Power for the Great Commission | Matthew 28:16-20

Mission Drift

The following is the original mission statement of a well-known university in this country:

“Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well the end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ, which is eternal life, and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning.”

Author Peter Greer writes, “Founded in 1636, this university employed exclusively Christian professors, emphasized character formation in its students above all else, and rooted all its policies and practices in a Christian worldview. This school served as a bastion of academic excellence and Christian distinction. This mission statement, however, is not from Dallas Theological Seminary. Neither is it from Wheaton College. It's from Harvard University—this statement described their founding mission. Harvard began as a school to equip ministers to share the Good News.”

Eighty years after its founding, Harvard had drifted significantly from its mission. In response, a group of concerned pastors in New England founded Yale University, resolved to avoid the kind of drift that ensnared Harvard. Today, Yale is obviously another victim of mission drift. “Mission Drift,” Greer writes, “unfolds slowly. Like a current, it carries organizations away from their core purpose and identity.”

Mission drift doesn’t just affect schools like Harvard and Yale or parachurch organizations like the Young Men’s Christian Association, today known simply as “The Y.” Mission drift is prevalent in churches as well. Today, mainline Protestant denominations—the denominations that historically made up the majority of Christians in America—have drifted into “progressive theology.” They have abandoned the authority of Scripture and compromised the gospel. The Evangelical Lutheran Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ, and most recently the United Methodist Church all permit openly gay clergy members.

Why does mission drift happen? Peter Greer observes:

In physics, a theory for drift exists. The second law of thermodynamics states that in the natural order of the universe, things degenerate, rather than come together. For example, when a frying pan is taken off the stove, heat diffuses in the air, leaving the pan cooler. Unless heat is added—someone puts the frying pan back on the stove—it will cool and settle back to room temperature. … Here's the reality: Mission Drift is the natural course for organizations, and it takes focused attention to safeguard against it. Once an organization ignores its source of heat, drift is only a matter of time.

What will keep us and our children from the same drift? There is nothing inherently special or unique about Sovereign Grace Churches or Emmaus Road Church that will keep us from drifting. Unless heat is added—unless someone puts the frying pan back on the stove—it will cool to room temperature.

One way the Holy Spirit adds heat and keeps us from cooling is by reminding us of our King, our commission, and our confidence. That’s why, for the next three weeks, we’re going to dig into the Great Commission. This week, we’ll look at the power for the Great Commission. Next week, Jonathan Leslie will preach on the scope of the Great Commission. Then on September 1, I will preach on the task of the Great Commission.

Matthew 28:16–20

“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some 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 nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

Power for the Great Commission

The mission of the church is stated here in verse 19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” That is the main point of the passage and the mission of the church: make disciples. Surrounding this main command are several statements that clarify what the task of disciple-making looks like: going, baptizing, and teaching.

We’ll come back to that task in a couple of weeks. For now, pay attention to the scene. Verse 16 says, “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.” Matthew mentions that same instruction from Jesus to the disciples in verses 7 and 10. This was not a spontaneous gathering, but a pre-arranged appointment. It’s likely that this was the occasion Paul spoke of when he said that the risen Christ “appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time” (1 Corinthians 15:6). All of that seems to indicate that this is, in the words of Charles Spurgeon, “the one general assembly of his Church on earth before he ascended to his Father. Those who gathered were, therefore, a representative company; and the words addressed to them were spoken to the one Church of Jesus Christ throughout all time.”

But consider the contrast between the apparent insignificance of that crowd gathered on a mountain in Galilee and the enormity of the task assigned to them. One commentator observes: “It is the sublimest of all spectacles to see the Risen Christ without money or army or state charging this band of five hundred men and women with world conquest / and bring them to believe it possible / and to undertake it with serious passion and power.” How does Jesus do that? By the power of his word.

The Holy Spirit uses these words to guard the Church in each generation from mission drift. And that’s my aim today: to remind this church of our mission, to convince you that it’s possible, and to motivate you to undertake it with passion and power.

And that power comes from the two realities that bookend the charge to disciple the nations. The Great Commission begins (v. 18), “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” And it ends (v. 20), “Behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.”

These two truths function like the twin rocket boosters. NASA’s new Space Launch System “is a super heavy-lift rocket” designed for deep space exploration, capable of launching craft, crew, and cargo beyond Earth orbit. The launch system includes twin boosters that stand 17 stories high and weigh 1.6 million pounds each. Each booster burns 6 tons of solid propellant every second and generates up to 3.6 million pounds of thrust.

The opening and closing statements from Jesus function like that. They provide the powerful thrust needed to overcome the gravitational pull of fears, doubts, excuses, and unbelief that keep the Church from engaging in Christ’s mission.

In both assertions, Jesus locates all of the focus and all of the hope in himself. This is crystal clear in Greek. In verse 18, the phrase “given to me” is placed at the very front for emphasis. A literal translation would be, “Given to me was all authority in heaven and on earth.” Verse 20 also emphasizes the person of Jesus. In Greek, it’s possible to use a verb without a pronoun to communicate the meaning, “I am with you.” But Matthew records the pronoun and the verb, literally, “I with you I am.” It’s like saying emphatically, “I myself am with you.”

That is, the successful fulfillment of the Great Commission rests—not on the ability or courage or strategy of the Church—but on the universal power and unending presence of Jesus.

The Universal Power of Christ

Look again at the command in v. 19: “Go therefore and make disciples.” As they say, “When you see a therefore, ask what it’s there for.” Therefore indicates that the logical basis for the command is found in the preceding truth (v. 18): “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples ….” The universal power of Christ is the reason the Church can and must go make disciples. It is the universal power of Christ that propels the Church to disciple the nations.

Throughout his ministry, Jesus demonstrated divine authority. He taught “as one who had authority” (Matt 7:29). He exercised the authority to forgive sins (Matt 9:6), which belongs to God alone. He displayed authority over unclean spirits and authority to heal the sick (Matt 10:1).

But now, Jesus claims all authority in heaven and on earth. Does this claim to “all authority” differ from the authority he exercised before? Yes! When the Son of God came to earth, he came in weakness to suffer for our sins. “He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:2–3). But his sacrifice for sin was sufficient; it is finished. Now he is risen and exalted, never to suffer humiliation again.

Now Jesus claims exhaustive and limitless authority: “All authority.” Jesus does not limit his claim of authority to certain aspects or spheres of life. He doesn’t say, “All spiritual authority belongs to me, but political authorities may continue in their idolatry and blasphemy, their violence and injustice.” He doesn’t say, “The church and the home are mine, but culture and state must remain neutral and secular.”

Just the opposite! He asserts that his authority is comprehensive, and the realm of his dominion is universal: “All authority in heaven and on earth.” You must not think, as some professing Christians do, that Jesus limits his authority to heaven and will not (or cannot) exercise authority on earth until he returns. Jesus claimed that his authority is just as legitimate and effective on earth today as it is in heaven. He is not lacking any title, any right, or any resource necessary to bring about the conversion of the nations in history—nations that he purchased with his blood. 

Many Christians misunderstand Jesus’ words in John 18:36, where he says, “My kingdom is not of this world.” That does not mean his kingdom has nothing to do with this world. It means his kingdom does not operate by the principles and priorities of this world. Nor does he derive his authority from the world or anyone in the world.

Jesus gave the Great Commission on a mountain in Galilee. Mountains in general are significant in Scripture (e.g., Eden, Moriah, Sinai, Zion, etc.). A mountain is an exalted place that represents contact between heaven and earth. 

This mountain in particular contributes to the significance of the Great Commission. There are seven mountains in the Gospel of Matthew, and there is a connection—a contrast—between the first mountain and the last mountain. The first mountain was the Mount of Temptation, where, “The devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me’” (Matthew 4:8–9). There, the devil tempted Jesus by offering him world dominion in exchange for disobedience to God.

The last mountain is the mountain in Galilee, where Jesus gave the Great Commission and claimed that he had been given “all authority in heaven and on earth” as a result of his perfect obedience to the Father.

The temptation was a real offer of worldly and demonic power. The source was Satan. The condition was blasphemy, idolatry, and disobedience. And the motive was pride. All this Jesus rejected.

Instead, Jesus trusted and obeyed his Father and completed his redemptive work on earth. He conquered sin, death, and the devil. And now, after rising from the dead, Jesus claims, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” 

Given by whom? Not by a majority of voters in a democratic election. Not permission granted by any legislature or monarch. Not by demonic powers. Given by God the Father.

Jesus’ won his cosmic crown through suffering for the sins of the world: “At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see … Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:8–9).

And Christ was crowned with universal power when he rose from the dead: “[Jesus] was declared [i.e., appointed, designated] to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead” (Rom 1:4).

Christ existed as the Son of God in glory forever, but he was crowned as King of the world at his resurrection. That’s when he ascended the throne and took office as God’s Anointed King.

The universal power of Christ fuels the Church’s passion and power for mission. Ken Gentry remarks, “What are the powers of mortal men or even of infernal Hell against such authority?” Jesus claims this universal authority, not only to justify his right to commission his Church, but to remove from his Church all fear and hesitation. The Church is authorized to assert Jesus’ crown rights over all creation and in every area of life.

That means you need not be ashamed of Christ or the Gospel. In fact, as a Church, we must assume the center. Assuming the center means speaking and living like the ways of Jesus and the word of God are normal and good and right and everyone else is crazy. It means bearing witness to Jesus without faltering and hesitating, without apologizing and qualifying everything. Assuming the center means believing and living like the center of human history is the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is another powerful promise that propels the Church to disciple nations.

The Unending Presence of Christ

Matthew’s account of Jesus’ life and work on earth ends with Jesus’ final words in the Great Commission: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (v. 20). This promise begins with the emphatic, “Behold,” or look. With this word, Jesus graciously directs his disciples to pay attention. He doesn’t just make a promise; he highlights and underscores it to strengthen our faith.

And what does he say? “I am with you.” Not, “I will be with you,” but, “I am with you.” This wording conveys greater certainty and assurance. The presence of Jesus with his Church throughout history is a continuation of the reality that began with his incarnation.  It’s as if he had said, “I am with you now and will be with you always, without pause or lapse or intermission.”

Too many Christians think there is a great lull between the First and Second Comings. But the eternal Son of God became a man, lived a sinless life on earth, bore our sins on the cross, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and remains with us by his Spirit.

Jesus was physically present on earth; he is now spiritually present with his Church. And do not make the mistake of thinking spiritual presence is a downgrade from physical presence. Spiritual does not mean imaginary. It means of the Spirit or by the Spirit.

So whatever you do, you must not think that Jesus is absent now. The difference between now and the Age to come is not the fact of Christ’s presence (as in absent now but present then). The difference is the form of his presence: spiritual now, physical and spiritual then. What makes the return of Christ so great is not that it marks the end of his absence, but that it marks the end of his conquest and the completion of his victory. 

As 1 Corinthians 15:24–26 says, “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”

This promise only gets better and better! “I am with you always.” Jesus promises to be with his Church at all times. The Greek literally says, “I am with you all the days.” “I will be with you each and every day.” Are your days ever mundane and monotonous? Are they ever stressful and exhausting? Christ promises to be with you every single day—in your good days and bad days, in fair weather and foul, in triumph and tragedy, through all the highs and lows of life.

It gets even better: Jesus could have just said, “I will be with you always,” but he adds, “until the end of the age.” Jesus promised his real spiritual presence to the church for all time. This is how we know that the Great Commission was given, not just to the first apostles only, but to us and to all believers throughout the Church Age, until the end. And this is how we know that no external opposition to the Church and no internal “mission drift” will ultimately thwart Jesus’ mission. In our Statement of Faith, we confess: “There will always be a gathering of believers on earth because the Lord promises to build, guide, and preserve his church to the end of the age.”

Jesus ended his commission with these words—“I am with you”—for a reason. Time and time again in Scripture, these are the very words God speaks to strengthen and embolden his fearful people. “Fear not, for I am with you” (Isa 41:10; cf. Isa 43:5, Jer 46:28). “I am with you” is the Divine assurance that cures fear and motivates faith and action. When my kids are frightened, there is one thing they want: mom or dad’s presence.

“I am with you” is more than an abstract theological fact—that God is omnipresent. It is the assurance of God’s favor and blessing: “I am for you.” It is the assurance of God’s help: “You are not alone.” “I am with you” is God’s answer to all your doubts and fears.

This promise also assures us that Christ himself will accomplish his mission. Matthew Henry says that Jesus promised his presence “to succeed this great undertaking; ‘Lo, I am with you, to make your ministry effectual for the discipling of the nations, for the pulling down of the strong holds of Satan, and the setting up of stronger for the Lord Jesus.’ It was an unlikely thing that they should unhinge national constitutions in religion, and turn the stream of so long a usage; that they should establish a doctrine so directly contrary to the genius of the age, and persuade people to become the disciples of a crucified Jesus; but lo, I am with you, and therefore you shall gain your point.”

And John Calvin explained the sense of this promise:

 “It is as if he had said, that though the ministers of the gospel be weak and suffer the want of all things, he will be their guardian, so that they will rise victorious over all the opposition of the world. In like manner, experience clearly shows in the present day, that the operations of Christ are carried on wonderfully in a secret manner, so that the gospel surmounts innumerable obstacles.”

Just consider the effect of the Great Commission on human history from this scene in Galilee to today. The crowd on the mountain in Galilee may have been as large as 500 disciples. Here we are today, one small local church of 500 people in Sioux Falls, SD. Today, the gospel has been proclaimed around the globe. Of the 2.5 billion people on earth who call themselves Christians, we don’t know how many are genuine, born-again disciples of Jesus and not just nominal Christians.

But think of it this way: Are there more or less disciples of Jesus Christ on earth today than there were on the mountain in Galilee? Safe to say there are more. A few more or a lot more? Millions, maybe even billions more! All because Christ is present with his Church.

Who rules the world?

You can test your understanding of and confidence in these two pillars of the Great Commission by answering this question: Who rules the world right now? 

Many Christians think the answer is Satan. They believe Jesus will come back someday and begin to reign then. But right now, Satan is the ruler of the world.

Jesus does call Satan “the ruler of the world” in John’s gospel. But look at what he says: “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.” (John 12:31). And, “[The Helper] will convict the world … concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” (John 16:8, 11). Jesus came to vanquish the ruler of the world by his death and to claim his crown by his resurrection. 

Just ask Jesus who rules the world: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18)

The defeat of Satan has massive implications for the fulfillment of the Great Commission:

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended.” — ​

—Revelation 20:1–3

I believe that is the reality that has been true throughout the Church Age, from Pentecost to the present day. Christ triumphed over sin and death and the devil and he was granted all authority. He bound the dragon, that ancient serpent, the devil.

This does not mean the devil was exterminated. It says Satan was bound, and that binding has a specific effect: “so that he might not deceive the nations any longer.” Once, he was permitted to deceive the nations, but now that Christ has been given all authority, there’s a new sheriff in town. No longer can the devil prevent the successful evangelization of the world. As Jesus said in Mark 3:27, he came to bind the strong man and plunder his house.

If you struggle with this, ask yourself this: Does Satan have to be physically present in order to exercise real power and influence for evil on earth today? Then why would Jesus Christ, who is stronger and who has more authority than Satan, be unable to assert his power over the nations until he returns bodily? Nothing is lacking for the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Jesus has the authority to carry it out and is present with his Church to see it through.

Conclusion

So what will keep the Church from Mission Drift? The Lord Jesus Christ himself. 

What will keep Emmaus Road Church from Mission Drift? Not our good intentions or our resolve, but faith alone in Christ alone—that Christ is the rightful King of heaven and earth right now and that he is present with us now and always.

A Mission True church is convinced of these two truths. May we be a church fully convinced that Christ is King and that Christ is here. And may our children and our children’s children hold that confidence to the end of the age. Amen.