Keep sharing good news without ads.
Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/isaiah-frazier/the-great-commission/
Let's read in Matthew chapter 28, please, Matthew 28. I think that what I have on my heart goes along with what we've already heard this morning, so I guess I better get up and share it. Matthew 28, let's read verse 18.
These are, of course, words of the Lord Jesus after his death, burial, and resurrection. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.
And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Let's go over to Acts chapter five, please. Book of Acts in chapter five. Acts chapter five, and let's read from verse 27. Acts chapter five, verse 27.
It says, and when they had brought them, they set them before the council, and the high priest asked him saying, did we not straightly commend you that you should not teach in this name? And behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our father's race of Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged upon a tree, him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a savior, for to give repentance to Israel and the forgiveness of sins.
And we are his witnesses of these things. And so it is also the, and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. Just read through here, just a verse, Gamaliel intercedes someone on the behalf of these men, and he mentions here, two men who would rise and fall, verse 36, for before these days rose up, Thaddeus boasting himself to be somebody, to whom a number of men, about 400, joined themselves, who was slain, and all as many as obeyed him were scattered and brought to naught.
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing and drew away much people after him, and he also perished, and all men, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. And now I say unto you, refrain from these men and let them alone, for if this counsel of this work be of man, it will come to naught.
But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lest happily ye be found even to fight against God. And they depart and rejoice in the presence of the disciples having suffered for the name of Christ. Now, what I'd like to speak about this afternoon is very basic.
Maybe you could, there are people here who could repeat this in their sleep, but I'm thinking of younger believers and possibly even people who are not in fellowship in assemblies who have come today to listen to the teaching of the word of God.
One of the very first things that we often do in a new work is try to establish the reasons for doing what we do. And oftentimes we will go to these very same verses that we have just read in Matthew 28.
Why do we practice what we practice? Why do we do what we do? How good it is to be able to go to the word of God. You see, there are multitudes of people today that are following the religious whims of people of men and women.
There are ideas that have been transmitted that are so absurd and yet people would cling to these things. How grateful we ought to be today that we have an authority, the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is him that we obey.
So I trust that what I'd like to share this morning will be a refreshment to us and appreciate in a far greater way the one that we serve and obey, the Lord Jesus Christ himself. We have read here in Matthew 28, he said, all authority or all power, all authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
We appreciate that the Lord Jesus Christ is the son of God, has all power. He is the all-powerful one creating the universe and everything that is in it. And I take it that there's an authority that is uniquely his because of his work of the cross.
There's a parallel passage to Matthew 28, Luke chapter 24, where the Lord Jesus says, thus it is written, and thus it behoove Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sin should be preached in his name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem, and ye are witnesses of these things.
He is the only one that has the authority to forgive sins. You come over just another page to Mark chapter two, and you'll find it's plainly said the very same word that you might know that the son of man has power or authority on earth to forgive sins.
There is no other person that has the authority to forgive sins, but the one who bear our sins in his own body upon the tree, he has the power to forgive sins, and he alone. Not only that, Revelation one, he has power over death and hell.
I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, amen, and have the keys of hell and death. The one who entered into death by his own power and will, and the one who would come out of death is the one who has the authority over death, and not only death itself, but to go along with that, Hebrews chapter two, speaking of the death of the Lord Jesus having become a man, it says that through death he might destroy him that has the power of death that is the devil.
So here is one who has authority to forgive sins. He has authority over death and hell. He alone has the authority over Satan, and I would like to link this to his work on the cross. He is the one who has all authority, and again, Hebrews chapter two, the verse is quoted, thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet, and the day is coming when that will be a reality, but from what we read here, he is the one that has authority given to him in heaven and in earth.
So that is what these men in Acts chapter five confess. They're being threatened. They are being silenced. Acts chapter five, we read verse 29, then Peter and all the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than man.
You see, they understood who the real authority was. It was not the religious leaders, even the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. It was the Lord Jesus himself that had given this commandment, he is the divine authority, and they would say, we must obey him.
No matter what the cost would be, they were going to obey him. You read in this same book, chapter four, verse 17, they're threatened by these men. Chapter four, they're in prison. Chapter five, they're in prison again by these men.
We read at the end of this chapter that they are beaten by these men, and one by one, these men are going to die because they are going to live obeying the authority. No matter what anyone else says, we can appreciate this today, that we have an authority that is above every social authority, that is above every political authority, that is above every religious authority.
It is the Lord Jesus himself. All power, all authority is given to me, and that is the reason that we ought to obey him because he is the divine authority. We're reminded last weekend of Daniel, chapter three, and the three Hebrew men.
I was thinking about that as well. The words of those men are this, O king, we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. They were speaking to the most powerful man in the world at that time, but there was a figure of power that was far greater than Nebuchadnezzar.
It says, our God, whom we serve. These men knew the word of God, and the more I think about it, the more I can appreciate the conviction of these men. They knew that the word of God says, you will have no other gods before me.
They knew the word of God that says, you will make no graven images. They knew the word of God that says, you will not bow down before them. And though this was something that the king was trying to force upon them, these men stood alone because they recognized there was an authority far greater than this man.
Not only do we have divine authority and the reason that we ought to obey, because he is our Lord Jesus Christ, the divine authority, we have the divine appointment, I'll say it, as we have here in Matthew 28, having established his authority.
He says, go ye therefore. This is actually a command that is given from the divine authority. The word go is an imperative. It's a command by the Lord Jesus Christ himself, go ye therefore. For us, oftentimes it's easy to get by with just not doing the things that we are not supposed to do.
And oftentimes we fall into that that we know that the Bible says, do not, do not, do not, thou shalt not. And we are happy not to do those things. As you know, the commandments, even that were given to Israel, there was two sides of it.
As we would say, there's sins of commission and there's sins of omission. People sin in doing the things that they are not supposed to do. But you know, we also sin in not doing the things that we are supposed to do.
I like to refresh our hearts with the words of the Lord Jesus this morning, that he is a divine authority, but I like to challenge each and every one of our hearts. Are we obeying his commandments if he is the divine authority?
The Lord Jesus Christ himself said, why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do the things that I say? Those are powerful words that touch very close to home. But if we call him Lord is because we recognize his divine authority.
And these men, the apostles in Acts chapter four said, we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. These men were fully convinced of who this person was. And that is why they were going to be faithful witnesses to the Lord Jesus.
Are we? Am I fully convinced of who he is? That there was a man who came from heaven or the Lord Jesus who came from heaven to become a man, that he suffered, that he died, that he was raised again from the dead.
We did not see him. We have not witnessed these things, but these are things that we would witness of, that we would testify of. Are we firmly persuaded and convinced of these things that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only savior as the one who entered into death and came out of death, as the one who is a judge of the living and the dead.
These men said, we cannot but preach these things. For us, they are real, they are true. They ought to be just as true to us because we have the word of God. So the Lord Jesus tells them, go ye therefore and teach or make disciples of all nations.
Again, the parallel passage, Luke 24 says, preach, preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins in my name. Mark chapter 16, verse 15, go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. That is a command that our Lord has given.
And I don't think it is limited just to the apostles of his day. Those that were there to hear his words, I take it that that is something that is, that is something that ought to be heeded by each and every one of us today.
In one measure or another, sisters and brother, we have the responsibility of making the gospel known. And maybe there's somebody here that has that burden, that exercise in their heart. Choices are being made in your life.
Maybe you will listen to the words of the Lord Jesus and understand this is a command that he has given to me to go and to preach. There is a tremendous need in this world. Maybe God is directing you to Alaska to preach the gospel, I pray so.
Or to Northern Canada, or to Eastern Nicaragua, or to El Salvador, or Panama. Maybe there is someone here and these words will enter into your heart that you will in simple submission to the Lord Jesus Christ, go.
As a dear brother said, what part of go do you not understand? Maybe there's someone here that has a purpose in their heart to obey the Lord Jesus, to fill this commission, to preach the gospel, whether in Iowa, whether it's across the street, go.
Whether it is to the next town, go. Whether it is to another country, go. Because he has given the command. Go and make disciples, go and preach the gospel. But not only that we read, teach, whatsoever I have commanded.
I try to establish this because the authority is the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Even though we appreciate what the apostles taught and wrote we would have to say what they taught came from him. You come over here to Acts chapter one, if you're still there, just read with me briefly.
Acts chapter one, the Lord Jesus before his ascension, but just as Luke records these things, reminding them how he had written already the book of, well, the gospel of Luke. But let's just read here quick.
There's a couple of things. Acts chapter one, verse one, the former treaties referring to the gospel that he wrote, have I made O Theophilus? Notice what it says. Of all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day that he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen.
And of course he showed himself alive, he proved who he was and what he had done. I take it that all teaching comes from the purse of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. What the apostles taught was what they had heard from the Lord Jesus Christ.
We're often quick to go to Acts chapter two to see the apostles' teaching, but where did the apostles' teaching come from? It came from the divine authority from the Lord Jesus Christ himself. The things that Jesus began to do and teach, then he commands his apostles.
You come over to first John and it says, the things that we have seen and heard declare we unto you. The words that they had heard from the mouth of the Lord Jesus were the things that they were now communicating.
Again, first Corinthians chapter 11, the apostle Paul was not with the Lord Jesus Christ in his earthly ministry, and yet he could say, for I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you.
So there was further revelation to these men, but revelation that came from the Lord Jesus Christ himself. You see, what we follow and preach and believe and hold today is not even proceeding merely from these men, though godly as they were, it's actually from the Lord Jesus Christ himself through these men.
And of course, what we read in these books that have been given to us, all scripture is inspired by God, is given from heaven. Revelation chapter one, the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him, to John, was from the Lord Jesus.
So I think you can understand, teach them all things that I have commanded you. So we have a biblical basis for preaching the gospel, repentance and the forgiveness of sins in his name. We have a basis for believers' baptism.
He said, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We have a biblical basis for the Lord's supper. Do, the heavenly authority said, do this in remembrance of me. That again is imperative, that is a command of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And if you understand these things, if you are a believer today and you have been saved by God's grace and you've been baptized in obedience to his word, and are not part of the assembly, having the privilege to obey the Lord, why not?
That was something that convicted me. It was actually in stout, believe it or not, as all my friends were taking part. And I was sitting in the back, the verse came to me, and I know we use it in the gospel, but it says, prepare to meet thy God.
It impacted me like this, Isaiah, you know what the truth of God's word is. Why are you not obeying? When the Lord Jesus Christ comes and he finds you here, what excuse are you going to give him for not obeying him?
That was something that God used to spur me on, that I might take my place in a local assembly. So we have a basis for prayer. The Lord Jesus Christ taught how to pray. The Lord Jesus Christ taught us that we ought to love one another.
The Lord Jesus Christ taught that we ought to forgive one another. So the teaching begins with the Lord Jesus, whether plainly or in seed form. And later it was taught and practiced by the apostles and the disciples in the book of Acts, teaching them all things that I have commanded you.
Time is almost gone, but I appreciate what the Lord Jesus says in Matthew chapter 28, and I am with you. And lo, I am with you, the divine presence. Acts chapter 11, and the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
The power of his presence in the preaching of the gospel. These men in the book of Acts, we might hold them up on a pedestal, but something as emphasized as this, they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
And that is why they could do what they did. And there is certainly a need today for men who are filled with the Spirit that convey the word of God without fear. But it says, and the hand of the Lord was with them.
His presence was made known time and time again. The presence of the Lord. The presence of the Lord was made known in the conversion and the preaching of the gospel, and the conversion of souls. The presence of the Lord was also known in the prison, because at the beginning of Acts chapter five, these men are in the prison, but the Lord moves, and he takes them out of the prison.
How good it is to know that the Lord is with us wherever we are, whether we are preaching or whether we are in the prison. He said, lo, I am with you. Those are words of comfort to us. Just like those Hebrew men in the fire could appreciate, he was with them.
In suffering, in trial, he was with them. Those words, of course, are spoken of Joseph in his prison, in his trial. The Lord was with Joseph. That promise was also given to Moses. I am with you, I will be with you.
The promise was given to Joshua. The promise was given to Gideon. The promise has been given to us. I am with you. I am with you all the days. We see God working in the midst of the people on that day.
You know, we need to know the Lord's presence and the Lord's power, the Lord's working. Psalm 127, except the Lord build a house, they labor in vain that build it. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh in vain.
How grateful we can be for the words of the Lord Jesus. I will be with you all the days. And we see his prosperity in the preaching of the gospel, his blessing in the preaching of the gospel. We can appreciate when he said in Matthew chapter 16, I will build my church.
And the gates of hell will not prevail against it. That divine authority said that in his work continues even today. What a contrast to men who did not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their authority. Men who do not obey him, that do not know his power.
Going back to Acts chapter five, where we read, there were men that had gained some form of popularity or leadership among the people. But the Bible says, he perished. He died. Their followers were dispersed.
There was nothing more known or heard of it. But we ought to take heart this morning with this fact, that the Lord Jesus Christ is everything that he said he was. And that his work will not come to naught.
If this is a work of God, you cannot stop it. I hope we appreciate this day when things seem to be failing and oftentimes there is nothing positive that is said about the assemblies in God's work. God is still working.
The Lord Jesus is still saving souls. Assemblies are still being established. If it is his work, it will not come to naught if it is a work of man that is altogether different. But we can take this to heart this morning.
He said, go, teach, preach. I am with you all the day. I'd like to read one more passage with you in Hebrews chapter 13, and I'm done. You'll notice that there's quite a number of links here in Hebrews chapter 13.
Let's just read from verse one. I'll mention the links that I have seen in the book of Acts. I just noticed this, so I really haven't studied it out in depth, share it with you anyway. Hebrews chapter 13, verse one.
Let brotherly love continue. In the book of Acts, that is something that was very evident. The genuine love that the believers had one for another, not only their love, be not forgetful to entertain strangers.
The hospitality of the believers in the book of Acts is something to be imitated today, that they could go from house to house breaking bread, that they could work together and live together. Verse three, remember them that are in bonds.
We've already noticed the persecution in the book of Acts and those that were in bonds, in prison. Again, Peter will be in prison again in chapter 12. Verse five, let your conversation be without covetousness.
If there's anything that is seen in the believers in the book of Acts, it's their generosity. In those chapters four or five, we read of them selling their properties and laying down the value at the feet of the apostles to be distributed amongst the needy saints.
There was no covetousness in the hearts of those believers. Be content with such things as ye have. It says, for he, here it is, for he has said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper.
I will not fear what men shall do unto me. Does that not link into what we read in Matthew chapter 28? I am with you, I am your helper. He is the one who is going to carry out his work. Might the Lord encourage us in these things.
All power is given unto me in heaven and earth. Go ye, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you all way, even to the end of the age.