2023.04.16 - Easter Is Over, Now What

Easter is Over, Now What? Text: Matt. 28:18-20 Opening Statement: It's clear from all four Gospels that, after His Resurrection, Jesus is single-minded on His mission to share the good news throughout the world. Jesus fulfilled the earth-bound portion of His mission. It would soon be time for His followers to fulfill their part in the mission to take the Gospel to the nations. That was then, and this is now! The Great Commission still stands! God still expects His people to take His message to a lost world so that they might hear the wonderful words of life. I) WE HAVE A DIVINE MANDATE (v. 19) The mandate of The Great Commission is to “Go”. There are two ways we can do this. 1) It involves our Lifestyle (Matt. 5:13-16) Like salt, our life should create a thirst in people for the Lord. If He is the focus of our lives, men will see Him lived out through our lives, day by day! 2) It involves our Lips We are told to “teach”. That word has the idea of “making disciples or to instruct”. It is not enough to just show it, we must also say it! II) WE HAVE A DIVINE MESSAGE (v. 20) Jesus tells His followers to share a specific message: “…to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…” As we go and as we tell the world about Jesus, the message we are to share is very clear. We are to share the Gospel. There is no other message that God will use to draw the sinner to Himself and there is no other message He will use to save lost souls! III) WE HAVE A DIVINE MISSION (v. 19) He tells us that we are to “Go…and teach all nations”. He is telling us very clearly that our mission is to every person in the world. If they are sinners, they are candidates to hear the message of the cross. If they are lost, they need a Savior. If they do not know Him, they need to, and we have been authorized and commanded to reach them! IV) WE HAVE A DIVINE MENTOR (v. 20) Jesus doesn’t send us in to the lost world wit