Touchpoint Bible Study

The Great Commission

The great commission [77]

The great commission is what Jesus instructed to believers to perform while waiting upon his return. In the closing words in the book of Matthew it is written, "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore 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 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'" (Matt. 28:18-20)

Making disciples of all nations provides us with the instructions to take the message to every country of the world, which allows all individuals the opportunity to connect with the tenets of Christianity. This can be as small as discussing your testimony with a friend or coworker to being more adventurous and being a part of a mission trip. Regardless of the destination, we all must be trying to save others from being lost to God and a threat of being separated from him forever. 

It is important to recognize that Jesus's instruction was not simply to instruct his apostles to go out into the world, but to every individual follower of Christ. There are many opportunities to serve others both local and foreign, performing good works and displaying the virtues of Christ. Providing opportunity to spread the word of God and share your testimony. 

Baptizing and teaching them is the natural result of proper evangelism. The baptism serving as an outward expression of the follower of Christ, as the individual goes from a life of sin towards a life of redemption through the grace of Jesus. As we learned before, a person must be born again both of the spirit and the water.  (John 3:5) 

"I am with you always to the very end of the age." This represents the final words of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew and reminds us that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are with us at all times when we are sharing the good news of salvation and through your good works of his grace and salvation working in your own life. 

How are Christians known to the rest of the world? 

"And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. " (Matt. 10:7-8)

"And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.'" (Mark 16:15-18)

Laying of hands on the sick [79]

The great commission is followed by the signs of the true believer in Christ. All Christians should be focused on evangelism within their family, community, and then countries. For some individuals the testimony and word of God is enough to soften the heart and allow the words of Christ to establish change toward the acknowledgment of God, their own sin, and the need for salvation. For others, the miracles and wonders of Christ must be witnessed to serve as evidence of the supernatural God and the redemptive nature of Christ. 

In the New Testament we learn of the gifts a Christian can receive through the Holy Spirit. Those who are called to work within these gifts are able produce miracles, through the power of Jesus's authority, and the anointing received by walking in the light and being a vessel for God; the same as the original Apostles performed in the book of Acts. This is why it is important for all Christians to pray for gifts, and recognize through the Holy Spirit what has been bestowed upon them. The ability to heal the sick, cast out demons, and avoid harmful deadly situations such as defeating poisons are simply the reflection of the anointing. 

Spiritual gifts of the New Testament [77]

Speaking versus serving gifts [78]

There are different levels of anointing that an individual Christian can obtain through walking in purity and having the trust of God that these gifts will be used for his will and not the will of evil or self aggrandizing. Any gift, from speaking in tongues to casting out the demonic is only a reflection of the power of Jesus and not in anything in the individuals own capabilities. 

These miracles then serve as powerful testimonies to those that require the knowledge to know that God and Jesus are real. That mighty works are still performed in his name to this very day. That the book of Acts did not simply end with Paul on his way to Rome, but that Christians still have the capability of receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit and performing the miracles as described in the gospel of Mark and Matthew. 

Christianity is a Supernatural religion because we serve a supernatural God. It is up to the individual to determine what level of God's anointing that they are interested in. We learn if we want to move mountains with our faith, well then we can do so, if we trust in the faith of God and can get past our own skepticism. (Matt. 17:20)

Deliverance from strongholds [80] 

All things are possible with Christ. If you limit his power based on what you see in your own daily life, not expecting the supernatural to play a part in your own life or the evangelism of others, this is exactly what you will receive. If your faith goes further than that, based upon the knowledge of what you comprehend in the gospels, then God can start to bless your life with the anointing to take part in miracles. A person only needs to ask in order to receive, live a life of purity, and be the light in the world to others.