THE GREAT COMMISSION (Acts 2:1-3)

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THE GREAT COMMISSION
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THE GREAT COMMISSION

• The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all
  that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the
  day in which He was taken up, after He through
  the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the
  apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also
  presented Himself alive after His suffering by
  many infallible proofs, being seen by them during
  forty days and speaking of the things pertaining
  to the kingdom of God. (Acts 11-3)

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THE GREAT COMMISSION
The author of the book of Acts here refers to his
earlier work, which is known to us as the gospel
according to Luke. The commandments are known
collectively as the Great Commission. Let us
examine the commission, that we may see why it is
great, and what its commandments are.
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Matthew 2818-20

• And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, "All
  authority has been given to Me in heaven and in
  earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the
  nations, baptizing them in the name of the
  Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
  teaching them to observe all things that I have
  commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even
  to the end of the age."
• They were to make disciples of all nations.
• They were to baptize them.
• They were to teach them to observe all commands.

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Mark 1615-16

• 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."
• They were to preach the gospel to every creature.
• He who believes and is baptized will be saved.
• He who does not believe will be condemned.

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Luke 2446-48

• Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and
  thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer
  and to rise from the dead the third day, and that
  repentance and remission of sins should be
  preached in His name to all nations, beginning at
  Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these
  things."
• Repentance and remission of sins were to be
  preached, beginning at Jerusalem.
• Apostles were to testify of the gospel facts.

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John 2021-23

• So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As
  the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And
  when He had said this, He breathed on them, and
  said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you
  forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them
  if you retain the sins of any, they are
  retained."
• If the apostles have forgiven your sins they are
  forgiven.
• Otherwise they are retained (You still have them).

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COMPOSITE ACCOUNT

• The apostles were to make disciples by preaching,
  teaching and testifying concerning the facts of
  the gospel (primarily, Jesus death, burial and
  resurrection), the commands of the gospel
  (belief, repentance and baptism) and the promise
  of the gospel (the remission of sins salvation).
• Those who believed the facts and obeyed the
  commands would receive the promise.
• Those who did not believe the facts or did not
  obey the commands would not receive the promise.

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Acts 222-24

• "Men of Israel, hear these words Jesus of
  Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by
  miracles, wonders, and signs which God did
  through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also
  know-- Him, being delivered by the determined
  purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken
  by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to
  death whom God raised up, having loosed the
  pains of death, because it was not possible that
  He should be held by it.

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Acts 225-28

• "For David says concerning Him 'I foresaw the
  Lord always before my face, For He is at my right
  hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my
  heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad Moreover
  my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will
  not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow
  Your Holy One to see corruption. You have made
  known to me the ways of life You will make me
  full of joy in Your presence.'

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Acts 229-31

• "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of
  the patriarch David, that he is both dead and
  buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
  Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God
  had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit
  of his body, according to the flesh, He would
  raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he,
  foreseeing this, spoke concerning the
  resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not
  left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.

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Acts 232-35

• "This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are
  all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the
  right hand of God, and having received from the
  Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured
  out this which you now see and hear. For David
  did not ascend into the heavens, but he says
  himself 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My
  right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your
  footstool."'

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Acts 236-37

• "Therefore let all the house of Israel know
  assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you
  crucified, both Lord and Christ."
• Now when they heard this, they were cut to the
  heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the
  apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

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Acts 238-39

• Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every
  one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus
  Christ for the remission of sins and you shall
  receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the
  promise is to you and to your children, and to
  all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God
  will call."

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Acts 240-42

• And with many other words he testified and
  exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this
  perverse generation."
• Then those who gladly received his word were
  baptized and that day about three thousand souls
  were added to them.
• And they continued steadfastly in the apostles'
  doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of
  bread, and in prayers.

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ANALYSIS

• Peter testified regarding the facts of the
  gospel. (22-36)
• Some of the people believed the facts and asked
  about the commands - they became disciples. (37)
• Peter preached repentance and remission of sins.
  (38)
• Peter put baptism between repentance and
  remission of sins. (38)
• 3,000 obeyed the commands. (39-41)
• The apostles continued to teach them. (42)

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COMPOSITE ACCOUNT

• The apostles were to make disciples by preaching,
  teaching and testifying concerning the facts of
  the gospel primarily, Jesus death, burial and
  resurrection, the commands of the gospel
  (belief, repentance and baptism) and the promise
  of the gospel (the remission of sins salvation).
• Those who believed the facts and obeyed the
  commands would receive the promise.
• Those who did not believe the facts or did not
  obey the commands would not receive the promise.