Message from our Missionary to New Guinea: Caleb Gibello 12/05/2021

The Great Commission and Christ’s Authority

Caleb and Melissa, to this glorious work of the gospel. May your blessing be upon him and help him now as he opens your word to us. May the Holy Spirit rest upon him and may the Holy Spirit illuminate our minds, our God, to the truth that's in Jesus Christ.

For we pray in his name, amen. Caleb, please.

The text for this morning comes from Matthew chapter 28, so I invite you to turn your Bibles to that text, to Matthew 28. The last few verses of this chapter are well known to Christians, and this may seem like a default text for a missionary, and in some sense that's true, but for the past number of months as we were in New Guinea, planning to come back to the States for a few months and be in churches, the Holy Spirit strongly impressed upon my heart to preach this text when we visit churches, and so this is the text for this morning, starting at verse 18.

I'll back up to verse 16. Now the 11 disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them, and when they saw him, they worshiped him, but some of them doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe and obey all that I have commanded you.

And behold, I am with you always to the very end of the age. We know this text under the well-known title of the Great Commission, and doesn't a command have more weight depending on the authority of the one who commands it?

Think of a sibling to a sibling,.

And I see this with my own kids.

You know, the one sibling gives a command to another, and often that other sibling will ignore it. But think on a higher scale of a general to a soldier. Gives a command to the soldier, and they are required to obey.

And in many areas of life, there is the hierarchy of authority,.

And then those below.

And isn't it true that the more authority one may have, the stronger the command will come, the more power the command has behind it? So the question for us this morning from this text is this command from this text in Matthew chapter 28 still applicable to us as Christians today?

Now the simple direct answer is yes. Okay, William Carey had to explain this and convince others of this a few hundred years ago as his desire was to go and do missions in India. And some during his time said this text does not apply to Christians today.

And if God wants to save people in other lands and in different countries and among different people groups, God will do that. But we don't need to. But from the authority of what scripture teaches us and what Jesus himself says to us today from his word, certainly this command is applicable even now in 2021.

So let's get into our text here, Matthew chapter 28. Okay, what has been given to Jesus? Go back to chapter of, to verse 18. Says, Jesus came and said to them, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

This is one of the most remarkable statements in all of scripture. Jesus says, all authority has been given to me. So what's been given?

All authority.

Is it true?

Is it true that all authority has been given to this man, Jesus Christ? Yes, it is true. How do we know it's true? Well, first it says it here very clearly. Jesus himself says, all authority has been given to me.

But also because he has defeated sin and death upon the cross and in his resurrection. And also because he is now ruling and reigning at the father's right hand. Certainly it is true that Jesus has been given.

All authority.

Even now at this very moment, he has all authority at the right hand of God the father. Well, who gave him this authority? Did he give it to himself? Did some government in this world give him this authority?

Of course not, look at verse 18. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Well, obviously it was given by someone. Who has given Jesus this authority? Well, it says in Philippians chapter two, verse nine, that God the father has highly exalted Jesus and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.

We could go to other texts as well in scripture and it is clear that God the father himself has given Jesus this authority. And then Jesus stands up and he says the same thing to his disciples today. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

And the father has given him this authority. Well, how much authority has been given to him? And Jesus clearly speaks that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. Over all people, all companies, all governments, all laws, all militaries, all nations, all presidents, Jesus Christ, the God man, has all authority over all things in heaven and on earth.

He has all authority to rule. He has all authority to reign. He has all authority to command, Jesus Christ. Hence, we shouldn't talk back. We shouldn't disregard what Jesus Christ says here and in all of scripture.

We should never question the word of God, which is Jesus' own word. We should never disobey the word of Jesus Christ because he has all authority. You know what happens to a soldier in the military.

When they disobey?

They're court-martialed. What happens to an employee when he disobeys? He's fired. Jesus Christ, the one who has all authority in heaven and on earth, he speaks to his people even now. And he says to go and make all disciples.

And certainly, this command applies to us today and we should seriously consider and obey. Well, the next question we can ask in this text, why or on what grounds or what basis did the Father give all authority to Jesus Christ?

We could ask it in a different way. Did Jesus earn this authority? Let me answer that in four different ways. On what grounds or basis did the Father give him this authority? Obedience to his Father's will.

John 6, verse 38. Jesus says, I have come not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. So on what grounds or basis has the Father given this authority to Jesus Christ? Because he has obeyed his Father's will.

Another reason, his finished work upon the cross. John 17, verse 14. I have accomplished the work that the Father has given me to do. Based upon the finished work of Jesus Christ upon the cross and in his resurrection, the Father has given him this authority, bestowed upon him the name that is above every name.

And also, he has received this authority because of and specifically his resurrection. Romans 1, verse 4. The Father declared Jesus to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead. Jesus has been given all authority.

One main reason, because he has been raised from the dead. What other man in history has accomplished that? But Jesus Christ, the God-man, defeated death, rose again, and has been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

And a final reason, we could mention others, but a fourth one, fulfillment of his mission. Hebrews 9, 26, and I mentioned this this morning. He has put away sin. And based upon Jesus Christ fulfilling the mission that the Father sent him to do, the Father has given him all authority.

The Command to Make Disciples of All Peoples

In the context of receiving all authority from the Father, what does Jesus command his disciples to do? Look at our text again. Verse 18, Jesus says, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

And then he gives a very clear and specific command. And what's the command here in light of the context? Verse 19, go therefore and make disciples of all the peoples of this world. So don't lose focus on the context of this command.

Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, exalted to the right hand of the Father, has received all authority, and then gives this command to his disciples even in 2021. And he says to us as his followers, as his people, go therefore, in light of my authority, in light of the Father giving me all of this authority in heaven and on earth, go therefore and make disciples of your town, of your state, of your country, and as he says here, of all the peoples or the nations of this world.

To whom does Jesus give this command? Well, it's very clear going back to the previous verses. His disciples come, he's on the mountain, he's gonna ascend up into heaven, and he's speaking to his disciples, and he speaks to them.

But we can't just say, well, he gave that command 2 ,000 years ago. In some sense, that's true. But Jesus speaks these words to his people today. As you hear the word of God read to you this morning, hear the words of Jesus Christ.

Hear the command to you this morning. He speaks this to his people today. He speaks this to his followers now in this generation, to go and to make disciples of all the peoples.

Of this world.

So if you are a believer in Christ, if you're a Christian, if you're a follower of this man, this command comes to you, to go and make disciples of all the peoples of this world. All those who are born again are to obey this command, certainly in varying degrees.

But this command comes to all of the people of God. Is this a suggestion? Is this an opinion? As Jesus is ascending to heaven, the final words that he gives to his people, is it a suggestion?

No.

Is it his opinion? No. It is a command. So don't treat it like a suggestion. Don't treat it like an opinion. You know, nowadays we turn on the television and we hear all kinds of different opinions. But Jesus is not giving his opinion.

He's not giving a suggestion. He's giving a command. Many professing Christians in our day live as if Jesus never gave this command.

Don't do that.

Hear the word of God to you this morning. Allow this text to enter into your heart. And in some way, to some degree, obey this command that Jesus gives to his people. Where did Jesus' followers have to go to make disciples?

Look at our text. Verse 19, go therefore and make disciples of only the people of your town.

Now it doesn't say that, does it?

Says some of the nations. No, it doesn't say that either. Says all the peoples of this world. You see, that's at the heart of the Great Commission. That's at the heart of Jesus' command to his people.

He owns the globe. Not the president, not a company, not a nation, not a government, not a military. Jesus Christ owns this planet. And with his authority, he speaks to his people to do his work. And he says very clearly, to go and make disciples of all of the nations, all of the peoples of this world.

I like going to joshuaproject .com, and you may go there after this sermon. And according to Joshua Project, there are about 17 ,000 people groups or language groups in this world, 17 ,000. And according to that website, about 7 ,000 are unevangelized.

Now, that's probably somewhat accurate. Maybe it's 8 ,000, maybe it's 6 ,000. But the point is very clear. Many thousands of people groups remain unevangelized 2 ,000 years after Jesus gave this command.

That should cause us to think. That should cause us to take action. Some Christians have said that it shouldn't have taken 1 ,000 years, and that's probably true. We should ask ourselves as Christians, why has it taken so long to evangelize this globe?

Especially as a nation that has been significantly blessed by God. We have many resources, people, time to accomplish this work that Jesus has given to his people. About eight billion people in the world, nine billion people in the world, something like that.

According to Joshua Project, about three billion are unevangelized. Just think of it. Countless billions have never heard the gospel. People groups where there are no Christians, that's the whole point of an unevangelized people group.

And by God's providence, he's brought us to one of them. But there still remains thousands of unevangelized people groups. And it's our responsibility to evangelize them as the people of God. We could think, well, you know, the generation after us, they'll do it.

That's not the way we should think. We are to evangelize and bring the gospel to and make disciples of all the peoples of this world. And it's not just here in this text in Matthew 28. Many other texts throughout the New Testament and beginning in the Old Testament have emphasized and made clear to us that God's desire, that his purpose is for his people to be around this entire globe.

Not just some peoples, not only the easily accessible ones. Right, a lot of people think that way. Well, let's just evangelize the easily accessible places.

Jesus didn't say that.

Not only the cities, some people have that mentality as well. Let's just go to the cities. Let's start with New York City, we'll go to LA, that's good enough. It's not just the cities. Not just the peoples and the places that have already been evangelized.

And I think that's one of the key problems of our day and age. A lot of missionaries continue to return to the same places over and over and over again. How are we to evangelize all peoples by not only going to some, by not only going to the easily accessible ones, by not only going to the cities and by not only going to the ones we've already been to, but to go to the new areas where the gospel's never gone.

And I hope this challenge to you from God's word comes to you this morning and that you hear his voice speaking to you. Again, which people does Jesus give this command to? Which people does Jesus call to obey this commission that he's given?

His people. If you're a part of Jesus' people, then he speaks this command to you. Don't think of the person next to you. Let Jesus speak to your heart. Receive his word to you personally if you're a Christian, if you're a believer in him, if you're one of his followers.

Don't rely on others. Don't think of other Christians. They'll take care of it. The one missionary, he'll do it. Altogether, we should work to fulfill this great work that Jesus Christ has given to us to evangelize the world.

We shouldn't rely on the companies or the businesses. They're not gonna do it. We shouldn't rely on the governments or the politicians. They certainly are not gonna do it. We shouldn't rely on the rich and the famous.

They're not gonna do it either. The one people that Jesus gives this command to very clearly in this text and throughout the New Testament is his people. The ones he has already called out. Those who are already born again.

Jesus speaks this command to us.

So will you go?

Don't look to someone else.

Will you go?

What It Means to Go and Make Disciples

What does it mean to go? Look at our text again, verse 19.

Jesus says go.

Go and make disciples of all the peoples. What does it mean to go? What does it mean to go in 2021? I have some practical things here I wanna say. We've done it. So I could give some practical lessons here or pointers.

First, it means to leave your home. It means to leave your family. The apostles did that and they say, Jesus, what are we gonna get for leaving our home? Jesus said you'll receive much reward for doing that and your family.

It means you're gonna have to travel far. You know, I don't think there's any unevangelized peoples here in Massachusetts. It means you're probably gonna have to go to a remote location, an isolated place on planet Earth.

Most likely means when you go, you're gonna have to leave comfort. You know, that's why generation after generation here in America, fewer and fewer missionaries.

Are going out.

Americans don't wanna leave their comfort. Means you'll have to leave America. Means you'll need a passport. Means you'll need to buy plane tickets. Means you'll need to quit your job and many other things as well.

Those are just some practical things. What does it mean to go? This is what Jesus calls his disciples to do. His disciples, when they heard this 2000 years ago on the mountain, they said, well, Jesus, you know, what do you mean go and do we have to do all this?

Now they started in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, but eventually his disciples got to the ends of the Earth. And we see that in the book of Acts. What are excuses that some professing Christians give? Why not to go?

I thought about this this past week. Some that I had a few years ago, number of years ago. And some that I hear other Christians giving. It's too difficult.

Is it?

Is it too difficult to go and make disciples of all the nations? Is it too difficult? Now if you went by yourself and your own strength and your own power and your own wisdom, yes, it would be too difficult.

And we're gonna get to the promise that Jesus gives here to encourage us to do the work. But it's not too difficult. Well, I'm too old. You know, now there might be a point where you're too old to go, that's true.

You know, but if you're in your 50s, you could probably still go. If there's some in their 60s, they could probably still go. So if you're in your 30s and 40s, don't say you're too old. You know, because I know people who have gone in their 50s and in their 60s.

I'm not gonna say anything about the 70s or 80s. I can't get the money. I hear that one all the time. Well, you know, I'd have to quit my job, we'd have to raise the money. Is that a valid reason not to do what Jesus has commanded?

Whether you have a dollar, whether you have a million dollars, that's not a good excuse. Well, I have to sell my house and I have to move.

Yep, that's true.

You gotta do that. But that's an excuse a lot of people give, a lot of Christians. Well, I don't wanna learn a new language. Well, that's true too. You're gonna have to learn a new language. And it's not easy.

I'm working on it now, it's not easy. But that's what it requires to obey the command of Christ. Where we are, we don't speak English. I have to learn a new language. Well, my kids are too important. I hear this one all the time.

You know, their health is too important. And their school is too important. I can't take my kids out of school. And, you know, their friends, their friends, that's the most important thing. Can't take them away from their friends.

And a lot of people have this mentality, my kids are so important, my kids have all authority. And that's not what Jesus says here. Jesus has all authority. Not your kids, not your health, not your job, not your boss, not your government.

Well, it's too dangerous. Well, that might be the case. You know, think of Paul. Paul, is it too dangerous? He'd probably take the word too out.

It's dangerous.

You know, think of great missionary heroes throughout church history who've gone. Think of David Brainerd in this very area of America, evangelizing un-evangelized Indian groups years ago. John Patton and many others who have gone.

And if you ask them, is it too dangerous? They would take the word too out.

It's dangerous.

But is it too dangerous not to obey Christ? Well, it's only for seminary graduates. You know, the guys that go off to Bible school and seminary, it's for them.

Jesus doesn't say that.

Well, I'm not gonna be rich and famous if I go. Well, that's true, too. But that's not a good excuse. That's not a good reason not to go. Well, I might get sick. I hear that one. I might even die.

That's true.

But if you stay in Massachusetts, you'll get sick and you'll die, too. You know, it says of, I believe it was John Patton. Maybe it was Adam Irem Judson.

I think it was John Patton.

And they said, well, you'll die. He said to them, well, you're gonna die, too, and the worms are gonna eat your body. He was talking about the cannibals that's gonna possibly eat him. The fact is, we're all gonna die.

And we should go out fighting, right? The common phrase, let's go out fighting. That's the way Christians should be.

Let's go out fighting.

We're all gonna die. We all live in a cursed world. Sin will kill all of us. You know, there's so much talk about every other disease in the world. Sin will kill all of us.

Let's go out fighting.

Let's do something significant for the kingdom of God. Someone else will do it. I hear that one, too. Are these excuses valid before Jesus? You know, when we stand before the Lord, he's gonna say, why didn't you serve me as much as you should have?

Why weren't you as faithful? And you give these excuses. Are they gonna be legitimate before Jesus? Of course not. But these are real excuses that many professing Christians give. And I'm just trying to be real with you this morning.

And maybe some of these excuses are in your own mind. Consider what Jesus is telling us from this text in Matthew chapter 28. This is not some old text that doesn't apply. Jesus speaks these words to us today.

Go, in light of all the authority I have in heaven and on earth, go and make disciples of all the peoples of this world. Well, let's move on in our text here. What two actions are we to do as we go and make disciples of all the peoples?

What are the two specific actions? Look at verse 19. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the peoples of this world. Then he mentions two actions, two things to do. Baptize and teach. Well, teach what?

Look at verse 20. Teaching them to observe or to do, to obey everything that I've commanded you. That's an amazing statement, right? Jesus says, go do missions. Go evangelize the world. And when you're doing that, when you're making disciples of all the peoples of this world, teach them to do what?

Teach them to obey everything I've commanded. You know, that's contrary to what we hear nowadays in popular Christianity. You know, nowadays, it's teach them some things. Teach them the easy things. Just tell the kids and the adults some nice Bible stories.

Don't teach them the offensive passages. Only teach the positive texts. You know, that's American Christianity, and that's affected the world. But Jesus doesn't say that, right? He says, teach them to observe, to obey everything that I've commanded.

That's a hard pill to swallow for a lot of people, right? The cost of discipleship. Jesus himself said it. Before you become my disciple, you better make sure you know what you're getting yourself into.

Count the cost. And Jesus tells his people today, as we go and do missions, as we go and make disciples of all the peoples of this world, teach them, tell them to obey everything that I've commanded. Not just what they want to, not just what you want to, but everything that I've commanded.

Teach them primarily the gospel. And it's even unfortunate that I have to mention that, but a lot of times in our day and age, a lot of what passes under the name missions in our day and age does not even preach the gospel.

Jesus says here, teach them to obey everything I've commanded. And the primary message, the primary thing that we are taught to obey is the gospel. We are to obey the gospel. And believe the gospel. And preach the gospel.

The work of Jesus Christ upon the cross. Obedience to the message of the gospel is central and foundational as we go and do missions. As we go and make disciples of all the nations. But certainly others as well.

Repentance of sin.

Now that's not preached a lot. You know, we work in New Guinea, that's not a popular message in New Guinea. I don't think it's too popular here in America either. But Jesus spoke much of that. What are we supposed to tell people to obey as we go and make disciples?

One thing we tell them to obey is repent of your sin. No one can be saved on planet Earth unless they repent of their sin. You know, nowadays everyone wants to hold onto their sin and reinvent new sin.

That's the world we live in. It's been that way pretty much from the beginning. But Jesus makes it very clear in scripture that if we're gonna be part of his people, if we are going to follow him as his disciples, we must repent of our sin.

And we need to teach that to the new disciples that we make. When we go to the remote places in New Guinea where we minister, one of the main points that I preach is repentance of sin.

Why?

Because that's what Jesus preached. That's what the apostles preached. That's what all the prophets preached. Submission to scripture in everything. That's key as well. A disciple of Christ must submit to scripture in everything.

Not some things, but everything.

Notice again what Jesus says.

Teach them to obey everything or all things that I've commanded. We don't have the right to pick and choose what we're gonna tell other so-called Christians to do and to believe and to follow. Jesus has already told us.

And it's our responsibility, it's our duty as we make new disciples of the nations to tell them, to require of them that they obey everything that Jesus has commanded. Submission to scripture in everything.

So teach what?

Those are some things.

Certainly we could talk more about that, but we're gonna end there for now. And then what's the concluding promise of this text? Look back at verse 20. Teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you.

Then the last thing Jesus says there, very well known to us. Behold, in other words, pay attention. In light of this, I am with you. What's the concluding promise Jesus gives to his people as we go make disciples of all the nations?

What's the promise that holds it all together? What's the promise that gives us hope and encouragement to do it and to know it will be fulfilled and accomplished? Jesus Christ, the God-man, the one who has been raised from the dead, the one who has all authority on heaven and on earth, he tells us, go make disciples and I will be with you.

I will be with you. We just had the Lord's Supper. Jesus is with his people in the Lord's Supper. Jesus is with his people in the preaching of his word. But notice the context here. Jesus is specifically with his people as we go make disciples of the nations.

That is a promise. That is a guarantee as we go into his word. He will be with us. That's one of the reasons I've gone because I know and I believe this promise. Jesus says, I will be with you.

I'm not going alone.

Our home church has sent us out. Your church partners with us and supports the work. We go with the blessing and the support and the prayers of God's people. But more than that, Jesus Christ has promised, I will be with you.

How could missions fail? How could this work not succeed? Jesus Christ, the one who owns the universe and upholds it by the word of his power, he has said to his people as we go and do his work, I will be with you.

That's an amazing promise. And my friends, brothers and sisters, that's the promise that we have today. Wasn't just 2 ,000 years ago. Jesus will continue to be with us as we do his work. Notice the context, the promises as we do this work.

Certainly he gives general promise that he will be with his people, but this is a specific promise to his people as we do his work. He says here, behold, I am with you sometimes.

He doesn't say that.

I'm with you only on good days.

He doesn't say that.

He says, I am with you always. There is never a day, there is never a time, there is never a season that Jesus is not with his people. As we go do the work of the Great Commission. That's why missions is the only cause in this world that will succeed.

There are many causes in this world. There are many things that governments are doing and companies are building, but there's only one cause that will succeed. And that is the cause of evangelizing this world.

Why?

Because Jesus will be with us. Doesn't matter if a military is behind us, we'll still fail. Doesn't matter if a president's behind us,.

We'll still fail.

Doesn't matter how much money's behind us,.

We'll still fail.

But the reason we won't fail is because Jesus is with us. That is the promise that Jesus gives in this passage. And he's with us to the end. Notice the text, I'm with you always. Not just for the first generation, not just for the first century, he says here, to the very end of the age.

When this age is over, the work will be done. And Jesus will be with us until that point. And he will not leave us until we get to that point. He will be with us to the end of the age. In other words, until the work is done.

Until he returns. The work isn't done until he returns. In other words, the work's not done today. The work is still here. There's still work for us to do. He says in Matthew chapter 24, verse 14. You will be witnesses to all the peoples of this world.

And speak the gospel to all the peoples of this world, to the entire world. And then, the end will come. The end won't come until we do the work. So to some degree, and I don't understand everything, only God is sovereign.

But to some degree, and in some way, Jesus' return hinges on our obedience to his command. Is this promise true? Is this promise real? There are many Christians that live as if it weren't true. Now every Christian, we read this, and we know it's true.

We believe it's true, right? Because we're his people, and we believe his word. But there are some professing Christians who live as if this promise were not true. But my friends, hear what Jesus Christ says to you today from his word.

Go and make disciples of all the nations. And I promise, I will be with you always till the work's done, to the end of the age, till I return. This promise is real. This promise is true. So therefore, we as his people should be more willing, should be more eager to go and to do this work of reaching all the peoples of this world.

Do you want the personal presence of Jesus Christ in a real and lasting way? This promise is specifically fulfilled as you, as we, go and make disciples of all the peoples.

Of this world.

I'm reminded of a story of John Patton, famous missionary who did work in our area of the world. And it was pretty dangerous for him. And he was up in a tree one night because there was fighting in a village, and he was praying to Jesus, Jesus help me, protect me, watch over me.

Some of you may know the story from his autobiography. And he said of that night, probably the most dangerous night of his life, the most fearful night of his life, he prayed to Jesus and he said, Jesus, this was after the fact now, he had never felt the real presence of Christ more than that night.

And again, from what we see here in this text, based on the context of doing missions, of evangelizing the world, Jesus makes this promise. I will be with you. So as I finish up here, why must we go make disciples of all the peoples?

I've mentioned some of the excuses. Some of you might be thinking even of those excuses right now. But why should we do it? Well, first and foremost, the one who has all authority has told us to. You know, just think if your boss came to you one day and said, okay, do this.

A bad employee talks back. A bad employee will get fired, right? As employees, we obey our boss. The general tells a soldier something. They're required to obey. That's how I started the sermon this morning.

Why must we obey this great work that God has given us to do? Because the one who has all authority has commanded it. That's the main reason I've went as well. What people say, why have you gotten to New Guinea?

Why would you take your family? Because the one who has all authority has said so. What's another reason? Because Jesus' people have the only cure for the sin-cursed world. Now, there's a lot of talk now during these days of medicine and vaccinations and this and that and the other.

What to do, how to escape this, how to escape that.