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With You Al way.
“ All power is given unto me in heaven and in
earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, bap
tizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to ob
serve all things whatsoever I have commanded you;
and, 10, I am with you alway, even unto the end of
the world.” Matt. 28:18-20.
“The Great Commission” is our subject at this
time. Matthew says nothing about its being given
at a feast; Mark, however, does. We know that
it was the most important command that he ever
gave to his disciples. It had to do with the future
of his kingdom. It was his last message concerning
the work of his disciples. We all know the impor
tance of the last message. Eagerly we bow with
bated breath to catch the last words that come from
the lips of a dear one while passing away.
The Master’s message, therefore, is exceedingly
important to his disciples at this time. For three
years he has been in intimate relation with them.
He has taken the lead, and they have followed.
Now he is about to depart, and delivers to them his
last directions concerning their work.
It is not his last words—we will get them later
on; but so far as the work which they had ahead
of them is concerned, it is the last thing that he
has to say.
The disciples, however, are not alone in the mind
of Jesus; he had every one of us in view at the
time. The disciples simply represent the church,
and if we are to be profited by the commission which
he gave to them, we must each see ourselves stand
ing in their place. We must hear Jesus speaking
to us as he spoke to the disciples two thousand
years ago.
This is where the church at the present time is
most deficient. It fails to realize the permanency
of the gospel. It is disposed to think that the
messages of truth contained in the gospel were for
the people at that time. This is especially true
when anything is said that we do not like. Let us
not feel that way as we face this great and sol
emn commission.
All Power and Authority.
Again, we observe that Jesus introduced his last
commission by claiming inroerial authority: “All
power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
This is a striking declaration. It is either true or
false. If it is true, then the Lord pity many of the
little pulpit performers who are sneering at the
Deity of Jesus Christ. If it is false, then Jesus
does not deserve even common respect, say nothing
of worship.
“All power!” Think of it! Think of all power
operating to-day and that has ever operated in the
world. Add to that the power of heaven. What
that is we do not know, but it must be immense and
glorious. Jesus said, “This is all mine.”
But we are not simply to think of Christ as hav
ing all power to do; the word caries with it also
the idea of authority. Jesus not only has the pow
er to do, but the right to command and direct. How
striking all this is in connection with this last great
commission.
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Jesvs had complied with all the requirements of
the law and the prophets. In a little while he is
to take up his mediatorial work at the throne of the
Father. His right, therefore, to organize and di
rect his kingdom is guaranteed. Heaven and earth
are both interested, and he is given the mastery of
both worlds. I beg that we shall see this as we face
our relation to the commission.
The Analysis Made.
But again, let us notice that the commission is
threefold:
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2. Make Disciples and baptize them.
3. Teach.
He spake here as one of authority. “Go.” This
is imperative. It is not ought or should; it is a
plain, imperative, positive command. But it is not
a command in the abstract; it is not a command to
the nation. There is in it nothing of what we hear
so much about today, national conquest. It is a
plain, positive command given to the disciples:
“Go ye, therefore.” Let us not fail to catch the
significance of the “therefore.” It relates to his
claim of authority. It was a despised Galilean, a
homeless wanderer, who gave the command; but it
was also a teacher just raised from the dead and
clothed with universal authority.
The Epistle to the Hebrews uses “therefore” to
convey the same idea: “For we have not a high
priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of
our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points
tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us
therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne
of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find
grace to help in time of need.”.
Christ has all power and al] authority; therefore
let us be careful lest we disregard his command.
Make Disciples.
And this command is also for a specific work. It
is not to civilize; it is not to educate; it is not to
heal; it is not to make converts to any special creed,
or to propagate any special dogma; it is to make
disciples or Christians of all nations.
This is a very simple work; nobody need be mixed
up in his mind about it. The first work of the
church, whether at home or abroad, is to make
Christians, that is, to save the lost. Civilization,
embracing education, and the like has its place; it
is comprehended by the church scheme. I do not
believe any church in any community has done its
work until it has made possible the very best edu
cation for every citizen, man or woman, "within the
scope of its influence. I do not believe that the
church has any right to fold its arms and request
the state, which cannot teach any religion, to do
its work of education.
The same thing can be said with reference to all
other forms of helpfulness. I believe the church
ought to provide everything that humanity is in
need of. It ought to train its youth; care for its
sick; look after its orphans; and do all other forms
of humanitarian work. But this is not its first
work, and the church that sits down and depends
upon such lines of work will soon be dead.
The command is, “Make disciples and baptize.”
That is the first and most important thing ahead
of any church. God help us all to see that. How
it would change things, if the churches of the coun
try were to feel the force of this command.
But do not forget that it is of all nations that we
are to make disciples. I hear people say, “I am
a home missionary; I believe in giving money at
home where it is so much needed, but I do not be
lieve in giving money to send the gospel abroad.
Now there are just two things that I want to
say about such people. In the first place, I have
The Golden Age for May 3, 1906.
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found that they give very little at home. They
generally use the needs at home as a pretext to keep
from giving abroad. They do not care anything
about the needs at home; the root of the matter is
not in them. If only for once they could have their
souls filled with the love of Jesus, they would be
weeping because they could not give more to the
cause at home and abroad, instead of plotting to
give as little as possible.
Again, such people defy the authority of Jesus
Christ, whom.they profess to follow. He says, “Go
make disciples of all nations.” They say, “We
will not do it; we will make disciples at home, but
not abroad.” Wonder how Jesus feels towards
such pretended followers? He must feel very much
like a father when he commands a child, and the
child looks him in the face, and says: “I will not
do it, or I will do it my way.”
Send Some One Else.
again, some one says, “I cannot go; I know
I cannot, therefore I am excused.” Well, it may
be true that you cannot go. Certainly everybody
cannot. I never have subscribed to the idea that
“one must have a Divine call to stay at home; that
the universal call is to go—everybody to go. Un
less God shall call specially to stay at home.” I
do not believe this. We must remember what we
call home is just as much a part of the world as
China.
But while this is all true, I believe there are
hundreds and thousands of God-called men and
women in our churches today who ought to be in
foreign lands, making disciples. Who knows but
that God wants us? We are so disposed to excuse
ourselves that it is hard for God’s voice to pene
trate our hearts. It is an awful thing to get in the
way of God’s plan.
I have known a number of people who felt called
to foreign fields, and who resisted the call. I have
watched their lives, and they have never amounted
to much. I tell you if God wants you for that
work, you had better yield to his plan and then let
him direct your life.
Brt suppose one is not called to go, then what?
Why the command is just as binding, and I think
more so. If God has been so good as to let me stay
at home and do his work, I certainly am willing tp
go in the person of another whom I may help send.
Let us not forget, also, that there is another phase
of work which is to be done: We are commanded
in addition to making disciples, to “teach all things
whatsoever I have commanded you.” Plainly
speaking our duty is this: First, to make disciples,
and then to teach them the ways of Christ. We are
just beginning to realize our teaching obligation,,
and t means much in the progress of the church.
For a long time the church was content with
preaching’. Then the Sunday School came into ex
istence. Now the Bible school and conference is
heard of all over the land. The church is waking
up to realize that she has lost ground for the lack
of teachers and teaching.
The Divine Promise.
Finally, let us hear his last words: “Lo, I am
with you alway, even unto the end of the age.”
This is the most significant part of what Jesus said
on this occasion. “I am with you.” What a
blessed reality!
But he has not promised to be with us only as
we have carried out the requirements of the great
commission. His plan is ever on the line of thor
ough unselfishness. The plan of the church gen
erally is, fortify things well at home, and then give
abroad.” The same is true of individuals. They
say, “Provide for all the possible rainy days, and
then give of what is left.” The teaching of Jesus