Whose commission?

John Farley
Pastor-Teacher
Sunday,
February 17, 2019

 

Whose commission?

Col 4:2-6

The instructions to the saints about what we are to do in the realm of evangelism.

Verses 3 & 4 instruct the saints to pray for Paul and Timothy.

In verses 5&6, the saints are instructed about the work they are to do to fulfill the mission to evangelize the lost.

1. Conduct ourselves with wisdom.
2. Make the most of the opportunity.
3. Let our speech be gracious.
4. Then we will know how to respond to each person.

 

1. Love the brethren
2. Lead a quiet life
3. Attend to your own business

 

SO THAT…you will
Behave properly toward outsiders.

1. Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.
2. Be ready to make a defense to anyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you.
3. Do it with gentleness and reverence.

There aren’t any commands in epistles that require each saint to evangelize the wider world.

The Lord has appointed certain members of the body to evangelize the wider world.

We should put our energies into the assignments we HAVE been given, rather than the ones we have NOT been given.

1Ti 2:7

God has appointed each one of us to a place in the body as well. 1Co 12:14-26.

2Co 5:20

This is not talking about every saint.

It’s talking about apostles and evangelists who have the calling and the charge to preach the gospel.

 

presbeuoo
 
to function as a representative of a ruling authority

 

1. A commissioning for a special assignment.
2. Representing the sender.
3. Exercising the authority of the sender.

This is exactly what was involved in being called as an apostle.

Eph 4:11

After the apostles left the scene, evangelists received this commission.

“We” in 2 Corinthians 5:20 refers to Paul and Timothy.

There is a great deal said about evangelism in the epistles.

Just not that many instructions to the saints.

The preaching of the gospel is a major subject in every one of Paul’s letters.
 

But it’s HIS preaching; his ministry as an apostle, and that of men like Timothy and Silvanus.
 

He asks the rest of the saints to pray for these ministers of the gospel and to support them financially.

Ok….
But what about the Great Commission?

Mat 28:16-20

Jesus was speaking to the eleven: the 12 apostles minus Judas.

1.  Make disciples of all the nations.
2.  Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
3.  Teach them to observe all that Jesus commanded them.

The word “disciple” is found in the gospels and the book of Acts. But it is not found after that.

Disciples in the first century were people selected by the teacher.

They sold their possessions and joined the small circle of fellow disciples.

They learned from the teacher, travelled with him, and adhered strictly to his teachings.

Believers in Christ during our age are called saints, not disciples.

The instruction to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is found only here in Matthew 28.

Paul never instructed anyone to baptize at all.

When Jesus told them to teach the nations all that He commanded to the eleven -

This referred to all the commands Jesus gave to His disciples in the gospel of Matthew (as well as Mark and Luke).

If you don’t forgive others, God won’t forgive you
(Mat 6:14-15).

Eph 4:32

Jesus taught the disciples that the peacemakers would be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9)

Gal 3:26