The Great Commission

By Frank Eiklor and Cecilia Contreras

Lesson 12 Part 1

The New Testament is the full revelation of God's redemptive purposes - the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.  His total rulership yet awaits the future.  The command to preach this gospel - good news - can be seen from Matthew through Revelation.  For the follower of Jesus, the "Go ye" must always be a  "Go me" in sharing God's love with others - whether across the street or around the world.

The following thoughts attached to the Great Commission—from each of the 27 New Testament books—have enriched my life and my love for the Lord.  I gladly share them with you as together we "Go" to our world with the awesome message that  "He's Alive!"

Don't merely read the key portion of each scripture verse that I quote.  Look up all the references in your Bible so that you get the full meaning of context.  I have used the King James version of the Scriptures except where otherwise noted. 

Matthew 28:18-20    GO-               with God's presence  ("I am with you always")

Mark  16:15-20         GO-               with God's protection ("these signs shall follow them that believe")

Luke 24:46-49          GO-  with God's program ("repentance...should be preached in His name among all nations, 

beginning at Jerusalem"

John 20: 21-23         GO-              with God's peace ("Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."

Acts 1:8                     GO-              with God's power ("you shall receive power")

Acts 28:20-23            GO-              as God's prisoner ("for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain")          

Romans 1:14-16       GO-              as a debtor  ("I am debtor...I am ready... I am not ashamed ")

Romans 16:26           GO-              to all nations ("made known to all nations")

I Corinthians 1:26-29  GO-            as God's "fools"  ("God hath chosen the foolish things of the world")

I Corinthians 16: 9     GO-             through every open door ("a great door and effectual is opened unto me")

 II Corinthians 1:3,4   GO-             as God’s comforter of others  ("comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort

wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God")

II Corinthians 5:18-20  GO-          as Christ's ambassadors ("we are ambassadors for Christ”)       

Galatians 1:15,16        GO-          to reveal Jesus  ("God, who separated me...called me by his grace...To reveal his

Son in me, that I might preach Him")

Galatians  6:1,2          GO-          as the restorer of others ("restore such an one in the spirit of meekness")

Ephesians 3:8,9           GO-         with unsearchable riches ("that I should preach...the unsearchable  riches of Christ...to

make all men see")

Ephesians 6:19,20       GO-         with an unrestrained boldness ("that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the

mystery of the gospel")

Philippians 1:12            GO-         with a sense of God's sovereignty ("things which happened unto me...unto the

furtherance of the gospel")

Philippians 2:15,16        GO-        as God's light to others ("shine as lights in the world")

Colossians 1:27-29        GO-        to make known the mystery  ("this mystery...which is Christ in you")

Colossians 4:17              GO-       in the fear of God ("Take heed to the ministry... that thou fulfil it")

I Thessalonians 1:5         GO-      as an example of your preaching (" ye know what manner of men we were among you")

I Thessalonians 2:8         GO-       imparting your soul along with His story ("imparted unto you...our own souls")

II Thessalonians 1:11,12  GO-      to glorify only Jesus  ("that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you”)

II Thessalonians 3:1         GO-      on a foundation of prayer (“pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course”)

(Part 2 in our next study—I Timothy through Revelation)