What does "It's Still the Great Commission" Mean?

2007 SPRING MISSIONS CONFERENCE
Conference Theme: “It’s STILL...The GREAT Commission!”
Matthew 28.18-20; Mark 16,15-16; Luke 24.44-53;
John 20.21-23; Acts 1.4-11

The Great Commission is Jesus Christ’s MISSION MANDATE to His churches.

It is the ONLY Mandate and Commission He has given us.

And, He promised that this Mandate and Commission is authoritative, binding, and effective UNTIL HE COMES BACK...”all the days even until the end of the age.”

Not only is The Great Commission THE ONLY COMMISSION WE HAVE, but it is also THE ONLY COMMISSION WE NEED.

So, we must renew at least three responses we must give The Great Commission:
1. We must renew our COMPREHENSION of the Great Commission.

We must study it, review it, and thoroughly understand what He is commissioning and commanding us to do in this Commission.

2. We must renew our CONFIDENCE in the Great Commission.

We must trust His wisdom and power enough to obey it and work it as He gave it.

3. We must renew our COMMITMENT to the Great Commission.

We mustn’t look for a better paradigm, model, or method for doing the work He has given us to complete.

So, WHAT IS IN THE GREAT COMMISSION?
WHY IS THE GREAT COMMISSION SO GREAT?
WHAT DO WE COMMIT TO...WHEN WE COMMIT TO THE GREAT COMMISSION?

We COMMIT TO: the PERSONAL AUTHORITY for our churches and our mission endeavors: He is Jesus Christ.

We COMMIT TO: the PURPOSE of our churches and our mission endeavors: that is, TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST.

We COMMIT TO: the POWER of our churches and our mission endeavors: He is, again, JESUS CHRIST and His Personal Presence with us...and the Power of His Resurrection Life living in us and working through us -- and the PROMISED POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. It is NOT the power of our creativity, ingenuity, or superior wisdom to improve on the Plan He has given us.

We COMMIT TO: the PRIORITY of our churches...and for our churches: what I mean by that is --

• Jesus Christ has placed HIS PRIORITY FOR THE WORK OF HIS KINGDOM on His churches...He gave His Commission to His churches and He works through His churches
  
• and the PRIORITY of His churches is THE MISSION HE HAS GIVEN US... and especially THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST...and establishing more churches to evangelize and train disciples to be obedient followers and servants of Jesus Christ -- nothing less...and nothing other than this.

We COMMIT TO: the PROMISE and the PROSPECTS for our churches and our missions endeavors: our PROSPECTS are nothing less than THE PROMISES JESUS CHRIST HAS GIVEN HIS CHURCHES, and that is, that the gates and defenses of Hell itself will not withstand, frustrate, or defeat us.

We COMMIT TO: the PROGRAM for our churches and missions endeavors: [PRO-GRAM simply means: what has been written before hand for us to follow...our agenda, manual, and instructions]. Our PROGRAM is THE WORD OF GOD and especially proclaiming THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST...and training the disciples of Jesus Christ to obey everything He has commanded us.

We COMMIT TO: the PROCESSES of our churches and missions endeavors: PROCESSES are METHODS FOR DOING WHAT WE DO. PROCESSES are ORGANIZED ACTIVITIES AND STEPS OF OBEDIENCE TO JESUS CHRIST. Jesus Christ has given us METHODS TO IMPLEMENT AND FOLLOW: namely,

• evangelism
  
• worship [loving reverence]
  
• discipleship
  
• fellowship, and
  
• service to Christ...and to each other...and to the world.

And another thing we COMMIT TO is: THE PASSION OF OUR CHURCHES for this mission and unfailing plan Jesus Christ has given us. We are sure that JESUS CHRIST IS STILL AS PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS GREAT COMMISSION HE GAVE US AS HE WAS WHEN HE FIRST COMMANDED IT. ARE WE?

And, this same Great Commission that He has given us to carry on is THE SAME GREAT COMMISSION HE CAME TO EARTH TO FULFILL AND COMPLETE BY HIS OWN OBEDIENCE TO HIS FATHER.

It’s STILL...HIS GREAT COMMISSION!
And, It’s STILL...OUR GREAT COMMISSION!