1553. The Final Command

The Final Command

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: * * Lo, I am with you alway" (Mat_28:18-20).

When the Lord appeared unto the disciples, according to the promise which the angel, and which He Himself had made to the women, He spoke His final word.

1. He gave a gracious Assurance.

"All authority is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth" (1911 Bible).

Jesus Christ had always possessed all power, for He was God. He had thrown worlds into space; He had created the heavens and the earth, and all things that are therein. All things were made by Him, and for Him, and in Him they were held together.

Our Lord now, however, has an acquired, an added authority. Apart from His death and resurrection, He could never have said what He meant by the words: "All authority is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth."

He was speaking here of an invested authority, of an achieved authority. Christ had met satan, and vanquished him; He had met principalities and powers and triumphed over them; He had met every requirement of a just and righteous God concerning the sins of men, and satisfied them. He had met death, and the grave, and hades, and He had come forth bearing the keys in His hands.

Now, Christ can say, "All authority, all power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth."

He has power over the enemy.

He has power over death.

He has power over the elements.

He has power over sin.

He has power to save.

2. He gave a glorious promise.

"Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the age."

The Lord Jesus seemed to say to His disciples: "Everything that is Mine, is thine."

He seemed to say: "I will back you with every achievement of Calvary; with every accomplishment of the resurrection, with every authority of the ascension."

The Lord Jesus does not leave His disciples in the lurch; He will bring Heaven and earth to their help; He will clothe them with every power, and with all the authority which He Himself possesses.

3. He gave a great command. There are three things that the disciples were to do, in view of the risen Christ

(1) "Go ye * * discipling." The disciples were to go to the ends of the earth, to all nations, to every creature, proclaiming salvation, seeking the lost, preaching Christ.

(2) "Go ye * * baptizing." The disciples were to baptize, setting forward the vision of a crucified and buried Christ; proclaiming that He who died was risen indeed.

This Gospel which they were commanded to preach, they were commanded to symbolize; therefore they were commanded to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

(3) "Go ye * * teaching." The disciples were not to be satisfied with a mere proclamation of the Gospel, nor with the consequent baptism of believers; they were to teach all things, and they were to teach the people to observe all things which Christ had commanded.

The mission of the disciples in this was to translate the messages of Christ into every-day Christian living.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR