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  THE GREAT COMMISSION AND THE 21ST CENTURY CHURCH
  by Keith Malcomson
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Summary: This sermon emphasizes the importance of the Great Commission
in the 21st century church, focusing on the need for believers to be
empowered by the Holy Spirit to evangelize and spread the gospel. It
highlights the distractions of focusing too much on Bible prophecy or
other issues, urging believers to prioritize preaching repentance,
remission of sins, and being witnesses for Christ. The sermon calls for
a revival of evangelism, a rediscovery of the true gospel message, and a
commitment to fulfilling the Great Commission with power and assurance.

Topics: "Great Commission", "Empowerment by the Holy Spirit"
Scripture References: Matthew 28:18, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:46, John 20:21, Acts 1:6

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DESCRIPTION
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This sermon emphasizes the importance of the Great Commission in the
21st century church, focusing on the need for believers to be empowered
by the Holy Spirit to evangelize and spread the gospel. It highlights
the distractions of focusing too much on Bible prophecy or other issues,
urging believers to prioritize preaching repentance, remission of sins,
and being witnesses for Christ. The sermon calls for a revival of
evangelism, a rediscovery of the true gospel message, and a commitment
to fulfilling the Great Commission with power and assurance.

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CONTENT
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Praise the Lord. I want you to turn with me here this morning to Matthew
and chapter 28, the last chapter of Matthew's gospel. We're continuing
with the 21st century church.

I believe there are many scriptures written very clearly that depict
what the church is going to look like in the last generation at the end,
just before Jesus comes back. This is not just applying all of scripture
to us at the end, but I believe they reveal something very notable about
the last church or the last chapter of church history. When you begin to
read Acts chapter 1, you begin into the beginning of the early history
of the church, and yet we read a very remarkable thing in Acts chapter
1. This was at the end of Jesus being on the earth for 40 days
physically in his resurrected body with a small remnant of the church
that were going to be his vessel upon the earth.

And listen to what it says concerning those last 40 days that Christ was
with them in the it says in Acts chapter 1 and verse 2, until the day in
which he was taken up after that, he through the Holy Ghost had given
commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen, to whom also he
showed himself alive after his passion or after his death by many
infallible proofs and speaking the things pertaining to the kingdom of
God. Now it says here clearly that during those last 40 days that Christ
was with the apostles and with the disciples and he gave them during
that time many commandments, and in fact he spoke many things pertaining
to the kingdom of God. Now all through my Christian life I have heard
many say we wish that it was written down what he spoke to the disciples
during those 40 days.

We wish we were there. We wish we knew all of this teaching during those
last 40 days when he was doing miracles and giving them specific
commands. Do you know we do know and in fact in five distinct places we
have clear commands that were given during that 40 days that are utterly
unique.

We're not left in the dark as to what the teaching of the kingdom of God
was or these commands were to the disciples and that's what we're going
to deal with here this morning and I hope and pray that your hearts will
be opened by the grace of God. This is part 11 of our message on the
21st century church and this is my title here this morning. The great
commission on the 21st century church.

Will you pray with me? Sorry we're going to read and then you can pray
with me but Matthew chapter 28 reading from verse 16. Then the 11
disciples went away into Galilee into a mountain where Jesus had
appointed them and when they saw him they worshipped him but some
doubted and Jesus came and speak unto them saying all power is given
unto me in heaven and in earth 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 though I am with you always even unto the end of the world amen
father we thank you for the word of God the clarity of it and father
these things that you instructed the disciples in during those 40 days
in your resurrected bodies doing many miracles many signs that could not
be argued against or disputed or disproved father I pray that those
clear commands those clear teachings that you imparted as the kingdom of
God clear commands that you gave to the apostles and to the early church
father I pray that you'd open them up reveal them make them very clear
and Lord God inscribe them in our heart that we would never be free of
these words that these words would dominate this church dominate the
preaching in this pulpit dominate the evangelism dominate our life and
work in home and family in this city we bless you and we praise you and
we ask of you by the power of your holy spirit that you'd inscribe them
and write them upon our heart in Jesus mighty name amen here in Matthew
28 what we've just read has become well known in the church as the great
commission my message is the great commission and the 21st century
church I believe without the great commission we have no future in this
century I believe we've got to rediscover the great commission again in
this decade of this century I believe it's vital to the health the
wealth and prosperity of the church and I'm not talking about the
prosperity message I'm talking about the normal healthy function of the
new new testament church I believe the great commission I'm persuaded of
this is mostly forgotten neglected not taught not even understood not
believed and certainly is not expounded in the teaching of the church of
this generation we're going to see that the great commission was the
church's marching orders it was the last command of christ on earth to
the church and believe me he doesn't like his orders changed the church
of our generation changes it reinvents the commission or tries to
organize strategize invent something unique that no other church has I
want to tell you that's a fallacy that is a heresy and it's very
dangerous we have one great commission we have one last command of the
Lord Jesus Christ it was a divine command it was from God not a human
institution not a human headquarters not a denomination my headquarters
is not in Rome neither is it in Beaumont London Dublin or anywhere else
I tell you there's only one HQ for the real church and it's at the right
hand of the father his name is the Lord Jesus Christ he is the head of
the church he commissions the church he lives in the church and he goes
to work with the church Jesus Christ placed the entire responsibility of
world evangelization upon the shoulders of a small band of believers who
had all failed them at some point they fell asleep in the prayer meeting
they ran when persecuted they stumbled in obedience and yet Christ lays
upon them the full weight and responsibility to go and reach all nations
with the gospel if they fail the church fails and the commission fails
and Christ fails in his work and yet he lays upon the small band in
Jerusalem it's your responsibility to reach every single nation every
creature in every single generation until I return again would you have
chosen this fan would you have chosen Thomas for this great task would
you have chosen Peter who's just denied you three times even with curse
and oath to a little maid who said I know you're one of those Galileans
I recognize your accent I know you're one of his fan and yet he said I
don't know him would you have chosen a Peter would you have chosen a
John would you have chosen the likes of these to begin to be the vessel
the instrument of the great commission if we are sensible we wouldn't
and yet Christ chose them and he commissioned them to preach the gospel
to all nations in the beginning the first century or in the book of Acts
the church was a mission society it actually moved cooperatively as a
unified body under the instructions of the great commission they
actually believed this commission acted upon it prayed according to it
and stepped out believing that Christ would be there with power the
early church added to its numbers mainly by the life and the speech of
its individual rank and file normal members that sat in the church men
women children old young that was the body of Christ the early church
was a missionary church its vision came from the great commission its
actions came from the great commissions all of poured out of the great
commission each local church had a worldwide vision not just a local
vision each local church each of the five ministries that God ordained
in the church not just the apostle not just the missionary not just an
evangelist every ministry in the local church was consumed with the
great commission they had an awareness this was the command of Christ to
every member of the church to every church wherever it's established to
every generation now when we come to the bible we find the great
commission given five distinct clear times we find it at the end of each
of the four gospels the gospel never finishes until Christ gives a clear
commission to the church then the book of acts church history does not
begin without the great commission being given at the beginning of it
and so we have five statements of the great commission written by four
different men at four different times now listen up there's five
distinct records of the commission but but two of these speak of one of
the times which means there's four occasions that Christ actually
specifically gave the commission when did Christ give the commission it
was during these 40 days the first time he gives it is on the first of
those 40 days at the beginning of the 40 days at his resurrection when
he first appeared alive he gave the commission 40 days later when he's
about to ascend to heaven he again gives the commission so from
beginning to end his command is the great commission as soon as he rose
from the dead he commissioned them as soon as he's about to leave them
he commissions them i believe this is the dominating message of the 40
days of Jesus Christ let me just point out briefly to you these four
incidents in the time scale because i'm going to go to the five records
of it and simply expand them to you but i'm not going to do them in time
scale sequence but i'm going to give you the time sequence now very
briefly before we go to them first of all on that first day after
Christ's resurrection it was at Jerusalem on the day of his resurrection
and he appeared unto the 10 disciples you remember Thomas wasn't there
Judas had committed suicide and they were yet to appoint someone to
replace him so the 10 were gathered there and scripture says that many
others many other men many other women were also there when Christ
revealed himself that was the first commission and it's given in Luke 24
and in John 20 those two incidents of Luke 24 and John 20 happen at the
same time in the same place though they're in two different books given
in two different ways that is the first commission at the beginning of
the 40 days the second time happens one week later and notice these
first two times were on Sunday the first day of the week the first time
he meets with them is on the first day of the week the day of his
resurrection they're all gathered together he meets with them and he
commissions them one week later it's again the Sunday he didn't meet
with them on the two first Sabbaths he met with them on the first two
Sundays so the second time was eight days sorry seven days later and the
11 were there now Thomas is actually in the midst this is recorded in
Mark chapter 16 and John chapter 20 at the beginning of it the third
time he appears unto the 11 on mount on the mount of let me say that
again he appears to the 11 on a mountain in Galilee you find this in
Matthew 28 where we've just read so this is the third time in a 40-day
period that he appears to them and gives them a clear commission and
this was most likely when above 500 brethren saw him that's recorded in
1 Corinthians 15 and 6 so many others are there when Christ is
commissioning them not just the 11 not just the apostles but it was many
other believers and then the fourth and last time we find in Acts
chapter 1 and verse 12 and this happens on the Mount of Olives at the
time of his ascension and so from this you see four specific occasions
that he gives a clear commission that we now call the joint together
great commission for the church you see I've lived my entire life from a
child here in the church what is your vision for your life what is your
gift and what is your calling and I've never heard the right answer yet
and then for churches all through my life I'm sick to death with it each
church has a special unique vision that's like no one else well God
spoke to me and this is the vision for our church what's the vision for
your church and what's the vision for your ministry I actually believe
most of this is confusion there is one commission there is one vision
there is one calling on the church it is absolutely clear and this ought
to be the drumbeat to the church of the Jesus Christ whether you're an
apostle an evangelist or a pastor whether we as a local church are in
Limerick or Australia or Canada or India or Africa it doesn't matter
there is one condition there's one commission culture doesn't affect
that money doesn't affect that numbers don't affect that there is one
commission it doesn't matter your personal circumstance you have got one
dominating command and saints can I ask you are you carrying the great
commission in your heart do you know it do you believe it do you love it
does it drive your calling in your home raising kids do you know this
great commission affects a mother raising children at home do you
realize that affects you in the workplace no matter what your work is
whether in chemistry or school education this great commission ought to
affect that it doesn't matter what your ministry in the church is
whether I'm to stand here and teach the word of God week in week out or
you're to stand on the high street to stand up on a Saturday afternoon
and preach the gospel all of this is the great commission the great
commission isn't limited to telling someone the ABC you must be born
again that is not the great commission that is only a part of it the
great commission is not becoming a missionary to go to Africa although I
think England needs it more than Africa today or to Asia or to the
Amazon jungle we think the great commit I'm fulfilling the great
commission I'll go to the Amazon jungle do you realize that is an utter
misunderstanding of the great commission when you put it afar off to a
unique ministry or position or something that doesn't affect your life
here and now let me in the light of that bring you to these five clear
statements about the great commission this commission is personally to
you you are not free from it if you're born again this is Christ's only
commission to you you may do many different unique things you may have a
unique aspect within that but there's only one overriding commission you
must not change that you must not neglect it and one day Christ is going
to say did you fulfill it it could be to lead one soul to Christ or it
could be to evangelize an entire nation but you will be asked mothers
Christ is going to say did you fulfill a great commission with those
children with those grandchildren do you realize it's for them you you
know that we had someone coming here once trying to drag people out to
send them to another country kind of spoke to them and said what about
the children what about your family you why would the holy spirit ever
send you to another nation when you've got children and grandchildren
and family who have yet to meet the lord Jesus Christ you see that is a
misunderstanding of the great commission my mom poured into me more than
than any preacher ever could have number one my five points here on the
great commission number one the commission at the end of the age i want
to apply it to this hour not just church history not just the early
church of the first century i believe this commission is uniquely going
to come with power again at the end of the age i believe it's for this
time it's for you in this church it's for everyone that listens this
video this is a unique hour and in fact the bible shows us the great
commission is going to be fulfilled in this hour and so my first point
looking at Matthew chapter 28 and we're going to go to each of these
verses the commission at the end of the age Matthew 28 we read that it
took place in Galilee and upon a mountainside in verse 17 it says that
they saw him and they worshiped him look at the environment this comes
in that the disciples are seeing him alive seeing him raised do you know
if you see Christ raised from the dead i mean if you see him alive if he
is a living Christ to you you are going to hear this great commission
you're going to know it's for you you're going to hear the words of his
lips and love them to worship Christ means to hear the great commission
don't think you can worship Christ with soft music and with tunes and
with instruments and say the great commission isn't for me that is a
fallacy that is wrong if you're a true worshiper of God you are caught
up in the great commission of the Lord Jesus Christ that is without
doubt and it says but some doubted they worship but some doubted there's
always doubters there and yet Christ gave the great commission in that
environment it doesn't matter what you're struggling with this morning
you may say i'm just struggling to stand i'm just struggling against sin
well i'm going to preach the great commission to you you may have doubts
here this morning you may have fears here this morning you may have
problems here this morning but i'm like Christ going to preach to you
the great commission it is so clear and beautiful and Jesus came and
speak on them oh the Christ would come here right now and speak to you
and listen to what he says this is the commission all power is given
unto me in heaven and earth the word power there is not dunamis but it's
exousia it is authority or the right or the responsibility it was given
to the Lord Jesus Christ all power all authority do you know who gave it
to him it was his heavenly father gave him the power you need to realize
what the authority is behind the great commission who sent it who gave
it where is the power behind it or the exousia if a guard walks in here
this morning i don't treat him like some drunkard off the streets i go
there's an authority there's a legal power there's a responsibility if
he works within that i listen to him if he's within the law i listen to
him but if it's some drunkard off the streets comes in here and tries to
say i'm going to arrest you i assure you we're going to have something
to say about it we say you've got no authority it's not your
responsibility you've got no rights well you know what the great
commission starts with is the power or the authority of the Lord Jesus
Christ in verse 19 it says go ye therefore go ye when Christ gives the
commission and sends the church it's on the basis of him having all
power who are you to command us i've been given all power all authority
all dominion over everything in heaven and earth i have the power
therefore i'm commissioning you if you hear these words this morning if
you realize the power behind this the authority you say i'm not standing
here delivering my own message that's why i preach with authority that's
why the bible says they said of Christ that they were amazed that he
preached with such authority not like the pharisees you know i'm not
preaching my own messages my own pet doctrines i stand here with
authority you know why i know who commissioned me i know who gave the
message and i'm able to stand here with great authority go ye therefore
and teach all nations look for a second the context of this entire
commission that we're dealing with here it says at the end of verse 20
and lo i am with you all way even unto the end of the world the end of
the world the commission in Matthew 28 given to the church 2,000 years
ago it has a clause it's brief it's short it's sharp and yet connected
to this is this little statement i am with you always i although i'm at
the right hand of the father i am with the church to fulfill the great
commission if you want this church to have Christ in the midst let's
fulfill the great commission if you want Christ to be in your home your
workplace to go with you in the car i believe that if you hear this
great commission and that you give yourself to be a part of it you're
gonna find i am with you always doesn't matter the circumstance it
doesn't matter if it's 2,000 years later and he gives you the extent of
this even unto the end of the world the end of the world doesn't mean
when everything stops existing it's talking about the age the end of the
age the word end there means the entire completion the consummation the
finale the end of all things and so Christ in giving the commission even
before they began to fulfill it 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem before they
began on it he gives you an insight to the end of the age the very last
generation just before Jesus comes back again just before it's fulfilled
and you know what he says i'm going to be with you to fulfill this even
until the very final age the end of all things i believe the great
commission is given in the context of bible prophecy as well as many
other things here you have the first commission written in the new
testament for us and it's very very explicit all authority is given to
me therefore i send you and that's the same for the end of the age the
church at the end of the age needs to discover this that Christ with all
authority has sent you to preach the gospel in fact he says here teach
all nations i command you to go what are you going to do when you go
you're going to teach all nations this commission is given to every
church every christian and we're to have a worldwide vision our vision
in this church is not just limerick it's not just munster it's not just
ireland it's not just europe we have a worldwide vision and this
preacher has carried a worldwide vision from a child from a young child
i had a global vision a worldwide vision i always said the world is my
parish i'm not restricted to a country a continent a certain language
the world is my home i can go anywhere to preach this gospel when the
church begins to realize we may be small insignificant in this world and
yet we have a global vision we have a generational vision i'm not
restricted to one year of church history thank god we're not restricted
to the book of acts and it all happened back there and maybe it all
happened in the 20th century and god help you that live in the last
generation no more revivals no more missionary endeavors no more great
in gathering of souls you see there's some in the church belief there's
no more revival it's all over i don't believe that the great commission
is given to the last generation just as it was to the first generation
you need to go you need to go notice it doesn't say stay in the church
and pray it will bring more glory an elder in scotland once told me this
he said you know what it brings far more glory to god if we stay in the
church and pray and he just sovereignly brings in all the souls that's
what he said an old elder in the church who'd been around far far too
long i want to tell you and you know what immediately i said i said
isn't it funny that in the bible it doesn't say to do that jesus gave a
commission go go you are not justified in this church to sit here to
fossilize to grow moss on the soles of your feet to have cobwebs grow
over your ears you have got no right to do that and expect god to do
some unique miracle same revival god to rescue us from this terrible
state you have been given a command a simple command a command for the
first century a command for the last century the 21st century i believe
is the last century of church history and so you're given a command to
go not to stay and pray all of you are given the command to go i don't
know how that works out but you are going to have to discover that what
does that mean teach all nations the word teach there means to disciple
he didn't say make converts make a decision persuade someone there is a
god say a sinner's prayer with someone and then you don't see them ever
again he didn't say to do that he said go teach so it's not just
evangelism it's far bigger than that he said go teach that's a lifetime
process you the church are given a commission to go preach the gospel to
teach it that means to lay it out there is a difference between
preaching and teaching you're the lay out the word of god you are to
instruct people what is the disciple it's someone with the cross
remember how jesus defined it if you would be my follower if you want to
be a disciple deny yourself take up your cross and follow me you know
what that is that's a lifetime work and so first of all we see the great
commission isn't about just getting people saved don't limit it to that
that to have people merely making decisions is not what we're about it's
not even regeneration where they're really converted the great
commission is to see people born again but not to fossilize not to stand
still not to become static but then to take them on teach them to become
disciples teach them in the word of god bring them to maturity bring
them to the place where they're walking with christ denying themselves
with a cross on their shoulder and look at it begins to explain this
baptizing them in the name of the father son and holy ghost that's the
first action of a disciple when you get born again if you know that god
has saved you then the first act of discipleship this is what you do at
the beginning is to be baptized in water and i know at least one person
here is going to make a beeline for me at the end and say you said this
morning you need to baptize me i know that but here you have it's the
first act of discipleship if you're born again you need baptized in
water in the name of the father son and holy ghost in other words with
the authority of father son and holy spirit the father gave all power to
the son to give the commission to the church and you know what every
time someone is added as a disciple they should be baptized in water in
the authority the name of the father and the son and of the holy ghost
teaching them to observe all things that i have commanded you you know
every new convert every new disciple in the church a part of the great
commission is that all of you are fully taught do you know i'm on
wednesday night i'm gonna be fulfilling the great commission do you know
this morning i'm fulfilling the great commission do you know what i'm
emailing someone i'm fulfilling the great commission when we put those
videos online we're fulfilling the great commission teaching them to
keep the commandments of god this is given in the context of the great
commission and he said you know when you do this you're baptizing and
you're teaching and you're saying all the things that you've been
commanded to do you need to pass on to others don't try to pass
something on that you don't believe and that you don't obey you may say
i'm not practicing this but i'll tell little jimmy who's coming in the
door you ought to do this and you ought to do that and you ought to do
this you ought to keep your mouth shut and begin to do it yourself
that's how what it ought to be and so there's commands here this first
point the commission at the end of the this commission that set the
entire church of the first century off to embark on the great commission
that we read about in the book of acts it's specifically also given a
fresh dynamically at the end of the age to the last generation of church
and if you believe we're at the end this is for you i believe there's
going to be a rediscovery of the great commission i believe there's
going to be a move of god i believe there's missionary movements yet to
happen in the church i believe there's yet going to be revivals and
gifted ministries raised up in our midst i believe it with all my heart
god has not finished the great commission is to be finished and you know
what if you're listening online now you're sitting here and you go well
it's all over then you need to repent and you need to come back and
believe the great commission we're oh but it's the last day oh it's the
great falling away oh nothing is going to happen oh the bible said you
know what we're given a great commission and you must not excuse
yourself this is an hour to be active we ought to be more active in this
hour than in any other hour second of all turn with me to mark chapter
16 the last chapter of mark the gospel confirmed in the great commission
the gospel confirmed in the great commission reading from mark 16 14
afterward he appeared unto the leaven as they sat at meat that's
different than sitting on a mountain or standing on a mountain that's
where he appeared to them in matthew but here they're literally sitting
at a dining room table isn't that remarkable when are you going to give
the commission well only in a big preaching seminar no when we're
sitting at our meal time what a time that christ taught here to draw
near to them to give them a commission look what he does he upbraided
them with their own belief and hardness of heart isn't it amazing when
you study the condition of the hearts of the disciples when he gave them
this commission you ought to do a study on that so here are the
disciples within a house at a dinner table the eleven are there and you
know what he begins before he gives them the commission he upbraids them
or he rebukes them or he points out the unbelief and hardness of their
heart and people who you have to rebuke for hardness of heart maybe you
feel your heart's very hard this morning maybe you feel you're filled
with unbelief this morning will be rebuked but i'm gonna give you the
commission this morning christ on the same he rebuked them because they
believed not them which had seen him after he was risen and he said unto
them notice what he says go ye into all the world this was the most
unlikely group the most unlikely church and look at the condition of
their heart he's rebuking their unbelief he's upbraiding them and yet at
the same time he's commissioned them i want you bunch to go into all the
world and preach the gospel lord have you sure you picked up the right
preaching notes for this morning are you sure have you got the right
message for the right people at the right time yes i have he commissions
them go into all the world notice the commission has no geographical
barriers no national barriers no governmental barriers no time-sequent
barriers you cannot leave the commission in the first century you can't
do that you you can't leave it in jerusalem you can't do that it is all
believers are given a commission to go preach the gospel and notice it's
teaching in matthew but here it says and preach the gospel to every
creature we saw that it's a full teaching and raising up to maturity but
here you're to go into the world and preach that's proclaimed that's
evangelized that's to tell them the abcs what's the gospel he died was
buried and he rose again and you must be born again that is the gospel
so your commission go into all the world everywhere apart from my
workplace everywhere apart from my family if you knew what my mother was
like if only you knew what our house and estate was like it says you're
to go oh i'm just waiting for them to come in i'll just pray every
friday night i'll ask all of you to pray for them you need to go what
about giving a gospel track you may say i'm terrified good what a great
vessel for god to use why not tell them the gospel why not share why not
go who knows maybe god will do a miracle maybe someone will be there
saying i've waited all my life just to hear this thank you for telling
me god cannot work in a miraculous way if you stay at home you see he
says if you go i will go with you even to the end of age i will be there
i will help you i will manifest myself in a very real way and so we see
here with the second commission in mark 16 the gospel is confirmed with
signs following if they go forth and preach the gospel look what it says
in verse 16 he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and he that
believeth not shall be done what are they preaching you can be damned to
go preach the gospel isn't just to say god loves you or why don't you
come to church if all you say is come to church or tell a nice story but
you haven't said repent there's a real christ or there's the danger of
damnation you haven't fully preached the gospel here in the commission
is a warning that those who believe baptize them in water those who
reject your message are going to be damned since you realize everyone
who rejects the gospel they are damned they're going to hell they're
going to be lost eternally are you going to have their blood on your
hands are you going to have family members who you've never spoken to
clearly is their blood going to be in your hands is your conscience
going to be held accountable for that what about in your workplace what
about those that you know you sit and you'll talk about anything and
everything with them but you've never said you must be born again this
is the basic of the gospel since it's not enough to say well i just pray
for them go and tell them oh but i'm praying lots and i'll fast if you
don't tell them you're in disobedience it's not enough to say i pray for
their soul and yet you haven't said do you realize you're a sinner do
you realize you're lost do you realize you're going to hell you see you
haven't warned them to give them hints isn't enough to tell them your
own testimony isn't enough preach the gospel unto them but look at the
signs following verse 17 and these signs shall follow the belief how do
i know them that believe it's not talking about born again believers
those that believe the commission those that are sharing the gospel
those that are warning sinners those who want to go into the world since
it's time we went it's time we evangelize it's time that this gripped us
at the end of the age these signs shall follow them that believe what
are signs they are indicators they are tokens as you preach the gospel
you don't chase signs it doesn't say that miracles and signs go first
and the gospel will follow after that is wrong there's guys who go out
onto the street and they'll walk up and say do you have something wrong
with your body you can see it in youtube do you have something wrong
with your body let me pray they don't mention sin they don't preach
repentance they don't proclaim the cross but they think through a
miracle you're going to be so shocked when you feel some heat running
down your leg and you feel a bit better you're going to be so shocked
that you're going to get born again and become a member of the church a
disciple of the lord jesus christ actually the bible doesn't say that
these signs shall follow them that believe when you're preaching these
signs follow they're always in the background following confirming the
gospel what are the signs in my name they shall cast out devils preach
the gospel proclaim the gospel if you come across a demon-possessed
person then you have authority if you're a believer if you're
functioning in the great commission cast the devil out i was in an army
camp 1500 guys 18 years old 21 years old when i left i assure you all
hell got stirred up in that camp i took authority in jesus name i tell
you it broke out there was things i could tell you make your hair stand
on end of what happened but there was a real christian there who was
preaching evangelizing praying and when the devil got in the way i said
i've got authority in jesus name over you it is very very real it says
they shall take up serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall
not hurt them they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover
all of these things are science tokens following in behind the gospel he
says if you preach the gospel if you get caught up in the great
commission you ought to expect these things you ought to believe for
them and listen verse 20 and they went forth christ is received to
heaven he's at the right hand of the father he's not physically with
them anymore he's gone up in the ascension but verse 20 and they went
forth and preached everywhere what good is a commission if no one obeys
it we talk about it we preach about it we think about it we say we
believe it we read about it we watch videos about others who have done
it we read the testimonies of those who left their side but if we don't
go and do it there'll be no miracles no signs no converts do you realize
that's why the cults get converts even in limerick the jw's you know
where they are they're going door to door they're at my door you
probably had a jw at your door doesn't matter how few there are in the
city you probably encountered a jehovah's witness you know why they're
out there evangelizing what about the mormons we've had them in our
church a number of times you'll see them out there they are sent into
our city to evangelize you know why they get converts because they're
out there you know what the church does it doesn't go it doesn't go we
need to be very wary that we're not missing something very significant
notice says as they went forth preaching everywhere the lord working
with them how do you get the lord to work with you do you realize it's
one of the scariest things to stand on a high street and there's 200
sinners walking past you and you go within about 30 seconds i'm going to
drop a bomb open my mouth and trumpet out the gospel and all of these on
uh unaware sinners are walking up with their shopping bags and looking
in shop windows and all these pure shopping uh shop owners are going to
look out any minute do you know what it does it puts courage within you
it puts fire in your soul you know why because you can't do that of your
own self but it says the lord working with them do you realize if you go
on the high street you're going to find the lord there he's going to say
i've been waiting for you i've been standing i want to reach someone
here in this high street if christ wants to reach someone on the high
street and you're not in the high street what's going to happen i'm
confirming the word with signs following i will be with you working with
them confirming the word i'm going to establish a gospel you preach the
gospel and say you can be born again you can have a supernatural
experience christ can change your life you know what christ is there
saying yep yep that's true and you know what i'm here to change your
life you go preach and christ is going to be there to save the worst
alcoholic drug addict the most immoral person an atheist i'll be there
to convince them there's a real god i'll be there to convince them i can
set them free from heroin i'm going to be there to cast out and break
the power of hell that is binding them now mark chapter 16 there is a
lot of theological scholarly debate it's not a debate in this church we
believe this but a lot of bibles you'll read a side margin this portion
this great commission in mark chapter 16 isn't in the most the oldest
and the most reliable manuscripts of the bible and they say it shouldn't
be here and they'll produce bibles with it removed or a big question
mark over it there's only one problem with that the last 12 verses of
mark are removed by many but the problem is out of 620 ancient greek
manuscripts only two do not have these words this commission in it what
are they the vaticanus and the synodicus the vaticanus is one of the
most corrupt biblical documents on the face of the planet it's not in my
bible it hasn't polluted my bible it is a corrupt document so when you
actually read in a bible or hear someone say well we don't know if that
should be in the bible or not do you know what they're doing they're
rejecting 618 documents and they're listening to two very very corrupt
documents you see this is the great commission confirmed this is
supernatural this is the christ of the bible he gives the commission and
says if you obey i will be there a church that does not obey the
commission of god is limiting the power of god limiting the promise of
god limiting the provision of christ christ said i'll be there oh yes
i'm at the right hand of the father but i'll be there in the high street
i'll be there in your workplace he was with me in that army camp i'd
pray with someone they'd instantly get healed go back to work i watched
it i went i didn't even have faith but that guy come knowing that i
believed in this said you need to lay hands on me and pray for me i
laughed then laid hands instantly healed since i can tell you stories of
the reality of god like shammy in my room remember his whole uh that
brain hemorrhage he should have died from all the pain in his body and
yet christ touched him healed him from the top of his head all the pain
left all the noise left he got his running shorts on went running every
soldier he passed he told guess what god healed me i thought oh no
another crackpot on the army camp what are we gonna do thirdly the
message defined luke chapter 24 verse 46 the message defined talking
about the great commission and he said unto them thus it is written and
thus it behooved christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third
day here in luke 24 he's talking about his death his resurrection his
burial he's talking about his suffering to die for sinners that was the
context of sharing the great commission here then in chapter 24 47 verse
47 listen this commission and that repentance and remission of sins
should be preached in his name among all nations notice the alls all
nations all creatures there's no excuse here there's no nation shut to
this all creatures all nations to preach repentance and remissions of
sins in his name the message within the commission defined let's not get
the mission uh the message wrong i believe the church of the 21st
century who are going to rediscover the great commission need to
redefine the message once again we need to explain what the message is
what the gospel is what true repentance is what remission of sins is
because in this third commission here the commission is to go preach
repentance that's the first thing he says go preach repentance to all
today's church has removed repentance they say repentance isn't about
sin do you know a lot of great bible teachers so-called say that they
say the word repentance just means a change of mind got nothing to do
with turning from sin that's very strange because when the prodigal son
who went out into terrible sin came back jesus talks about one sinner
that repented from his sin do you realize repentance has got everything
to do with sin it is fundamental before you preach faith before you
preach the cross before you preach remission by the blood of the lamb
preach repentance it is a vital part of the message of the great
commission i believe it's going to be restored again in this last hour
you see this is the last chapter of church history i believe we're going
to see wonderful works happen at this last hour but we've got to come
back and rediscover the message not reinvent the message rediscover the
message if you speak and don't speak according to this word then you're
a deceiver you're a liar if you invent it take away from it add to it
change it a bit update it you are a deceiver you know what the bible
says if you remove in from this book your name will be removed from the
book you'll be damned in hell eternally i don't know how these preachers
play with the gospel aren't they scared and don't they have a fear of
god christians who blend the message sounds like sure sure the lord
understands you're a drunken rotten disgraceful blasphemer but as long
as you love the lord jesus christ or if you're a good catholic you love
the jesus but you're taking the mass and you're going to confessional
but you love jesus like me that's a deception that's an utter lie and so
christ here remember who's given this jesus says repentance and
remission has to be preached in his name beginning at jerusalem if you
don't begin limerick why would he send you to anywhere else you're not
going to go somewhere else and suddenly get all of this courage and
boldness and power the holy spirit if you do not function in the great
commission here in this church you actually will not do it anywhere else
that's why jesus said begin at jerusalem oh yes it's a worldwide
commission it's remarkable in its extent but begin in jerusalem preach
repentance in jerusalem also remission of sins you know what remission
is to redeem means a price is paid so that you go free you're forgiven
you're released if all you deal with sin you deal with sin you point out
sin but you don't talk about forgiveness and freedom and liberty through
the blood of the lamb you haven't fully preached the gospel yes deal
with sin yes call upon them to turn but you know what the answer is in
the blood of the lord jesus christ begin at jerusalem begin in limerick
since why would god entrust anything else to us if we're not faithful in
limerick you know you know why would god give us more people here if we
don't care for the ones we have why would he send lots of sinners in
whenever we're going to get distracted by many other things verse 48 and
ye are witnesses of these things this is real a witness is a firsthand
account i'm giving my account i'm not just preaching a message i believe
in repentance i believe in remission i've got a testimony of turning
from sin i've got a testimony of being washed in the blood of the lamb
this isn't about dealing with racial issues the problem of our hour is
not racial concern in the nations neither is the issue of the our
abortion or homosexuality you know what the greatest thing of this earth
you must be born again you need an encounter with the lord jesus christ
notice this is about the message preaching the right message in the
great commission beginning as a witness in your own hometown and behold
i send you the promise of my father upon you but tarry ye in the city of
jerusalem hold on you said go yes no i'm saying tarry but you said go i
know but i said tarry do you know why to go you need a crypt here in
luke 24 you're being told yes go yes it's an impossible task yes i'm
with you but stay no you said go no stay i want you to tarry why what am
i going to tarry in jerusalem until you be endued with power from on
high it means to have a mantle or a garment like elijah and elisha
thrown around you do you know what it is it's an enjoyment of power can
i ask you have you been endued with power have you been endowed with the
power of the holy ghost has the mantle of the holy spirit being thrown
around your shoulder do you realize if you begin to pray for the baptism
and the holy ghost recognizing why it's given it's not given so you
speak in tongues it's not given so you get feelings it's not given to
get victory over sin it's given to give you power to be an enjoyment of
power you say i can't speak i'm scared join the club you say i can't put
my words together i can't articulate the message i promise you if you
get this enjoyment of power you're going to preach repentance it'll
shock you what you do i told you and you've heard it so many times by
nature personality i'm the quietest quietest shyest most fearful most
timid you can't see it now but it's all in here it's still there do you
realize that all of those things are still there it's just a long time
ago i went you're going to the cross i'm dying that you know i can
remember struggling to put my hands up for the first time i almost
killed me you would have seen my neck the throbbing of my blood vessels
the first time praying out someone used to ask me to pray in a prayer
meeting i i felt like doing something to them i'm tired there's all of
these inhibitions if you knew the fears and the doubts and the struggles
you would not believe it but there's never an excuse that you say oh i
cannot go if you start to pray lord baptize me i need power to be a
witness i need power to evangelize i need power for this great
commission because this isn't about your comfort i want to go i want to
go well then tarry for the power of the holy spirit seek for the baptism
and the holy ghost and fire it is an enjoyment of power fourth of all
the vessels assured and we have this in john chapter 20 verse 19 then
the same day at evening being the first day of the week good day to give
a commission when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled
remember who they are these are the first apostles the first leaders
those that begin the great move of god in the book of acts where are
they behind shut doors they were assembled for fear of the jews where is
the church jesus has come and look in the church in his resurrected
state to give them a commission i want you to go preach in all nations
where are they they're behind locked doors and they're terrified they're
scared so they're in hiding do you want to go out in the street no
chance do you want to unlock the door don't you dare we might get killed
what a change happens here this is the church that christ gives the
commission to and jesus came and stood in the midst i actually believe
jesus still comes and stands in the midst where is that church of mine
where the height are they under the bed are they in the cupboard are
they they're busy with well i'm busy with work you know let brother
keith he's doing his part i'll i'll see you wednesday night and i'm
called to my work and i've got my family and i've got my work and i've
got my why do you think god gave you all that why do you think he
blessed you with a wife or with children or with work or with all of
these that why do you who do you think gave you that do you think that's
an end in itself oh look what i have this is my occupation don't you
know he's given all those things in order to do something with it and
jesus stood in the midst i believe he's standing here i believe he's
standing in the midst and he goes what are you what are you doing here
what do you mean lord what are you doing here remember the commission
i've already given and he said unto him peace be unto you notice this
carefully the vessels assured and assigned christ cares about the
vessels who are going to carry his commission and when he comes in he
says peace be unto you shalom they're terrified they're scared of dan
saying don't you know the hour in the 21st century we live in do you
know they're after us they're watching us through facebook don't you
know they're after our children don't you know they're following me
everywhere and 5g towers i can't get away from don't you know what hour
it is yes absolutely peace shalom do you know what are you ever going to
get your eyes in the commission when all of that is terrifying you
you're disturbed by all these things and you know when he comes i know
the danger i know they want to kill you i know how i know they crucified
me and i'm resurrected and once he say peace unto you and when he had so
said he showed them his hands and his side then were the disciples glad
he's going to turn sadness into gladness you know what he does i died
for you look at my wounds i'm alive forever more you know what he's
doing he's trying to turn your heart if i'm going to get you to go
preach i've got to get you glad not talking about happy not all about a
smile on your face told about a gladness in your heart i'm saved by the
grace of god why are we hiding in here scared of everything this is the
church that's going to rock the world and the generation of the first
century they're going to shake cities and towns and nations and carry
the gospel to the end of the world but you know what jesus had to make
them glad it's good to be glad christ actually wants you to be glad and
they're glad when they saw him are you seeing christ here this morning
then said jesus unto them again peace be unto you as my father has sent
me even so send i you and when he had said this he breathed on them now
notice this he is bringing them to a place of assurance and assigning
them to the commission i want you to have real joy i want you to be glad
i want you to have peace in your mind no matter what the circumstance
are around you if you're sad if you're scared you're not going to preach
the gospel show me a christian not preaching the gospel there's a reason
you're not there's something wrong there's an attitude of heart and
christ says i need to rectify that i need to change that and so he shows
himself he reveals himself that you can be glad and then he says unto
them my father sent me i'm sending you exactly with the same authority
it's the same commission that sent me into this earth that sends you to
go find sinners why did christ come into the world to find sinners the
good shepherd seeking sinners go and gather the lambs in you know you
have the same commission given unto you that was given to him he
commissioned me i am commissioning you then he breathed on them he
breathed on them and said receive you the holy ghost strange thing to
give at the time of the great commission he's given them a commission to
go preach to evangelize to reach the lost to reach all nations what does
he do he breathes on them receive the holy spirit this isn't the
endowment of power this isn't the baptism in the holy ghost you know
what this is this is the indwelling spirit earlier in john he says the
holy spirit is now with you but one day he's going to be in you he's
with you working with you helping you but he's going to be in you here
in this verse the greek actually means receive right now this moment
immediately now that's what the greek says not to wait 40 days until the
day of pentecost he's not saying that there's no delay in this greek
receive the holy spirit and he breathed on them you know what this is
this is regeneration of the holy spirit this is to be born again this to
have the holy spirit indwelling you you see in this commission in john
20 he cares about them i want you to be happy not scared i want you to
have peace not to be tormented i want you to have the holy spirit
indwelling you to give you full assurance of salvation he has come to
dwell in you and notice this last point here in this he says and
whosoever since ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosoever since
ye retain they are retained this is a part of commission unlike with the
bind and the loose remember what i taught a year ago in binding and
loosen where it says whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven
the greek is whatsoever is already bound in heaven when you bind it on
earth it will be so it's not saying that what you bind here it's going
to happen in heaven that's ridiculous that's an impossibility and the
greek is exactly the same here it's not saying if you tell someone your
sins are forgiven then god's going to say all right well i'll step in
and forgive them that's what the catholic priest teaches doesn't say
that here you know what the greek is it says when someone has been
forgiven by god when he has cancelled their sin you're to step in and
say you're free of your sins this is the great commission the power of
the great commission is to perform what god has already done in life to
forgive to let go to move on from your sin you remember when peter and
axie deals with simon the saucer and his heart is exposed as being
wicked he's trying to buy the holy ghost do you know what he uh peter
exposed him saying you're going to be damned and he says pray for me
listen to what peter says no repent therefore of this thy wickedness he
wouldn't pray for him and pray to god it perhaps the thought of thine
heart might be forgiven you need to repent you need an encounter with
god you need to pray unto god for forgiveness fifth and lastly acts
chapter one verse six the vessels focused and empowered in verse six it
says where when they therefore were come together they asked of him
saying lord will die at this time restore again the kingdom of israel i
believe we live in a hour in the 21st it's filled with eschatological
try saying that when you're tired distractions in other words
distractions of bible prophecy he is just about to give them the fifth
and final commission before he ascends up on high and what does he what
are they talking about lord will die at this time restore the kingdom to
israel the national state the old testament fulfillment of bible
prophecy are you going to do it now you see they believe they're on an
hour of the fulfillment of bible prophecy what does he say it is not for
you to know the times or the seasons which a father hath put in his own
power but ye shall receive power do you know what crisis and you're
caught up with the national restoration of israel as a nation again
which hasn't happened yet it's going to happen in the millennium god is
going to restore the national state again there are prophecies in the
old testament that the kingdom will return to israel again the early
disciples he doesn't say your eschatology is wrong he never said that he
doesn't say that's not going to happen he says the timing of these
things isn't for you to worry about he says you know what you need to be
endued with the power of the holy spirit and go preach you know in this
ark all across the internet everyone is watching prophecy bible prophecy
about end days the mark of the beast and we believe in teaching it we
believe in expounding in the scripture but you know what see if we do
not go and evangelize it's all a game and a sham all those that are
focused on bible prophecy but they won't go reach sinners you are
wasting time you you say you believe this is the hour jesus is coming
again this is the end they're bringing in the mark of the beast you do
not believe in the mark of the beast if you're not evangelizing you're
playing religious games you're fascinated by youtube people spend too
much time on youtube i want to tell you they listen to too many people
who contradict one another and don't know what they're talking about you
people who do not know the bible teaching you and because you don't know
the bible then you can't even tell where they're wrong and you know what
a lot of the bible teaching of this hour we are in danger at this time
instead of going i'm saying is this the time is this the hour if you
believe this is the last hour you're gonna win souls you're gonna
evangelize if you believe we're in the brink of everything happening or
if you believe you're shortly gonna die you'll be out evangelizing souls
you know how candice i know she's got a sense of reality and all that's
happening she's reaching souls she'll be on that phone reaching souls
for jesus christ she's in that hospital i'm looking at someone who's not
ignorant of the reality of what she's going through do you realize that
and if we the church the body of christ realize the hour we're living in
we're going to say we've got to evangelize we've got to change our plans
we've got to change our environment and so jesus says here after turning
them away from the distractions of discussing bible prophecy and you
know i believe in teaching it he says but you shall receive power after
the holy ghost has come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me to
be a witness is to stand up and bear witness and say this is true i'm
telling you what the truth is it's to have the power of god why is the
baptism in the holy ghost given to give you power to be a witness if
you're speaking in tongues and yet not evangelizing you're wasting this
power you're like the train driver who like the truckers in canada
you're there and you're stoking up the fire what's that fire and that
old train for well it's for pulling the horn it's for that steam to get
released do do do do thomas loves this he loves thomas the uh tank
engine a lot of christians are going and they're not using that steam to
drive the engine what why is the fire burning it's to drive the steam
engine down the tracks it's to go somewhere instead we're making noise
just blasting off the steam you're wasting it you're wasting it if we're
not careful we will neglect to use the power of the holy ghost this is
empowerment entreatment for service for the great commission this is the
power behind it and beginning in jerusalem you're then to go to judea
samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth and when he had spoken
these things they beheld he was taken up in a cloud and received out of
their sight and matthew chapter 24 verse 14 speaking about the last days
bible prophecy one of the 10 signs of the beginning of sorrows do you
know what it is do you know what one of the 10 signs that we've entered
a time that's bringing us down to them and it's all over one of them is
in verse 14 this gospel of the kingdom the gospel of the kingdom isn't
another gospel for the millennium or the tribulation it is the gospel of
jesus christ and it says it shall be preached in all the world for a
witness unto all nations and then the end shall come do you realize one
of the last signs of the beginning of sorrows is a church that is
preaching in every nation they are evangelizing they're not just
preaching any gospel it is the gospel of the kingdom given by christ
they become a witness what is a witness read the book of acts that's the
only witness and christ prophesized one of the marks of the end is that
this church in the end i'll be with you always unto the end and then the
end shall come the great commission was given for the 21st century
church and since if this is the beginning of sorrows if all the
fulfilled we need to wake up and stir ourselves again to one last
proclamation i'm praying for a new missionary movement i'm praying for
evangelists and missionaries i'm praying for a church on fire i'm
praying for a revival and i'm pouring out the holy spirit i'm praying
again that the church would rise up and be the church and you've been
given the commission there's no excuse no escape and if you begin to
believe the commission and act according to the commission and to step
out and to serve god i believe we'll experience the power of god so many
churches it's hard to find a church now anywhere where people are
getting baptized in the holy ghost and power it used to be when the
church was evangelizing everyone was getting filled with the holy spirit
not a fossilized church that refuses to go anywhere prays for sinners to
be brought in and says send someone else the lord and we'll pray for
them or finance them they're fossilized they're growing stale they're
like the bread the manna left over the next day it's got worms in it you
go where these worms come from i wonder but once again he's gonna have a
real church stand with me thank you lord jesus father we pray for one
another right now in this room nor god for all those online watching
listening nor god we pray for each other let's just for a moment pray
for one another pray for yourself pray for your family pray for those
around you right now on your left and your right hand side nor god we
pray for one another in the mighty name of jesus we need the power of
your holy spirit we need to preach this gospel we need to see the gospel
confirmed with signs and wonders following we do believe this gospel and
father i pray that we begin to operate according to this great
commission let it break in on our work life let it break in on our
family life let it break in on our hobbies let it break in on our spare
time my god i pray let this commission come as a fire this five-fold
commission given by christ to the church for the 21st century lord god
we are praying for a new outpouring we're praying for a fresh revival
we're praying for new gifted ministries to be granted under the church
we're praying oh god for works of evangelizing communities that have no
church that have no new function and membership lord god i pray make us
the militant church again lord god a fire baptized church and pray in
church a holy church but a church that obeys the great commission in
jesus mighty name

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Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/nChKjB1J7W4.mp4
Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/keith-malcomson/the-great-commission-and-the-21st-century-church/
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