Amen.
New friends as well. I look forward to
spending some time with you throughout the day.
I wonder, do you ever
wonder what the
purpose of the church is?
Do you ever
ask yourself, what is the point
of the church?
If you were to walk outside
after our service this morning
and someone were to
stop you and say, well,
what have you just been doing? Why the church?
What is its purpose?
What is its point? What would you say to them?
What would be your answer?
Maybe some of you are actually
asking that very question this morning.
You perhaps have been a Christian for a number of years.
Or maybe you are just a relatively new
Christian. Or maybe you're not even a Christian
at all. And you're just investigating
Christianity and
Christ and the church. And
you're wondering, what is the church?
Why the church? What is its point?
What is its purpose? Why
do we do what we do
Sunday by Sunday?
It's a good question
to ask, but many Christians are
confused, I would say, about
the answer to that question.
It's vital
to know why we exist.
It's vital to know
what the purpose,
the unique purpose
of the church is.
And so when I found out
this morning that I was going
to be preaching at the service
where you would be commissioning
the new church plant
in Brentford,
I thought it made sense
to preach on the passage
that we generally call
the Great Commission
at the end of Matthew's Gospel.
Because here,
here in this passage,
right at the end of Matthew's Gospel,
we have Jesus himself
having ridden
from the dead,
setting out in capsule form,
as it were,
the main purpose,
or one of the main purposes
of the church.
Here Jesus himself
explains,
in just a few short sentences,
what the fundamental
points and purpose
and mission
of the church is.
Which is what?
Well it's this.
It's to get the Gospel out.
It's to tell people
about the Lord Jesus Christ,
about who he is,
and about all that he's done.
It's to spread the message
of a crucified
and now risen
Saviour.
That is what Jesus
is basically saying here
to these
eleven disciples,
and indeed through them
to the whole church
of Jesus Christ.
He is saying to them,
I have
defeated death,
I have dealt with
your sin,
I have crushed
Satan underfoot,
now go
and tell people
about me.
that is what I'm calling
you to do.
That is why we exist.
That is the point
of the church,
that will be the point
of the new church
plants in Brentford,
to make Jesus known.
After all,
just ask yourself this,
which other organisation
is going to do that?
There is no other organisation,
there is no corporation,
there is no company,
there is no other charity,
whose purpose it is
to tell people
the gospel,
to spread the message
of Jesus Christ.
Only the church
will do that,
only the church
must do that.
Our purpose
is glorious.
There is no greater
mission statement
than the one
that the church has,
which is,
in a nutshell,
to proclaim
the excellencies
of Jesus Christ.
There is no more
excellent person
than the Lord Jesus
himself,
and it is your privilege
as Christians
to proclaim
those excellencies,
the all-sufficiency,
the grace,
the glory
of Jesus Christ
to a needy
and a sinful world.
And we should note
as well
that this
is an
epoch-shifting
purpose.
What do I mean by that?
It means something
that changes
the world
forever.
Something that is
world-shattering,
something that is
history-defining.
That is why,
if you notice,
in verse 16,
Jesus meets
these eleven disciples
on a mountain.
That location
is significant.
It's not a mere
geographical detail.
We're not sure
exactly
which mountain
it was,
but
we do know
that throughout
the Bible,
authoritative
teaching,
fresh revelation
that drives
the purposes
of God forward,
they are often
given on a mountain.
You just have to
think about
the Ten Commandments
that we read
earlier on.
Given to Moses
where?
On a mountain,
on Mount Sinai.
Jesus himself.
His famous
sermon on the
Mount.
Fresh revelation,
authoritative teaching,
driving the purposes
of the Kingdom
of God
forward.
and that is
what we see
happening here
as well
with this
great commission.
This is a
history-defining,
an epoch-shifting
event that is
going on here.
Jesus here
is presented
by Matthew
as the
victorious king
who has conquered
the greatest enemy,
death and sin
and Satan.
The victorious king
who is sending out
his foot soldiers
to lay claims
of a territory
that is rightfully
his.
Jesus here
is, if you will,
our commander-in-chief
and he is setting
us out,
he is sending
you out
on the most
momentous mission
imaginable.
And so that's what
I want to focus on
in our time together
this morning,
the mission of the church,
the purpose
of the church,
what it is
that Jesus
calls his disciples
and through them
as the foundation
of the church,
through them
he calls us
to do,
to carry on
that same mission.
And I want to look
at it under
three main headings,
the three-point sermon,
traditional sermon
formats,
that's what you get
with me I'm afraid.
But three main points
that I want to consider
with you this morning.
The first one
is this,
that Jesus'
power fuels
mission.
Jesus' power
is what fuels
mission.
He said that in
verse 18.
Just look down
at that.
And Jesus came
and said to them
all authority
in heaven
and on earth
has been given
to me.
Jesus is saying
I have a
power
that is
unsurpassed,
an authority
that you cannot
measure.
I have
defeated death,
I have
crushed sin,
I have conquered
Satan.
All authority
is now
mine.
All authority
in heaven
and on earth.
In other words,
everyone,
everywhere,
there is no exception,
everyone,
everywhere,
is under
my authority
as the one
who is
Lord of all.
Angels and saints,
devils and demons,
men and women,
boys and girls,
kings and queens,
prime ministers
and presidents,
animals and plants,
sun, moon and stars,
you name it,
it's his.
Jesus is
the master
of the universe.
Jesus is
the king
of the cosmos.
That is
who Matthew
is presenting
to us
here.
You remember
back in the
first chapter
of Matthew,
Jesus there
is presented
as the one
who is
the great
son of
who?
Of King
David.
And then in
chapter 2,
who is it
that worships
Jesus?
It's the wise
men
coming from
the nations
and they come
to worship
the one
born king
of the Jews.
And then at the
end of his life,
Jesus is crucified,
albeit in a
mocking fashion,
he's crucified
as the king
of the Jews.
And now
Matthew presents
Jesus as
the king
whose authority
transcends
all national
boundaries,
whose authority
transcends
all intergalactic
boundaries,
an authority
that is
over everyone,
everywhere.
He is
the king
of all.
But maybe
some of you
are asking
this question,
didn't Jesus
have all
authority
anyway?
After all,
is he not
the son of
God?
And does
not the son
of God
possess all
authority?
And that is
true.
He does
possess all
authority
eternally,
as the
son of
God.
And so
here we find
Jesus speaking
of a new
kind of
authority
into which
he has
entered.
An authority
that he
now possesses
not,
as it were,
natively or
essentially,
simply by who
he is as
the eternal
son of God.
No,
this is an
authority that
he has
entered into
as a result
of his
death and
resurrection.
You might
call it
an exalted
messianic
authority,
an exalted
messianic
authority.
An authority
that comes
from,
based upon,
derivative of
all of his
completed work
that he
accomplished
on earth.
Maybe you
can think
about it
this way.
One of the
most startling
stories over
the past
season,
particularly for
football fans,
is the success
of Leicester
City.
I cannot
believe that
they are
about to win
the Premier
League.
It's
astonishing,
isn't it?
Now,
at the start
of the season,
Claudio Ranieri
possessed
authority as
the manager
of Leicester
City.
He had
that authority
was native
to him as
the manager.
But think
about the
authority that
he now
possesses,
having just
won or about
to win the
Premier League.
He has,
as it were,
entered into
a new kind
of authority
based upon
the success
of this
past season.
Think of
all the
players that
are now
going to
want to
come and
play under
him.
Think about
all the
other bigger
clubs that
might be
interested in
hiring him.
He's entered
into,
as it were,
a new
kind of
authority on
the basis
of all of
the glorious
work that
he and his
team have
done over
the past
season.
That is
something like
what Jesus
is speaking
of here.
Almost
against all
the odds,
Leicester
have triumphed.
In a similar
way,
Jesus,
against all
the odds,
hanging on a
cross,
doesn't look
much like
the triumphant
king.
But against
all the odds,
he has won
the ultimate
victory over
death and
sin and
Satan.
And now he
has entered
into his
messianic
authority,
something that
he did not
possess before.
And this is
why you should
note,
Jesus speaks of
this authority
as having been
given to him.
All authority
in heaven and
on earth has
been given
to me.
Given by
who?
Given by
his father,
his heavenly
father.
Why?
Well,
as the reward
for perfectly
fulfilling the
rescue mission
that the
father sent
the Lord
Jesus upon.
For perfectly
carrying out
and
accomplishing
and fulfilling
his own
commission.
His own
commission to
be born
of the
virgin.
His own
commission to
live the
perfect life
for all of
his people.
His own
commission to
die a sin
bearing death
as his people
substitute on
the cross.
Bearing their
punishment in
their place.
His own
commission to
rise again
from the
grave,
triumphant.
He's now
fulfilled his
commission to
save sinners.
And notice
what that
means.
Notice what
that means.
It means that
our commission
as a church,
the commission
of Emmanuel
Church in
Brentford,
is rooted in
the commission
that Jesus
himself undertook.
Our commission
flows out of
his commission
and the
success of
our commission
is guaranteed
by the
success of
his commission.
You see,
the great
commission,
as we
call it,
has as
its
propulsive
force an
even greater
commission
that drives
it forward.
Our commission
is driven
forward
ineluctably,
powerfully,
by the commission
that Jesus
himself undertook
and fulfilled.
And isn't that
such a relief
for us?
Isn't that
such a relief
for us?
As we go
out into
the world,
seeking to
fulfill this
great commission,
as churches
are planted,
as people
are sent
abroad or
sent to
other places
in this
country,
isn't it
wonderful that
we don't go
on our own
authority?
authority.
We go
on the
authority of
King Jesus,
who has
all authority.
We are
weak,
we are
frail,
we are
sinful,
but we
have an
all-conquering
power at
our disposal.
That's what
you as a
church need
to remember,
that's what
Emmanuel
Church
Brentford
needs to
remember.
I look at
Stuart and
he is
someone that
knows weakness
and frailty,
but at his
disposal, at
the church's
disposal, is
an all-conquering
power that
will never
fail them.
And he
uses, as
well,
doubting
worshippers.
We should
note that.
It says there
in verse 17,
when the
disciples saw
him, they
worshipped him,
but some
doubted.
I actually
think there's
some people
that think
that there
are two
different
groups,
there's
some that
are worshipping,
others that
are doubting.
I tend to
think that
those who
worship also
those who
simultaneously
doubt.
Isn't that so
often what our
experience is like?
We can be
full of
worshipful joy
and confidence
and yet at the
same time,
that is
punctuated,
that is
tarnished
somewhat by
doubt.
Doubt about
who Jesus
is, does
he really
love me,
can I do
this, he's
called me to
do.
He uses
doubting
worshippers.
He doesn't
use strong
people.
He doesn't
use strong
people.
All the
power is
his.
He uses
people like
you, people
like me, who
are weak, who
doubt, who
are frail.
But we have
an all-conquering
power at our
disposal.
Secondly, Jesus'
program directs
mission.
We've seen
that Jesus'
power fulfills,
excuse me, fuels
mission.
And now we see
that Jesus'
program directs
mission.
Just look at
verse 19 through
to the start of
verse 20.
Jesus says,
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.
Here we have
Jesus, the
victorious king,
laying out this
program for his
church, for his
people to follow.
And you can see
what the key
goal of this
program is.
It's to make
disciples.
That is where
the emphasis
lies in this
verse.
The emphasis is
on the making
of disciples,
the making of
disciples from
all nations.
Jesus is saying
here, because I
am Lord of all,
because all
authority in
heaven and on
earth has been
given to me, I
want people from
all nations to
follow me, to be
my disciples.
disciples.
Which raises
the question,
how is this
done?
How does the
church go about
seeking to make
disciples?
And thankfully
for us, Jesus
tells us in three
broad ways how
the church is to
go about making
disciples.
We don't need to
invent our own
programs.
We have the
program of Christ
himself to direct
our purpose as a
church.
First of all, we
make disciples by
going.
Go therefore and
make disciples of
all nations.
It's an obvious
point I know, but
it's worth stressing.
We need to go
into all nations in
order to make
disciples, because
that's where potential
disciples live.
You won't make
disciples by staying
put.
And what's
interesting here is
that this signals
a vital
watershed, a
dramatic shift in
the plans of God.
Earlier on in
Matthew's Gospel in
chapter 10, Jesus
had sent his
apostles out to
the house of
Israel.
And he had
specifically said
to them, do not
go to the Gentiles.
Do not go to the
Samaritans.
Go to the house of
Israel.
But now, now he
says, go out to
all nations.
Go to the whole
world, because of
my cosmic authority
that I have now
inaugurated as the
risen king.
And again, this is
rooted in Jesus'
own going.
Can you imagine
Jesus, the son of
God, in eternity
saying to the
father, well, yeah,
I like the plan to
save sinners, but I
really don't fancy
going.
Of course not.
He delighted him
to be sent by his
father to come and
save his people.
It delighted him to
go into the world
himself in order to
fulfil his own
commission.
He came, and so we
too must go.
Now the emphasis
here is on the
church itself going
into the world with
the message of the
gospel.
Preachers, ministers
going out, missionaries
going out, declaring
the good news of
Jesus Christ.
But it also, I
think, entails
Christians, just
generally Christians,
whoever you are,
going out into
work, going out
into school, going
out into the
community in which
you live, going
out into your
neighbours' homes,
even perhaps as it
were going out into
your own families.
That is what we are
to be about as
Christians.
Going out.
The Christian
life you see is
not static.
The Christian life
is dynamic.
It has this
dynamic force to
it.
And for those of
you with children,
what is your
mission field?
Where do you go?
Oh, your
children.
Well, children are
your mission field.
I remember one
time a lady
speaking to
someone, feeling
utterly bereft and
down because she
just wasn't speaking
to that many
non-Christians.
she had done as a
younger woman when
she was at
university.
I think she'd
seen quite a few
of her friends
come to Christ
and now she was
a bit older, she
had a couple of
kids and she
just, time was
taken up with
her children.
And she was
downcast because
she didn't feel
like she was
fulfilling the
great commission
and her minister
said to her,
your mission field
is your children.
That's your
primary focus.
You should be
teaching them,
praying for them.
Maybe that is an
encouragement to
some of you.
So we go to
make disciples and
secondly, we make
disciples by
baptising.
Go therefore and
make disciples of
all nations,
baptising them in
the name of the
Father and of the
Son and of the
Holy Spirit.
That's interesting,
isn't it?
It's interesting,
why does Jesus
think baptism is
so important?
I mean, isn't
baptism just an
optional extra?
That's the way a
lot of people think
about baptism,
isn't it?
It's clearly
vital to Jesus
that we baptise
people.
There are many
reasons why, but
I think in
context, the
main reason is
because it's
the mark, it's
the physical
sign, if you
will, that you
have been
initiated into
the school of
Jesus Christ and
you have begun
his discipleship
lessons.
I mean, that's
what it means to
be a disciple,
it means to be
a learner, a
follower, someone
who sits, as it
were, at the
feet of Jesus
and listens to
him.
baptism marks
you out as
belonging exclusively
to him.
It's a gracious
sign and seal and
mark that he puts
upon you and
says, now come, I
love you, now
learn from me,
learn in my
glorious school.
Baptism, I think,
is a bit like a
wedding ring.
You know how in a
marriage, the
husband and the
wife exchange
rings and those
rings signify
that they belong
exclusively to
one another.
In this deep,
personal, intimate
relationship,
baptism is, as it
were, the wedding
ring that God
places upon the
fingers of his
disciples.
And he says to
them in their
baptism, I love
you, you are
mine.
And that's why
I think Jesus'
disciples are
baptized into the
new covenant
name of God.
The God who is
one and the God
who is three.
God the Father,
God the Son,
and God the
Holy Spirit.
When you were
baptized, my
friends, when you
were baptized, God
the Father, God
the Son, and God
the Holy Spirit all
said to you, whether
you were aware of
it or not, they
all said to you
with one unified
voice, I love
you, and I have
set you apart for
myself.
You are my
disciples.
Now learn from
me, and go out
in my name.
So we make
disciples by going,
by baptizing, and
then finally by
teaching.
Go therefore, make
disciples of all
nations, baptizing
them into the name
of the Father, the
Son, and the
Holy Spirit, teaching
them to observe all
that I have
commanded you.
You see, Jesus'
disciples, they need
to grow up.
We need to, we
need to mature,
don't we?
We need to be
nurtured in our
faith.
In fact, I think
that's actually where
the emphasis in many
ways lies.
Jesus doesn't say,
go and make
Christians.
That's, as it
were, his job.
He says, go and
make disciples.
Train people up.
Yes, proclaim the
gospel, seek
converts, of course.
It doesn't exclude
that in any way.
But the emphasis, I
think, is on training
people up, making
disciples.
And we need to be
taught.
We need to be
taught if we're to
grow up in the
ways of Christ,
don't we?
If we're going to
graduate from being
babes in Christ to
mature adults, we
need to be taught.
And what is it we
need to be taught?
All that Jesus has
commanded.
The whole truth
of God's, from
Genesis 1 through
to Revelation 22,
I think it is.
The whole Bible.
We need to expose
ourselves to it.
We need to sit
under the preaching
and the teaching of
his words.
And we are to
observe all that
he's commanded.
His teaching is
intensely practical.
And this is, I
would say, the
particular responsibility
of ordained
ministers, those
men that God has
set apart to
preach and to
teach his
words.
It's here, it's
right here, right
now, that is the
key element of
your discipleship.
Yes, one-on-ones
are very, very
useful.
Home groups are
very useful.
But it's right
here, right now,
at the worship
service, sitting
under the preached
words, the
authoritative
preaching of God's
word, that you
are being
discipled, that you
are being
assured, that you
are being nurtured
in the ways of
Christ.
I remember when I
was at primary
school, I thought I
knew it all.
I thought I was so
clever, and then I
went to secondary
school, and I
realised I didn't,
but after a few
years, I again
thought I knew it
all.
And then I went
off to university,
and I quickly
discovered that I
didn't know it
all.
There was a whole
ocean of knowledge
out there that I
would never grasp,
and the older I
get, the more I
realise is how
little I do know.
As I study God's
word, there's more
and more that I
am just completely
ignorant of.
And it's a bit
like that in the
school of Christ.
We are students in
his school, and we
are growing in
knowledge, but the
more that we sit
at the feet of
Jesus, the more
we realise we'll
never plumb the
depths of his
glory and his
truth.
But this is the
best school
imaginable.
Let me just
stress that.
I know perhaps
some of you,
school isn't such
a happy experience,
or perhaps wasn't
such a happy
experience when you
were younger, but
this is the best
school imaginable,
because Jesus is
the teacher.
He knows all, and
he is merciful to
you.
And sometimes we
get things wrong,
don't we?
We make errors.
We don't always
observe all that he
commands us to do.
But every day we
fall short, don't
we?
And he's not a
teacher that brings
out the cane.
I know they don't
have canes anymore.
He's not that sort
of teacher that
slaps you down
when you get it
wrong.
He's the sort of
teacher that says,
don't worry.
He picks you up
again.
He's merciful.
He's kind.
He's patient.
So Jesus'
program is what
directs mission.
And then finally,
we see that Jesus'
presence is what
sustains mission.
His presence is
what sustains
mission.
And behold,
I am with you
always to the
end of the
age.
Jesus promises
to his disciples
that he will
sustain them in
their work of
making disciples
all the way up
to the ends of
history.
Now of course,
Jesus isn't going
to be with his
disciples bodily.
He's about to
ascend back up
into heaven.
But he will be
with them
spiritually.
And if you
can see my
notes, you
see that I've
got a capital
S there.
He will be
with them by
his Holy Spirit
whom he will
send out upon
them at
Pentecost.
This is how
Jesus continues
to be with
his church
today.
This is how
he is with
you right now.
He is with
you by his
Holy Spirit.
And in fact,
this is
fascinating,
I think.
Jesus has
even said
that it is
to the
disciples'
advantage
that he
goes away
so that the
helper, the
Holy Spirit,
can come to
them.
He talks about
that in
John chapter
16.
It's actually
better for us
that he is
not here
bodily,
but
spiritually.
do you
ever think,
I think
this anyway,
do you
ever think
that your
church
would be
better off
if only
Jesus were
actually here
in the
flesh?
Well, let me
put it this
way.
This is what
will bring it
home to you
perhaps.
Would you
rather have
me,
or Paul,
or Stuart
preaching to you
right now,
or Jesus?
It's a bit
of a no-brainer,
I suppose.
But Jesus
is saying
that it's
actually to
our advantage
that he
will go
away,
and that the
Spirit will
come, and
that is how
he will be
present with
us.
You are
actually better
off, we
are better
off now,
than the
disciples were
during his
33 years
on this
earth.
And there
are many
reasons for
this, but
here's one.
Now the
proclamation of
the gospel can
indeed go to
all nations,
to the
farthest
shores.
You see, if it
depended upon
Jesus being
here bodily,
then there's a
sense in which
the gospel could
only really go
where Jesus
himself was,
located.
it.
But now we
can go to
all nations,
because by
his Spirit he
is present with
his people,
wherever they
go, wherever
his disciples
go, they go
in the presence
of Jesus, by
his Spirit.
And that is a
presence that
lifts us, that
is a presence
that gives us
confidence and
boldness to
actually go to
all nations.
I remember
when I was at
Duke Street a
few years ago
now, we
cobbled together
a cricket team,
and we were
not a particularly
good cricket team,
let me tell you.
I even had me
opening the
batting, just
because I could
basically play a
sort of forward
defensive, I knew
how to keep a
straight bat.
We were a pretty
poor cricket team,
but we did have
one guy who was
very, very, very
good, it was
this South African
called Mike,
and his
sheer presence
with us lifted
the team, because
he's someone that
hit six virtually
every delivery, and
he had a really
fast delivery.
He was just a
great player.
I remember we
were always really
worried when we
gathered together
and he wasn't
there yet, he
was running a bit
late, but as
soon as he came
it lifted us and
we all played at
least a little bit
better as a
result.
If Jesus were
not with us,
by the power of
his Holy Spirit,
we would soon
lose heart,
wouldn't we?
We would give
up, we would
go home.
But Jesus'
presence with us
at all times
gives us great
boldness and
great confidence.
And it means
that even when
only two or
three people
gather together,
sure, that's
disheartening,
but we don't
despair because
Jesus is with
us.
You see, Jesus
is as much
with us in
our twos and
in our threes
as he is in
our hundreds
and our
thousands.
And sometimes
it might not
feel as if
Jesus is with
you.
It might not
feel that way,
but it is a
fact.
It's a promise.
Jesus says,
I will be with
you always.
Not just most
of the time,
but always,
to the end of
the age, to the
end of history,
I will be with
you at all
times.
Sometimes, when
you're perhaps
going through
difficult periods,
when the dark
clouds gather, it
doesn't feel as
if Jesus is with
you.
When your church
is struggling,
as no doubt it
has done, or
perhaps it will
in the future,
it may not feel
as if Jesus is
with you.
But it is a
fact.
And we base
our lives, we
base our faith,
not upon the way
we feel, but
upon what is
revealed to us,
what is fact,
what is true.
And the fact
is, as Jesus
himself says
here, he is
with us always.
He will be with
you wherever you
go, as you go
out into work
during the week,
as you face a
difficult boss,
as you face
struggles in
your home,
difficulties at
school,
difficulties in
your neighbourhood,
wherever it
might be, Jesus
goes with you.
You are never
alone.
His abiding
presence sustains
you and keeps
you going.
And so we see
that we have
great responsibility
as Christians.
This is rightly
called, I think,
the Great
Commission.
It is indeed
a Great
Commission.
This is the
point of the
Church.
This is the
purpose of the
Church.
To worship
Christ by
making disciples
of all nations,
by going, by
baptising, by
teaching.
There is so
much for us
to do.
so much
for us to
accomplish.
And sometimes
it can feel
like there is
too much.
That it is in
fact too
great a
commission.
How can we
ever cope?
Let me finish
with this.
Always remember
that the
Great
Commission
is given
by the
Great
Commissioner
himself.
It is
given by
the
One
who
completed
his
own
Great
Commission.
It is
given by
the One
who does
now possess
all authority
over heaven
and earth,
who has
an all
conquering
power.
It is
given by
the One
who will
be with
you
always,
wherever
you go,
to the
end of
the age.
Yes,
it is a
Great
Commission,
but you,
my friends,
you have
a far,
far
greater
commission.
Let's
praise and
cry.