Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

 ²⁰  teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20.  (Emphasis added.)

I would like to focus on the compelling authority and power of the Great  Commission.  Is man’s free will and ability sufficient power and authority to fulfill the Great Commission?  Or, is Christ’s authority and power sufficient to fulfill the Great Commission?  Is fulfillment of the Great Commission dependent on man, namely the disciples throughout history (from the 11 disciples present at the giving of the Great Commission to us disciples today)?  Or, is fulfillment of the Great Commission dependent on Christ?

Generally, we have seen Scripture like Isaiah 46:9-11 which clearly show that God will accomplish all of His good pleasure:
“Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘ My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘;
Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11.   

But, we also have seen Scripture which relate specifically to God’s work making disciples.  We have seen the following in John Chapter 6.

^“Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”  Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  John 6:28-29. 

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.  “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.  “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.”  John 6:37-39. 

We have seen how God uses His disciples but gives them the will to do his will and also works within them.  “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13.  “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”  Acts 1:8. 

Calvin in his Commentary on Matthew 28:18 (“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.“) states:

“… Before relating that the office of teaching was committed to the disciples, Matthew says that Christ began by speaking of his power; and not without reason.  For no ordinary authority would here have been enough, but sovereign and truly divine government ought to be possessed by him who commands them to promise eternal life in his ham to reduce the whole world under his sway, and to publish a doctrine which subdues all pride, and lays prostrate the whole of the human race.  And by this preface Christ not only encouraged the Apostles to full confidence in the discharge of their office, but confirmed the faith of his gospel in all ages.  Never, certainly, would the Apostles have had sufficient confidence to undertake so arduous an office, if they had not known that their Protector sitteth in heaven, and that the highest authority is given to him;  for without such a support it would have been impossible for them to make any progress. But when they learn that he to whom they owe their services is the Governor of heaven and earth, this alone was abundantly sufficient for preparing them to rise superior to all opposition. …

He expressly calls himself the Lord and King of heaven and earth, because, by constraining men to obey him in the preaching of the gospel, he establishes his throne on the earth;  and, by regenerating his people to a new life, and inviting them to the hope of salvation, he opens heaven to admit to a blessed immortality with angels those who formerly had not only crawled on the world, but had been plunged in the abyss of death.  …” 

In conclusion, this authority and power of Christ to fulfill the Great Commission should not only encourage us, all of His disciples, in doing our evangelism work, it also should encourage us that God with be pleased by the results of the evangelism work.  Not one will be lost whom God intends to save.  “… My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘;  Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country.  Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.  I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:10-11.