THE GREAT COMMISSION

1
THE GREAT COMMISSION

• The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all
  that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the
  day in which He was taken up, after He through
  the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the
  apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also
  presented Himself alive after His suffering by
  many infallible proofs, being seen by them during
  forty days and speaking of the things pertaining
  to the kingdom of God. (Acts 11-3)

The author of the book of Acts, here, refers to
his earlier work, which is known to us as the
gospel according to Luke. The commandments are
known collectively as the great commission. Let
us examine the commission, that we may see why it
is great, and what its commandments are.
2
MATTHEW 2818-20

• And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, All
  authority has been given to Me in heaven and in
  earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the
  nations, baptizing them in the name of the
  Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
  teaching them to observe all things that I have
  commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even
  to the end of the age.
• Make disciples of all nations
• Baptizing them the disciples
• Teaching them the disciples to observe all
  things

3
MARK 1615-16

• And He said to them, Go into all the world and
  preach the gospel to every creature. He who
  believes and is baptized will be saved but he
  who does not believe will be con-demned.
• Preach the gospel to every creature
• He every creature who believes and is baptized
  will be saved
• He every creature who does not believe will be
  con-demned

4
LUKE 2446-48

• Then He said to them, Thus it is written, and
  thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer
  and to rise from the dead the third day, and that
  repentance and remission of sins should be
  preached in His name to all nations, beginning at
  Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these
  things.
• Repentance and remission of sins to be preached
• Apostles were to testify of the gospel facts

5
JOHN 2023

• If you forgive the sins of any, they are
  forgiven them if you retain the sins of any,
  they are retained.
• If the apostles have forgiven your sins they are
  forgiven.
• Otherwise they are retained.

6
COMPOSITE ACCOUNT

• The apostles were to make disciples by preaching,
  teaching and testifying concerning the facts of
  the gospel primarily, the death, burial and
  resurrection of Jesus Christ, the commands of
  the gospel belief, repentance and baptism and
  the promise of the gospel remission of sins.
• Those who believed the facts and obeyed the
  commands would receive the promise.
• Those who did not believe the facts or who did
  not obey the commands would not receive the
  promise.

7
ACTS 222-42

• Peter testified regarding the facts of the gospel
  in order to make disciples. (verses 22-36)
• Some of the people believed the facts and asked
  about the commands they became disciples.
  (verse 37)
• Peter preached repentance and remission of sins.
  (verse 38)
• Peter put baptism between repentance and
  remission of sins. (verse 38)
• 3,000 obeyed the commands. (verses 39-41)
• The apostles continued to teach them. (verse 42)