The Mission of Jesus

The popular Great Commission passage of Matthew 28:18-20 is not the only commissioning passage from Jesus.  There is actually four, and each emphasizes a different aspect of what Jesus wants his people to do after he ascends into heaven.  Here are the missions from Jesus:

1. Commission: “I am sending you.”  “Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you” (John 20:21).
2. Strategy: Make disciples.  “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” (Matthew 28:18-20).
3. Content: the Gospel.  “Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’  Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.  You are witnesses of these things.  And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you.  But stay in the city unitl you are clothed with power from on high”  (Luke 24:44-49).
4. Geography: national and international. “… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

First, Jesus explains in John 20:21 that like the Father has send him so he is sending us.  Followers of Jesus are sent just like he is, and believers today and sent out to do the mission of Jesus like the first disciples were.

Second, Jesus explains the strategy behind being sent out into the world, which is making disciples of all nations.  How?  By conversion and entry into the community of God (baptism), and by teaching followers of Jesus to obey all that he commands.

Third, Jesus explains the content of the message he wants to go out into the ends of the earth.  This message is according to Scripture (biblical), it based on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (historical), it is centered on the person and work of Jesus (Christological), and it achieved the forgiveness of sins for those who repent and believe in Jesus (theological).  * See also John Stott, Evangelical Truth and his exposition on 1 Corinthians 15.

Finally, there is a geographical component to the mission of Jesus.  He explains to his first followers that the gospel will start in Jerusalem and eventually go to the ends of the earth.  A good application of this verse to keep in mind is that there must be both a national and international emphasis to where we are bringing the gospel.  Not every believer was called out of Jerusalem to proclaim the gospel to Gentiles, but some where.  Thus, there are some that are called to spread the gospel nationally and some internationally.

So above is the mission of Jesus.  The next question to consider: how is that mission carried out or applied?

Bibliography:

• All Scripture is quoted from the English Standard Version.
• Elmer Towns, Getting a Church Started.