Jesus Taught Bible Study - Part 80 — Zac Poonen

We've been looking at the subject, all that Jesus taught, trying to obey the command in Matthew 28 and verse 20, where Jesus said that after you make disciples and baptize them, you must teach them to observe all that I commanded.

So we look through the Gospel of Matthew, and we've come to the end of it now, seeing what are the things that Jesus taught by his words, by his life, by his actions, by the circumstances through which he took his disciples and trained them.

What was he trying to teach them which we had to learn? What was he trying to teach from the actions of others like the blind men who came and asked for healing and he said according to your faith, be it unto you.

Yielding the Will to Live a Spirit-Filled Life

In his relationship with people, the numerous lessons that we've been learning over the past many sessions concerning all that Jesus taught. Now it's possible for us to understand that all in our mind as we when we took a study on the veil that is the flesh of Jesus and the tabernacle a few sessions earlier, we saw that there's a veil of the between the soul and the spirit and to be spiritual that veil must we must allow that veil to be rent in our life like the veil in the temple was rent.

That means our will needs to be yielded and surrendered. We have to say not my will. In other words, you've got to obey what God shows us. Then we enter into the most holy place, live in God's presence continuously and God can dwell in our spirit continuously and the glory of God fills our life.

This is the truly spirit-filled life. The spirit-filled life is a life where we constantly say no to our own will. The perfect spirit-filled man was Jesus Christ and in him we see what it means to be filled with the spirit, fullness of grace and fullness of truth.

The kindness and the strictness of God both manifested in one person and this is how all of us are to be kind and strict, upright for God's principles, compassionate from the depth of our heart. So we've come now to Matthew 28 and verse 16 of the last five verses.

Christ's Authority in the Great Commission

The eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee. We were considering the resurrection how Jesus did not appear to anybody except disciples after his resurrection. He did not want any cheap publicity. He didn't want it then and he doesn't want it now.

The eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had designated and when they saw him they worshipped him but some were doubtful. It's always the case even among Christians. Some worship.

Worship means they fall down at their feet, at his feet and say you are our Lord and there are others who doubt. There are always these two categories and Jesus came up and spoke to them saying all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth therefore go and make disciples.

Now generally speaking when people are told to go into all nations to make disciples they are told there's a need out there therefore go. But Jesus never said that. Jesus never said there's a great need all over the world therefore go.

He said no all authority in heaven and earth is given to me therefore go and when you go on the basis of all authority being given to Jesus Christ the results are much different than when you go trying to meet a need.

If you go trying to meet a need you can end up as a nervous wreck and I've seen so many missionaries who are nervous wrecks at the end of many years of labor in India. They are grumpy, sour, critical, complaining, grumbling, a pathetic testimony to Christ and I wonder in India why in the world did these people cross an ocean and come here to demonstrate this type of Christianity.

It would have been far better if they had stayed where they were and never came and polluted this land with the corrupt version of Christianity that they manifested. There have been occasionally a few really godly missionaries too in India who knew God who were sent by God and who came under the authority of Christ but they were very few and those folks who come nowadays on so-called mission trips for two weeks they are not missionaries they are tourists.

The real servants of God are those who have gone on the basis of Christ's authority. In other words they submitted to Christ's authority and Christ sent them and then they didn't have to send reports and beg for money and compare whether they're getting more and the other missionaries getting more the type of trash I've seen among some missionaries.

No, they go under Christ's authority and anyone who is serving the Lord today seeking to make disciples need to ask themselves did you go because there was a need or did you go because of Christ's authority.

But people say well didn't Jesus say lift up your eyes and look at the harvest because it's plentiful the fields are white and to harvest. That's right. Let's look at John chapter 4 verse 35. There are yet four you say there are four months then comes of the harvest I say lift up your eyes and look at the fields they are white for harvest.

So what should you do follow Jesus who said in verse 34 the previous verse my meat is not to meet the need my meat is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. He didn't say I'm seeing the need I'm going to rush out and do something.

No the fields are white unto harvest but how do you know where you are supposed to go. My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. We must take both those verses together or the other passage a lot of people quote in Matthew chapter 9 the harvest is plentiful verse 37 but the workers are few therefore what should you do go.

No he said therefore pray. So much of misquoting of scripture by people and people volunteer to go out for missionary work because they are ignorant of scriptures and like I've often said if you don't read the Bible you deserve to be deceived.

So many people have gone and made a mess of their life because they went out without God sending them. Why should you go. All authority in heaven and earth Jesus has given to me. Therefore go and those who have gone on that basis accomplish more than a thousand people who go out to meet a need.

I'll tell you that and they don't end their life as nervous wrecks or with frustration or grumbling and complaining they complete their course with joy. The fruit of their life is sanctification to become more like Christ at the end of their ministry.

They are excited. That is how it should be and that's how it's been. I mean in full time Christian work for 46 years. I'll tell you my life is more exciting today than it was 46 years ago. I've understood more about victory over sin and walking with God today than before.

It's exciting. It's wonderful. I'm healthier today. It's wonderful to serve God. I'll tell you this. But only if God has sent you. That's the important thing. All authority in heaven and earth given to me.

Evangelism and the First Side of the Great Commission

Therefore go and make disciples. Now you see there are two sides to this great commission and I want to show you the other side first because that's the first step. In Mark 16 there are two sides to this great commission and Mark 16 it says go into all the world verse 15 and preach the gospel to all creation.

He was believed and is baptized shall be saved but he was disbelieved shall be condemned. And so we see here this is what Jesus said we had to do initially go into the whole world preach the gospel to all creation and those who believe and are baptized will be saved.

Those who don't believe baptism is not mentioned there will be condemned. It doesn't say those who are not baptized will be condemned. Those who don't believe will be condemned and connected with this type of evangelism are signs and wonders.

Wherever people go and do frontier evangelism in the Acts of the Apostles or even today they see these signs and wonders happening even today. All these 20 centuries it has happened because that's the way the Lord confirms the gospel.

With you know casting out demons and speaking with new tongues and sick being healed etc. It all happened then and it's happening today. It says the Lord worked with them verse 20 confirming the word by the signs that followed.

This is connected with evangelism. Wherever you go with evangelism I would never dream of going out to preach the gospel in a completely virgin area if I did not believe that Jesus could heal the sick and cast out demons.

I wouldn't dream of doing it. How could I tell those people that the who never heard of Jesus never read a Bible that this baby born in Israel 2 ,000 years ago and was killed and raised up is alive today.

How could I prove it to them? They'll think it's a fairy tale. The only way I can prove it is by saying bring your sick bring your demon pursuer and see I'll prove to you that Jesus is alive. Yes it's true it happens even today and everyone who goes out to do preach the gospel in new areas must believe that and I tell you the Lord will confirm the word where those who believe but the Commission doesn't stop there.

Making Converts into Disciples

Once these people have believed because they have seen Christ healing the sick and casting out demons and they come there and receive Christ as their Savior and their sins are forgiven then what do you do?

Many many preachers just leave leave it at that and say let's get another person to that place let's get another person to that place and they have this bunch of babies spiritual babies all born again and nobody's growing up to maturity and ultimately this pastor has a hundred babies lying there and just in there with their feeding bottles in their mouth for 20 30 years they live like that babies not growing up just like the church in Corinth Paul told the church in Corinth I can't preach anything to you he says except Jesus Christ and him crucified that means your sins can be forgiven because your babies.

And what is the reason. Because they were not made into disciples now Paul couldn't stay in Corinth all the time if he did like he stayed in Ephesus for three years he'd have made them into disciples in Ephesus he made disciples so the other part of the Great Commission once you've led people to this type of faith in Christ led them to receive the Spirit receive Christ by his Spirit into their heart then we have to make them into disciples.

This is the second part of the Great Commission. Go and make disciples in all nations Matthew 28 19 baptizing them in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit. So in other words before you baptize them you got to tell them listen you're not just going to heaven when you die.

That's not what you're converted for. You got to be a disciple. That means you got to learn from Jesus and follow him. He's your leader. He's there up in front. He's already gone ahead of you. He came as to earth as a man lived on earth as a man.

Overcame sin served the Father overcame the devil. And says in me you love peace in the world. You love tribulation. Come follow me deny yourself and follow me. We have to make the claims of discipleship clear to them right at the beginning just like Jesus told the rich young ruler.

The Three Conditions of Discipleship

The conditions of discipleship are three. Primarily Luke 14 26 in simple words love Jesus more than father mother wife children brothers sisters and his own life. So this person must be taught to love Jesus Christ now now that he's received Christ as his Savior to love Jesus Christ more than he loves his father more than he loves his mother more than he loves his brothers and sisters and family members and even other brothers and sisters in the church.

Then secondly he must be told to deny himself verse 27 and take up the cross him. That means related to hating his own life. That means he's denying his life. That means he's not see going to seek now his reputation and his honor and his will.

We had to teach him that otherwise he can't be a disciple. Jesus said it so clearly in verse 27. And then Luke 1433 the third condition he must be taught to love Jesus more than all his earthly possessions.

So basically discipleship is loving Jesus more than one's relatives and fellow believers loving Jesus more than one's own will and one's own reputation and life. And thirdly loving Jesus more than one's possessions.

Discipleship is loving Jesus supremely to love God with all your heart soul strength and mind. That is where we have to lead these people and show them as they get light. You must seek to love him more than everything else.

It's a willingness that God seeks for first. And if there's a willingness gradually it'll become real in area by area in their life. And as they open every area they'll be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Baptism and the Unity of Scripture

And we must present this to them and then tell them that you've got to be baptized there to be baptized. The command is very clear to be baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

We got to tell them God is a Trinity and they must be baptized in the name of the Father Son and the Holy Spirit. Now people have a question why does it say in the Acts of the Apostles in Acts 2 and verse 38 to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

And again and again in the Acts of the Apostles that say they were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. When you see two scriptures that apparently apparently contradict each other both are true. They don't contradict each other.

And I'll tell you how I baptize people. I baptize in a way that both this command and that history is fulfilled. Now if there is a conflict between command and history we follow the command because history Acts of the Apostles also tells us a lot of wrong things that the Apostles did such as Paul shaved his head circumcised Timothy etc.

A command is always clear. So if there's a command of Jesus and a practice of the Apostles I have absolutely no doubt in my mind which I should obey the command of Jesus. I won't shave my head or circumcise somebody today just like Paul did or shouted the high priest like Paul did those are all written in the Acts of the Apostles.

But there is no contradiction here. Because when we baptize you know the heathen have got a Trinity to Hinduism has got its Trinity. The Egyptians have got their Trinity. So if you just baptized in the name of Father Son and Holy Spirit that person in a non-christian religion will say that's fine.

That's my Hindu Trinity in the name whose name I was baptized Father Son and Holy Spirit. So we have to identify the Son as Jesus Christ. So when I baptize people I baptize them like this I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

So I identify that this is a Christian Trinity and not one of those heathen trinities. I baptized him in the name of Jesus Christ that is the meaning of Acts 238. It does not disobey the command of Matthew 28 19.

If people would only humble themselves and recognize the Bible is God's Word there's no contradiction in it. These things are all settled very easily. But people who use their clever brains go astray and they deserve to go astray.

People who humble themselves and come to the Holy Spirit the Spirit of God shows them the truth. So once they baptize them what do you do for the rest of their lives. I think ought to do nothing. No he said you must then verse Matthew 28 20 teach them to observe or to obey or to do every single thing that I have commanded you.

And that's the study that we've been taking in these last 80 studies everything that Jesus commanded. And there are many other things also in some of the other Gospels which we didn't cover in Matthew's Gospel.

But that should be our goal to see to see what Jesus commanded. That's why it's so important to read and study the Scriptures. You can't know what Jesus has commanded if you don't read and study the Scriptures this is the only book that God's ever given to man.

And we should then try to understand it and read it and find out what are the things God has commanded. If you really love Jesus the Bible says he will love me. Keep my commandments. And when I say Lord I love you with all my heart then the Lord says keep all my commandments.

And then I pray a little prayer. I say Lord before I leave this earth I want to obey every single commandment that you have given for Christians not the ones you gave to Israel like keeping the Sabbath and killing lambs and circumcision and all that those are for Israel are paying the tithes and all that.

But the things you have given for Christians every command in the Bible which is given for Christians. I want to obey every single one of them before I leave this earth. That's how I prove that I love you with all my heart soul and strength.

Which other way can we prove it. I would encourage you to pray that prayer. Do you want to leave this earth with some commands of Jesus unfinished. For example Jesus says love your enemies. That's why God gives you enemies so that you can love them and keep the commandments.

He says bless those who curse you. That's why God allows some people to curse you so that you can bless them. Otherwise how will you keep that commander. I thank God for every person who thinks I'm his enemy or who hates me.

Because I can do good to them. Those who curse me I can bless them. They all give me opportunities to obey Jesus commandments. Greet those who don't greet you. What an opportunity to obey a commandment.

When you meet somebody who doesn't want to greet you doesn't like your face. The wonderful opportunities we get all over in life to obey Jesus commandments to prove that we love him. Many people who say they love Jesus on Sunday morning singing the songs they don't really love him because they're not interested in keeping his commandments.

They're not even interested in finding out what all Jesus has commanded. And it says here not only we must do them we must teach others to do them. Not teach people that but teach them to do it. Do you know the difference between teaching people swimming and teaching people actually to swim.

You can explain swimming on a blackboard. Explain how to move your legs and how to breathe. You get a class of young people in and explain on a blackboard move your legs like this and breathe like this.

And then say go and jump in the river. They'll all drown. Because you can't teach swimming on a blackboard you got to get into the river and say see what I'm doing folks see how I move my hands see how I lift my head see you.

I breathe. Follow me. That's the way to teach people swimming. And that's the way to teach people to follow Jesus Christ. Not by preaching but by living and demonstrating. That's why Paul said follow me as I follow Christ.

And the great lack today is a preachers who can say that dear friends that's the greatest need we need to belong to a church which teaches people to do every single thing that Jesus commanded. That's the type of church I want to be and not just to pray church.

That is good music and good preaching that. But that'll help me to be obedient. That'll help me to and to obey the commandments. We need to keep the promises. Claim the promises. So that's the second prayer we must pray.

Claiming God's Promises and Receiving the Holy Spirit

Lord there are so many promises for Christians in the Bible. I want to claim every one of them. They're like checks. If somebody sends me 10 checks I don't want to deposit only five of them in the bank.

I want to deposit all 10 because they're meant to make me rich. And if there are a thousand promises in the Bible for Christians I want to claim all thousand. Not 500 of them not even 900 of them. All thousand promises that I can claim they're like checks for me.

That'll make me spiritually rich. This is what it means to obey the commandments. Claiming the promises seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit. And if we live like this the promises low I'm with you always even to the end of the age.

Where's 20 the promise of the Lord's presence with us. This is what we must long for Lord. I want your presence with me every single moment of every single day. I seek to have that presence with me when I'm preaching wherever I go or when you're facing a trial what do you need.

You need the presence of Jesus with you when you face a difficulty when you're tempted you need the presence of Jesus. That's what will strengthen you to drive temptation away. What a promise it is low.

I'm with you always. Keep a good conscience. Therefore my friend seek to obey the commandments. And as you seek to obey you'll find it not so easy. That's where John 14 and verse 15 and 16 come to help us.

If you love me keep my commandments. John 14 15 and the Lord is saying yeah. I know it's difficult to keep the commands. Therefore verse 16 I will ask the father to give you a helper to keep the commandments.

Another helper just like me who will help you to keep the commandments he'll be with you forever. And that is verse 17 the spirit of truth the Holy Spirit the most important thing you need is to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God when you were born again.

If you receive Christ as your Savior repented of your sin Christ came into your heart through his Holy Spirit. His Holy Spirit came in and you were born again. But that doesn't mean you're filled with the Holy Spirit.

Your heart could be like a house with ten rooms. There's light in one room where all your sins are cleansed away. The room of guilt is clean and full of light. But there are other rooms your television room your finances room your library and other areas in your heart where you may not have allowed Jesus to come and flood it with light and drive away the things that displease him.

I mean if you watch movies which Christ is not happy with you can't say that that area of us your life is yielded to Christ. Not at all. I'm not here to tell you which movies you should watch but to make sure that Jesus is with you while you're watching it and that you're not watching stuff which Christ himself would not want to watch.

Then in that moment Christ is not with you. So what's you saying. Christ is me Lord I'm with you. He's not with you always. If you open your heart and receive him and make him Lord of your life and say Lord I want every area of your my life to be filled with light.

Why do we have to live in darkness. And so dear friends we've gone through these 80 studies and I hope you've understood a little more in this time of what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus what it means to understand and to teach others to obey all that Jesus commanded us as we have studied together all that Jesus taught.

Persevering in Obedience and Christian Fellowship

Remember again in conclusion that it's not a question of how much we understand to whom more is given more is required. Now that you know so much your responsibility has increased it's not enough to be excited about it and say wow that is a wonderful message.

I got so challenged by it very often. People who say that it's like a pep talk they get stirred by it for a little while. If you want to endure you need a power you know like electric power can keep a fan running forever and ever.

The power of the Holy Spirit within. This is what you need to seek for the greatest gift God's given us in this day after the forgiveness of sins the fullness of the Holy Spirit of God Almighty the Trinity the third person of the tree coming and living within us and filling us.

And then seek for fellowship with other like minded people in a church that preaches these truths. And then you can grow in grace becoming more and more like Christ as time goes on. God bless you.