Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 8:4, and Colossians 4:2-6

Introduction:

1. With doors now opened in the community through our public information efforts and our lights burning brightly, we must be ready to converse with people.

2. Today’s discussion synthesizes every principle discussed so far as we set out to fulfill our primary mission of making disciples of every ethnic.

Discussion:

I. Go Make Disciples (Matthew 28:18-19a)

A. Having spent forty days fleshing out their understanding of the coming kingdom, Jesus gave the disciples their marching orders, and by extension, ours as well.

B. In this context, Jesus gave one imperative (command): make disciples of all peoples.

II. The Means of Making Disciples (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 8:4)

A. He used three participles to explain how to fulfill the imperative.

1. Go: This demonstrates we cannot be passive in keeping this directive (cf. Acts 8:4).

2. Baptizing: Jesus clearly enmeshed baptism into the process of making a disciple (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 8:36; Romans 6:1-4; Galatians 3:26-27; Colossians 2:11-12; 1 Peter 3:21).

3. Teaching: this may be our weakest link in the process; baptizing one into Christ is the not the end of the disciple making process; rather it is only the beginning.

B. Anything less than, more than, or different than this perverts the gospel (Galatians 1:6-9).

III. The Wisdom for Making Disciples (Colossians 4:2-6)

A. Both irreligious and religious people find our primary work offensive.

B. It makes sense because such an effort implies one is lost, condemned in sin.

1. The irreligious tend to want everyone to mind their own business.

2. The religious often take offense to the plan detailed previously, the popular opinion being that all roads lead to heaven and we just choose what works for us.

C. Such demands God’s wisdom to be effective in carrying the gospel to both; Paul sought the Colossians’ prayers for opportunities to speak, coupled with wisdom to know how.

Conclusion:

1. To be what the Lord called us to be, we must seek and seize evangelistic opportunities.

2. To do so, we must be prepared to wisely defend the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15).

Further Food for Thought

1. Have you ever let an evangelistic opportunity go because of being unprepared?

2. Have you ever wished you had an opportunity back because you did not do it the right way?

3. I have done both, so how do we help one another never live with that regret again?