yesterday I happened to see an old friend and, wondering how he was making out in selling their home in this area and, eventually, moving to a pastoral position in another state, was able to sit and chat awhile. soon 'caught up', I launched a question that has been coming to the forefront of my mind...WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE GREAT COMMISSION JESUS GAVE HIS DISCIPLES IN MATTHEW 28.18-20? (to be specific, I have been troubled over the fact that I can't point to one person I have discipled and was hoping for some enlightenment, encouragement...exhortation? in that direction.
these verses read, 'Go THEREFORE (ie. go (def - AS A RESULT OF THE FACT THAT) 'all power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. v17) and TEACH (mathAtUate - aorist imperative, meaning make or be a disciple) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to OBSERVE (KEEP) all things whatsoever I COMMANDED YOU, and , behold (def. - 'look! see!) I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, even to the end of the age'.
my friend shared with me that this command was only given to the first 12 disciples and they carried it out, with the result that many, if not all of them were martyred and it no longer applies to us. he also shared that the first word, GO, was not an imperative (ie. command). these remarks led me to look again at the Greek New Testament resulting in the above discoveries. THE COMMAND IS NOT 'TO GO' (it is a participle which means, 'after going'). IT IS TO DISCIPLE.
the Apostle Paul, who met Jesus on the road to Damascus, was the thirteenth disciple who was directly given this command by Jesus. but the word 'disciple' is used several hundred times in the New Testament to describe the followers of Jesus. a good definition of a disciple is one who receives instruction and makes it the rule of his life....this may be wrong but, I think I have to go with the idea that every person who receives instruction from Jesus, given in the Bible, as well as, often, through the life and words of one of HIS DISCIPLES...and demonstrates this by consistently DOing WHAT JESUS SAYS...which would include teaching others to keep Jesus' commandments.
oh Lord, show me if this is wrong and if it is right, show me how to do this in such a way that other people will keep Your commandments too. in Jesus' name I pray. if I fail in this I am of all men most miserable, FOR THERE IS NOTHING ELSE WORTH LIVING FOR...BUT YOU DEAREST LORD JESUS!!!!!!
REPENT for the kingdom of heaven is at hand - MATTHEW 3.1...John the Baptist who acknowledged Jesus in 3.11,14
TELL SATAN 'BEGONE!' (following Jesus' example) when
he seeks to pervert the Bible's intended meaning MATT. 4.6 and
encourage obedience to himself rather than to Jesus only, MATT. 4.10
REPENT for the kingdom of heaven is at hand - MATT. 4.17
FOLLOW Me and I will make you fishers of men, v. 19
REJOICE and BE GLAD MATT. 5.12 for your reward is great in heaven (when men
cast insults at you and
persecute you and
say all kinds of evil against you falsely, ON ACCOUNT OF ME).
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE before men in such a way that they may
see your good works and
glorify your Father who is in heaven. MATT. 5.16
DO NOT THINK that I came to abolish the Law; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. MATT. 5.17
If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
LEAVE YOUR OFFERING THERE BEFORE THE ALTAR and
GO YOUR WAY;
FIRST, BE RECONCILED TO your brother and then
COME and
PRESENT your offering. MATT. 5.24
MAKE FRIENDS QUICKLY WITH YOUR OPPONENT AT LAW WHILE YOU ARE WITH HIM ON THE WAY MATT. 5.25
You have heard...YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY (but I say to you, that everyone who LOOKS ON A WOMAN TO LUST FOR HER has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
MATT. 5.28
and IF YOUR RIGHT EYE MAKES YOU STUMBLE , TEAR IT OUT AND THROW IT FROM YOU; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to go into hell. MATT. 5.29
and IF YOUR RIGHT HAND... (see above) MATT. 5.30
MAKE NO OATH AT ALL.. MATT. 5.34
... BUT LET YOUR STATEMENT BE, 'YES,(note- means) YES' OR 'NO,(note- means) NO' and anything beyond these is of evil. (note- DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU WILL DO.)
'YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID, 'AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH'. MATT. 5.38 But I say to you, DO NOT RESIST HIM WHO IS EVIL' MATT. 5.39
but WHOEVER SLAPS YOU ON YOUR RIGHT CHEEK, TURN TO HIM THE OTHER ALSO.
'AND IF ANYONE WANTS TO SUE YOU AND TAKE YOUR SHIRT,
LET HIM HAVE YOUR COAT ALSO. MATT. 5.40
'AND WHOEVER SHALL FORCE YOU TO GO ONE MILE, GO WITH HIM TWO. MATT. 5.41
GIVE TO HIM WHO ASKS OF YOU
AND DO NOT TURN AWAY FROM HIM WHO WANTS TO BORROW FROM YOU. MATT. 5.42
You have heard that it was said, 'you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. but I say to you,
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES and
PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU in order that you may be sons of your Father...MATT. 44-45
..YOU ARE TO BE PERFECT, AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT. MATT. 5.48
BEWARE OF PRACTICING YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE MEN TO BE NOTICED BY THEM; otherwise you have no reward in heaven. MATT. 6.1
WHEN...YOU GIVE ALMS, DO NOT SOUND A TRUMPET BEFORE YOU, as the hypocrites do in the synagogue and in the streets, that they may be honored by men...,MATT. 6.2
...WHEN YOU GIVE ALMS, DO NOT LET YOUR LEFT HAND KNOW WHAT YOUR RIGHT HAND IS DOING. MATT. 6.3
...WHEN YOU PRAY, GO INTO YOUR INNER ROOM A WHEN YOU HAVE SHUT YOUR DOOR PRAY TO YOUR FATHER who sees...MATT. 6.4
and WHEN YOU PRAY, YOU ARE NOT TO BE AS THE HYPOCRITES; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men..MATT. 6.5
...WHEN YOU PRAY, GO INTO YOUR INNER ROOM AND
WHEN YOU HAVE SHUT THE DOOR PRAY...MATT. 6.6
AND WHEN YOU ARE PRAYING, DO NOT USE MEANINGLESS REPETITION as the Gentiles do for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. MATT. 6.7
THEREFORE 'DO NOT BE' LIKE THEM, for your father knows what you need, before you ask Him. MATT. 6.8
'PRAY', THEN, IN THIS WAY (MATT. 6.9)
Our Father who art in heaven,
HALLOWED BE Thy name
Thy Kingdom COME
Thy will BE DONE on earth as it is in heaven.
GIVE us this day our daily bread.
and FORGIVE us our debts as we forgive our debtors
and DO NOT LEAD us into temptation,
but DELIVER us from evil
for Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever. Amen.
AND WHENEVER YOU FAST, 'DO NOT PUT ON' A GLOOMY FACE as the hypocrites do. MATT. 6.16
...WHEN YOU FAST, 'ANOINT' YOUR HEAD WITH OIL
AND 'WASH' YOUR FACE. MATT. 6.17
so that you may not be seen fasting by men, but by your Father. MATT. 6.18
'DO NOT LAY UP' FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES UPON EARTH, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. MATT. 6.19
but 'LAY UP' FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal;
YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON. MATT. 6.24 (note - not stated as a command, but rather as an impossibility, and therefore with the force of a command....'it's just not possible' in this case equals 'DO NOT SERVE MAMMON')
....'DO NOT BE ANXIOUS' FOR YOUR LIFE, as to what you shall eat and what you shall drink,
NOR FOR YOUR BODY as to what you put on..MATT. 6.25
'LOOK AT' THE BIRDS OF THE AIR..they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns and yet your heavenly father feeds them...MATT. 6.26
'OBSERVE' HOW THE LILIES OF THE FIELD GROW, they do not toil nor do they spin...MATT. 6.28
'DO NOT BE ANXIOUS' THEN SAYING what shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or 'with what shall we clothe ourselves? MATT. 6.31
'SEEK' FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and all these things shall be added to you. MATT. 6.33
therefore 'DO NOT BE ANXIOUS FOR' TOMORROW; for tomorrow will care for itself. each day has enough trouble of its own. MATT. 6.34
'DO NOT JUDGE', LEST YOU BE JUDGED. MATT. 7.1 for in the way you judge, you will be judged and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. v2
You hypocrite, FIRST 'TAKE THE LOG OUT' OF YOUR OWN EYE and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. MATT. 7.5
DO NOT GIVE WHAT IS HOLY TO DOGS and
'DO NOT THROW' YOUR PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces. MATT. 7.6
ASK and it shall be given you;
SEEK and you will find;
KNOCK and it will be opened to you. MATT. 7.7
THEREFORE HOWEVER YOU WANT PEOPLE TO TREAT YOU, SO 'TREAT' THEM,
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