The Great Commission

Jesus gave His great commission to His disciples before ascending into heaven in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 

Matthew 28:19-20:

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." 

Mark 16:15-18

"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues...." 

Luke 24:47-49

"And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." 

John 20:22-23

"Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." 

Jesus sent out His disciples. Matthew -go and teach; Mark -go and preach the gospel; Luke -go and preach repentance and remission of sins; John -go with the message of peace/reconciliation.

Jesus commissioned them to baptize in His name for the remission of sins. Matthew -there is one name in baptism; Mark -baptism saves; Luke -there is remission of sins through His name; John -peace (reconciliation) and authority to remit sins by baptism.

Matthew -the Holy Ghost is Jesus; Mark -the Holy Ghost comes with the sound of tongues; Luke -the Holy Ghost is the promise and would come with power; John -the Holy Ghost would come like breath and needs to be received.

The Great Commission began its fulfillment in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. On that day, the Holy Ghost was first poured out, the gospel was preached, and souls were baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins. (Acts 2:1-41).

For we are not ignorant of his devices

The Bible says that Satan has evil schemes to outsmart us, but we are familiar with them.

One of these schemes is unforgiveness. 

When we repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of our sins, Jesus has forgiven us of all our sins. Instead of requiring justice, Jesus has erased them from our account. In order for us to keep our sins erased from our account, we must forgive likewise. Complete forgiveness is when we ask God to erase from their account what someone has done to us.

This is the kind of forgiveness that Jesus gave when he was dying on the cross.

"And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. 

“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. 

“And they parted his raiment, and cast lots." - Luke 23:33-34 KJV 

Stephen also gave complete forgiveness. 

"And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. 

“Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen." - Acts 6:8-9 KJV

These men falsely accused Stephen, stirred up the people, brought him before the council, then set up false witnesses against him. (Acts 6:11-14).

"Then said the high priest, Are these things so?" - Acts 7:1 KJV

Stephen then testified. (Acts 7:2-53). 

The council was furious, stoning Stephen to death.

“And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. 

“And when he had said this, he fell asleep [died]." - Acts 7:60 KJV

Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth,

"To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices." - 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 KJV

Sunday - the First Day of the Week

Sunday is the first day of the week. It is the day we assemble for church. 

What happened in the Bible on Sunday, the first day of the week?

"And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. ... And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." - Genesis 1:3, 5 

"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." - 2 Corinthians 4:6 

When God was manifest in flesh to die for the sins of the world, He brought mercy and came as the light.

“In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” – John 1:4

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." - John 8:12 

It was on the first day of the week (Sunday) that Jesus was resurrected. 

"Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils." - Mark 16:9 

"Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you." - John 20:19 

"And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you." - John 20:26 

The early church assembled together on Sunday, the first day of the week. (1Corinthians 16:2).

"And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight." - Acts 20:7 

The church today continues to assemble together on Sunday, the first day of the week. 

"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." - Hebrews 10:25 

Church!

The Shield of Faith

Part 2

The Bible says we have an enemy, the devil, but Jesus gives us the victory over him.

The Bible says that the devil has strategies, but we are not ignorant of his evil schemes. (Ephesians 6:10-11, 2 Corinthians 2:10-11). 

Jesus equips us with His name, the power of His blood, His Spirit, and His armor. Jesus equips us with these things when we are baptized in the name of Jesus, and filled with His Spirit. (Acts 2:38, Ephesians 10-20). 

Another part of our armor is the shield of faith. Jesus gives us armor to shield us from satan’s attacks – the fiery darts of the wicked.

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." - Ephesians 6:16 KJV

We build up the shield of our faith by praying in the Holy Ghost. (Praying in tongues).

"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost," - Jude 1:20 KJV

Praying in the Holy Ghost is also called praying in the Spirit. (Praying in tongues).

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;" - Ephesians 6:18 KJV

The The Gospel is a Message of Mercy

The Gospel is a message of mercy –

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." - Romans 1:16 

Our Father, the Creator of the universe, made Himself a temple of a human body to be born, to walk among His creation, to die on a tree, and to rise from the grave the third day.

"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?" - John 14:9 

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. ... But he spake of the temple of his body." - John 2:19, 21 

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." - Acts 20:28 

As the final sacrifice for our sins, He made peace between Himself and humanity.

"And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." - Colossians 1:20 

"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." - 2 Corinthians 5:19 

We receive God’s mercy by obeying the Gospel.

"But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:" - 2 Timothy 1:10 

The Gospel is obeyed by repentance, water baptism in Jesus name for the remission of sins, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

"For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39 

The Arm of the Lord

Throughout the Old Testament the arm of the Lord represents God's power, especially God’s redeeming power. 

"Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:" - Exodus 6:6 

Then, Isaiah prophesied of the arm of the Lord bringing a much greater redemption. God would redeem all mankind out of the bondage of sin and death. (Hebrews 2:14-15).

"And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him." - Isaiah 59:16  

Because there was no man without  sin to redeem man, God Himself would manifest Himself in flesh - the arm of the Lord revealed - to die for our sins, (Acts 20:28, 2Corinthians 5:19).

"The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." - Isaiah 52:10 

When we read Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 53, we see the arm of the Lord revealed is Christ.

"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? ...He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief... he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." - Isaiah 53:1, 3, 5 

In the New Testament, Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled.

"But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: that the saying of Esaias [Isaiah] the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?" - John 12:37-38 

"But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias [Isaiah] saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?" - Romans 10:16 KJV

Part 2 The Comforter ... The Defense Attorney

Part 2 of The Comforter… The Defense Attorney

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." - John 16:7

"When we repent of our sins, and are baptized in Jesus name for the remission of our sins, we too can receive the Comforter –  the Spirit of Jesus in us.

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." - John 14:26

Satan does not want souls to be forgiven of their sins. This is why satan does not want people to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus: he does not want the blood of Jesus that brings forgiveness to be applied to our lives.

Satan does not want people to receive the Holy Ghost because he does not want them to have the power to resist sin and stay in God’s mercy.

Satan wants a person to pay the price of their sin. Those that have obeyed the gospel and have had their sins forgiven, he still accuses. He brings up the sins of their past and does not want to recognize that the blood of Jesus has washed away their sins.,, 

Satan is “the accuser of our brethren.”

"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." - Revelation 12:10

The word “satan” is Hebrew for “Prosecutor.” Satan brings charges against people, accusing them of their sins.

The word “Comforter” means “Counsel for Defense.” (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon) The Comforter (the Holy Ghost/Jesus in us) defends us from the Prosecutor’s accusations.

"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:" - John 15:26

The Holy Ghost – Jesus in us as the Comforter - our Counsel for Defense - "pleads the blood" reminding satan that our sins are forgiven and he has nothing to accuse us with!