When Jesus gave his eleven disciples the great commission found in Matthew chapter 28, they had a tremendous task before them. Jesus told them to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 29:19-20 Many feel scholars and theologians made up this concept of the Trinity and are reading it into Scripture. However, as you read in Matthew, the concept clearly comes directly from Jesus personally. He did not say baptize them into the names, but into the name of the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Even though the word Trinity does not appear in Scripture, it is well described in the three-in-one nature of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Easy as pie; right? What do you think was the first result they got; ministry growth or mayhem? It’s common knowledge that everyone desperately wanted to be told how to live their lives and how to treat their neighbors. The whole world was so eager to change their lifestyle they jumped at the chance to discard their old habits and treat each other with love and kindness.
The disciples weren’t under any illusions; they knew how people treated Jesus when he trod the Holy Land, why would they suddenly change into something they’ve never been? Jesus told them that they would be hated because they associated themselves with him. They did what Jesus asked them to do. The gospel of Jesus Christ spread slowly at first. People who saw the disciple’s integrity were the first to believe; then slowly, others.
Was their assignment a piece of cake? Jesus warned them resistance would come in every size and shape. After his conversion, the apostle Paul would put the task of spreading the gospel into ‘real world’ terms. He said that being a servant of God; they would face the following trials: troubles, hardships, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, riots, hard work, sleepless nights, hunger, and a host of other afflictions in the course of their duty.
They were God’s ambassadors; God was making his appeal through them. What exactly was their message? God made Jesus who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Here is the heart of the gospel: the sinless Savior has taken our sins that we might have God’s righteousness
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Bottom line:
How did the apostles carry out the commandment that was given to them in the Great Commission?..."Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." Acts 19:4-5 [KJV]
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