When we refer to the Great Commission of Jesus, it is normal for us to refer to the test in Matthew 28:19-20 as our reference. I want for us to spend some time looking at the Great Commission from Luke 24:44-49 text.
44He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." 45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
We are living in one of the most exciting periods in history. The challenge of missionary enterprise has never been as exciting as the present. Doors that were shut a decade ago are beginning to open in various countries signalling the ushering in of a new day for the gospel.
Whilst doors are opening on the one hand, we see on the other hand, the turmoil, civil unrest, terrorist threats hitting many countries together with famine, and natural catastrophe on the rise. People are dying without hearing the message of the gospel.
Two thousand years ago, as the disciples gathered in fellowship, the resurrected Christ appeared to them. It was an event of great historical significance. It was an event where Jesus himself inscribed in their very hearts a mandate they were never to forget. He commanded them to preach repentence and forgiveness in His name to all the nations.
The mandate is still ours. It may be a two thousand year old mandate, but it is still ours today. Two thousand years have passed by, yet there are still millions who have not yet heard of the gospel. Significant portions of the world are yet to be evangelised.
Jesus gave His church the command to proclaim the good news of the gospel to all the world. We have been slow in dispatching the message to the world.
It is like the story of this girl in Bedfordshire, England, who in 1910 mailed a postcard to her sweetheart in Clifton, fifteen miles away. The postcard arrived in 1966, but her sweetheart had died in 1929. "Fifty-six years for the delivery of this lost mail is a record for the post office," said a postal official.
As we look at this text, we ask the question, "What is God saying to us about proclaiming His name to all the nations? It seems to me that God wants us to note three important directives.
The first is this. If the world is to hear the Gospel, there must be a starting point. Repentance and forgiveness must be our starting point. Jesus said,"Repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations."
If repentance and forgiveness is to be proclaimed, it must first be experienced. The carriers of the gospel message must themselves experience repentance and forgiveness. If the church community does not understand the meaning of repentance and forgiveness, they would not be able to communicate them effectively.
It is perhaps, for this reason, that few are those who would respond to carry the message to the ends of the earth. Jesus had predicted in Matthew 9:37, that this would be so. He said,"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest."
Many of us are too blind to see our need for repentance and too arrogant to realize our need for forgiveness. It is for this reason that 2 Chronicles 7:14 says it all,"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
To repent is to turn around. It is turning away from sin and moving in the direction of God. As repentance is exercised, forgiveness is experienced.
To repent and turn around is a humbling experience. God needs humble people to represent him in our hard and unrepentant world. People must experience a turn around in their lives. They must also receive the forgiveness of God and be set free to serve.
At 3.00 am one cold morning a missionary candidate walked into an office for a scheduled interview with the examiner of a mission board. He waited until 8.00 am when the examiner arrived.
The examiner said, "Let us begin, First, please spell baker, "B-a-k-e-r". the young man spelled. "Very good! Now, let's see what you know about figures. How much is twice two?" "Four", replied the applicant. "Very good," the examiner said. "I'll recommend to the board tomorrow that you be appointed. You have passed the test".
At the board meeting the examiner spoke highly of the applicant and said, "he has all the qualifications of a missionary. Let me explain.
First, I tested him on self-denial. I told him to be at my house at three in the morning. He left warm bed and came out in the cold without a word of complaint.
Second, I tried him out on punctuality. He appeared on time.
Third, I examined him on patience. I made him wait five hours to see me, after telling him to come at three.
Fourth, I tested him on temper. He failed to show any sign of it; he didn't even question my delay.
Fifth, I tried his humility. I asked him questions that a small child could answer, and he showed no offense. He meets the requirements and will make the missionary we need."
Humility is an important quality in being a missionary. It is a person who understands the dimensions of repentance and forgiveness who would be able to effectively communicate power of God's love.
Secondly, if the world is to hear the gospel, there must be a starting place. If repentance and forgiveness is the starting point, then Jerusalem is the starting place. Jesus said,"... repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem" (v.44) There must be a place where it all happens. What is the starting place for you?
Obviously, your starting place is where the action is. For most of us, it is where the church is planted. It is my conviction, that if a church is unable to handle evangelism in the neighbourhood where it resides and be the Jerusalem, it would have problems handling the work of missions anywhere.
If Christians in our churches develop a heart of compassion for those around the church, they would also have a heart of compassion for those across the seas.
We must not forget "Jerusalem". Some of us rather go overseas to do missions when missions can be done right at the doorsteps of our church. Our churches are not growing, not because of a lack of people wanting to share the gospel. Hence Jerusalem is an important starting point.
This is well echoed in Acts 1:8 where Jesus said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. "There is here an outward thrust in widening circles beginning first in Jerusalem.
A boy listened attentively as his Sunday School teacher drew two circles on a chart to show the number of Christians and the number of non-Christians in the world. The circle of non-Christians was much larger.
When the boy prayed that night he said, "Dear Jesus, when I grow up and become a man, help me to make the Christian circle larger and the non-Christian circle smaller".
Thirdly, if the world is to hear the gospel, there must not only be a starting point or a starting place but there must also be a starting aid. Jesus said, "See, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:48-49)
The disciples stayed in Jerusalem in anticipation of Jesus' promise. On the day of Pentecost, God unleashed His power over His disciples through the baptism of the Holy Spirit and Jerusalem was blessed.
The disciples recognised the aid that was promised by Jesus and took advantage of the enabling made available to bless Jerusalem. God does not leave us powerless. He enables us to do His bidding. He gives to us His Holy Spirit to make a difference.
Conclusion:
In every mission endeavour, there is a starting point, a starting place and a starting aid. Let us take cognizance of them and stay the course. We get sidetracked so easily. The Apostle Paul was never like that. He was completely focused.
The apostle Paul was perhaps one of the greatest travelers of his day. he visited many lands and saw many new scenes in different countries. When he returned, he wrote a good deal; his Epistle was widely read by the early churches. And yet, in all the writings of the apostle, there is not one line that is descriptive of the scenery of the countries through which he passed; not a line telling of the wonders of the architecture of his day; not a line describing the customs of the people.
There is a reason for this. The apostle was "blind" to other things. As he traveled about he was blind to all things but one. On the way to Damascus, when he met the Lord Jesus, He was blinded by the vision of His great glory, and from that time he could see nothing but Him and tell of nothing but His Gospel.
What is God saying to you about sharing the Gospel to the ends of the earth?
What is God saying to you about your Starting Point?
What is God saying to you about your Starting Place?
What is God saying to you about your Starting Aid?
LET'S GO IN BOLDNESS TO PROCLAIM HIS NAME. LET GOD BE GLORIFIED!
-Rev Dr Isaac Lim
