March 5, 11:00 a.m. 
Speaker: Joel Beeke
Topic: Go Ye Therefore, Evangelizing the Nations: A Triple Promise 
Passage: Matthew 28:18–20

Message Summary: 

Just as the ending of a sermon is often its most important part, the end of a gospel is critical to understanding the whole gospel. This is true of the final verses of the book of Matthew. Everything leading up to these words has been filling and animating these final sentences, and they give these sentences their force and glory.

And so no wonder these are very famous verses called the Great Commission, because Jesus is not only charging the apostles, but he’s also speaking by extension to us today, and peculiarly so to ministers of the gospel.

Jesus is giving this Great Commission at a pivotal moment in redemptive history. The long-anticipated Messiah has come. The end of history remains to be consummated, but the gospel must be preached to all the nations before He returns in judgment and glory.

Matthew wants this Great Commission to be sounding and resounding in our ears as this gospel closes. He wants to fill us with the weight, the glory, the promise, and the beauty of the exalted and faithful Jesus, who sends His ministers out into the world to do this wonderful work of baptizing, teaching all nations, and making disciples, by the grace of God, for His name and for His glory.

As we go, evangelizing the nations, we see here a triple promise:

#1. Promise of Divine Authority

The scope of Christ’s authority is universal. He is now exalted at the Father’s right hand. He has the authority to forgive sins (Luke 5:24), to rule His church (Matthew 18), to grant eternal life to sinners (John 1, 17), and to strengthen the church in her weakness (2 Corinthians 12). He has authority over nature (Mark 4), over political kingdoms (Psalm 2), and over both the old and new creations (1 Corinthians 15, Revelation 22). No fragment of space or time evades His dominion over the universe. You and I have the privilege of being ambassadors of this glorious King.

The church has the authority to spread the gospel because she receives this commission from the Lord of Glory who has supreme authority. As heralds of the King of Kings, we must declare the authoritative message of the King, no matter the cost.

We are neither sovereign nor authoritative in ourselves, but we are heralds of God’s truth. Our business is only to state what God has stated in His holy Word.

Dear brother, you have the warrant, the right, and the responsibility to be the herald of the King of Kings. To proclaim His kingdom to the world. To invite sinners to repent from their sins and to believe the gospel—the gospel of Jesus Christ alone unto salvation. There’s no more important vocation in all the world than that.

#2. Promise of Divine Delegation

We must persevere because Christ has delegated His authority to make disciples to the church.

Going and making disciples is not optional for the church. We are to lead the church in that and to exemplify evangelization as we preach, as we pastor, and as we counsel our people.

Wherever you go, you’re called to do the work of an evangelist.

As the people of God, we have the privilege of being part of a magnificent enterprise. God doesn’t need us whatsoever, but He invites us to participate in what He is doing in the world. Something far bigger, far better, far greater than ourselves, and something that will endure forever in the eternal kingdom.

Disciple-making does not mean we call anyone to follow us, but instead, we call them to become fellow disciples, and we point them to the person, the words, and the deeds of Jesus Christ as our Lord. And we do so in such a way that they can see the Lord in us.

#3. Promise of Divine Assurance of His Presence

This wonderful Great Commission gives us the promise of divine presence. “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20).

You can move ahead with great confidence because the Lord of heaven and earth, the one to whom all authority is given, is with you.

When you’re discouraged in the ministry, remember your future. Remember the assurance of Christ’s promise. He will be with you always—through the trial, but also to the end—into everlasting glory, where He will be all and in all, and you will be, by the grace of God, holy as He is holy. There you will never have to take your eyes off Him. You will love Him perfectly, and He will love you perfectly.

The capacity to know Christ, grow in Christ, delight in the beauty of Christ, commune with Christ, relish Christ, and live Christ, will keep growing and growing forever, and will never end. So this little mere life, this little short life, is just the beginning of the everlasting glory of the fullness of Christ.