Emperors of earth base their authority in armies. Their reigns are initiated with great pomp and perpetuated by physical might. But the kingdom of Christ was born in weakness, spawned in shame, founded near his grave, and bought with his blood. A moral and spiritual kingdom over hearts that are convicted, converted, and comforted forbids attack and assault by the arsenals of men. Kings have long sought security behind impregnable walls and impenetrable fortresses, but all have been overcome. No force, however, has ever moved the foundation of Jesus Christ, and no weapon has ever shaken or cracked the walls of his kingdom "which cannot be moved" (Heb. 12:28).

         A kingdom is measured, in part, by the character of its king. Thus, the kingdom of God's dear Son shall stand forever. The King of kings and Lord of lords withstood every fierce and fiery force which sought to overthrow his position and power. The prince of the power of the air hurled the might and muscle of temptation, sin, and death at King Jesus, but he deftly avoided every arrow. His armor blunted every blow. In the throes of agony, he descended into the depths of death, wrenched open the bars of the dungeon of darkness, and fanned the flame of life eternal. Stepping forth from the grave, he grasped the torch of righteousness, abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel (2 Tim. 1:10).

         The mighty power of God that raised and released him also inaugurated and coronated him at the throne of the majesty on high. Now he sits and reigns as angels, authorities, principalities and powers are beneath the scepter and sphere of his eternal power and Godhead. Are you a citizen of this kingdom? You must be subject to the gospel before you can be a subject of the kingdom. From his kingly throne, based on the integrity of his mediatorial priesthood, Jesus announces and pronounces the terms and conditions of citizenship in his holy, heavenly kingdom. And what are the terms? Essentially, it is this: unconditional surrender–no enemy, no alien is allowed access who will not renounce and denounce every other oath and allegiance (Lk. 6:46; 9:23). "Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 7:21).

         Will you accept and obey that will? Your eternal destiny sways in the balance. Then, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, you will meet the Lord in the air, go down the hallway of eternity, sweep through the portals of paradise, and be ushered into his presence to praise his name during that endless day. What a glad hope! What a grand and great expectation! Obey the gospel, serve him faithfully and enjoy the bliss of that everlasting kingdom forever and ever.

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          "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen" (Matthew 28:18-20).

          The Gospel of Matthew closes with what we often refer to as the Great Commission. These were the apostles’ marching orders. All four gospels contain a version of it, and the book of Acts (which is a historical account of its partial fulfillment) begins with it.

           Have we ever stopped to consider why it is called the "Great" Commission? Read it again, and this time look for the word "all". It appears, in some form, four times. Among the definitions of the word "all" are: "the whole extent or quantity of, the entire number of, the greatest possible, etc." (Webster’s New World Dictionary). I believe this Commission’s greatness can be understood if we look at the significance of these four "all’s".

1. All Authority. For starters, this Commission is given by the authority of Christ. Authority has to do with right or power. The entire Gospel of Matthew stresses the authority of Christ. The authority of His teaching is shown in the Sermon on the Mount as well as the encounters with His enemies during the week before His crucifixion. His authority over nature, demons and sickness is shown by His miracles. And His authority over death is shown in His resurrection.

          Before His ascension, Jesus told His apostles that He had been given all authority in heaven and on earth. No other authority remains. The command to "go therefore and make disciples" was given by the all authoritative Christ. No man has the right to cancel it, which is why the apostles continued to preach even when they were threatened to stop (Acts 4:18-20, 5:28-29).

2. All the Nations. This Commission is great because it is universal in scope. It is a universal command because mankind has a universal problem (sin) and a universal need (a Savior).

          The Jews may have been God’s chosen people, but they weren’t the only one’s in need of salvation. All of mankind is lost in sin, and God’s desire is that all men be saved: "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3-4; see also 2 Peter 3:9).

          The invitation of the gospel is all inclusive, no one is left out. "And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17). Jesus left the apostles with a Commission that makes salvation available to all of mankind.

3. All Things I Have Commanded You. The Commission is great because it maintains church growth. The process of making disciples does not end with baptism. That is really just the beginning. New converts must be fed the milk of the word, and challenged to grow and learn how the Lord wants them to live. Unless they are grounded in the faith, many new converts will fall away (Matt. 13:20-22). The Lord knew this, which is why He said the teaching process must go on after baptism.

          And notice, Jesus said that "all things" were to be taught and observed. The idea that all Christians really need is to embrace one or two central ideas about the gospel is wrong. Jesus binds us to everything He has commanded, not just the "Golden Rule" or John 3:16.

          The Commission’s greatness can also been seen in the fact that it is perpetual. As they made disciples, they were to teach them to observe all the things that Jesus had commanded them to do. The last thing he commanded them to do was to go and make disciples. As each person is won to Christ, they are taught to win others.

4. I Am With You Always. The Commission closes with the greatest promise. God has not wound up the universe and let it go to run its own course through human history. This verse is the promise of the providence of God present and active in our lives.

          As we pray for open hearts and open doors, the Lord answers by giving us opportunities to preach and teach His word (Col. 4:3). We are equipped through His Word (2 Tim. 3:16-17). We are perfected through life’s experiences (James 1:2-4). We know that there is no hardship that we will face in spreading the gospel in which the Lord is not with us, answering our prayers and seeing us through. As long as the world turns, this promise stands.

Conclusion: The apostles had a work to do, and they did it. By the time Paul wrote the book of Colossians (around 65AD) the gospel had gone to "all the world" (Col. 1:6)! How? They responded to the authority of Christ, they took the gospel to everyone they could, faithfully passed on everything Jesus had commanded, and found the strength needed to continue through hardships and doubt in the promise that the Lord was with them.

          The Great Commission did not end in the first century. Remember, it is a perpetual Commission. As disciples of Christ today, we have the same challenge and the same promise that they had. The only question is, "Will we be as faithful in carrying it out as they were?"

          Regarding Christ, it is written, "…and by His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). What do these words mean to you?

          As anyone who has struggled with cancer can attest, it is an awful disease. A person who is dying from cancer will do just about anything to get rid of the disease, to include allowing poisons to be injected into their bodies (i.e., radiation or chemo-therapy), that though harmful, are much less harmful than the insidious evil that is killing them. Indeed, knowing they have no hope beyond such, they will grasp on to such horrific measures as their only hope.

          Putting yourself in such a position for a moment, imagine a physician who could completely and wholly cure you of any trace of this dread disease without the use of any harmful medications at all. Imagine a doctor who would offer to take upon himself your disease, and in exchange, give you his perfect health. In other words, imagine a doctor whose cure for you is to die in your stead. He would give up life, so that you can live. This means that instead of suffering, he would suffer. Instead of you going through the pains of death, he would go there for you. For someone dying of cancer, such an offer would likely be too wonderful and too incredible to believe.

          Yet, this is what Jesus Christ does for us! The Bible likens sin unto cancer (2 Tim. 2:17). Jesus is "The Great Physician" (cf. Luke 4:23, 5:31, 8:43-44). No physician among our own can heal sin - only Jesus. No physician can save us from impending death - only Jesus (Acts 4:12). Considering that we have all sinned, all of our souls are terminally ill with cancer (cf. Rom. 3:23). We are all dying of sin (Rom. 6:23). Only by the grace of God can we be healed!

          When I am reminded of the cross, my heart melts within me realizing that I should have suffered everything Jesus suffered, as they were my sins He bore! I should have died, as it was my illness that He took upon Himself! I should have hung on the cross, as it was I who rejected God.

          "But He was wounded for my transgressions, He was bruised for my iniquities; The chastisement of my peace was upon Him, And by His stripes I am healed. I like a sheep have gone astray; I have turned… to my own way; and the Lord has laid on Him my iniquity" (Isaiah 53:5-6 in the first person).

          Indeed, what do these words mean to you now?

- The Voice of Truth, 4/14/02

        There are times when mistakes are made and things need to be pointed out. And, unfortunately, we all know that offering criticism can sometimes make a bad situation even worse. Serious thought needs to go into what we will say. Maybe it would help if we would ask the following questions before offering criticism:

1. Why am I doing this?
         Am I really wanting to help this person, or am I just doing this to make myself feel better? Am I trying to improve the situation, or do I just want to say, "I told you so!"? What is my motive?

        "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others" (Phil. 2:3-4). Regardless of what the world believes, we don’t have the right to let off some steam at the expense of another. Criticism that is only going to make us feel better needs to be kept to ourselves.

2. Do I have a right to criticize?
         Was I available when this person could have used some help before? Can I sympathize with what they are going through? Can I offer some positive suggestions to go along with the criticism? Some people like to just sit on the sidelines and criticize the labors of others. But such people really have no right to criticize.

3. Have I examined myself?
         It is not right for me to give criticism that I am not willing to take. Jesus says that I must make sure that the log is out of my eye first, then I can offer to help my brother get the speck out of his eye (Matt. 7:3-5). Criticism is respected when it comes from a respectable person, but no one appreciates a hypocrite.

4. What will I say, and how will I say it?
         This is very important. I must choose my words very carefully. They have the power to build up or destroy (Proverbs 12:18, 16:24). As Paul said, "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt" (Col. 4:6). What we say, and the way we say it, will make all the difference in the world.

5. Will it glorify God?
         "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). Who’s glory am I seeking? Am I saying something to help the cause of Christ or just to be heard? If it is just to be seen and heard by men, then truly I have my reward (Matt. 6:1-6).

         "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls"
(Proverbs 11:30).

        Scholars differ on the thrust of this proverb. Is the point that a wise man, because of his wisdom/righteousness, is able to sin souls, or is it simply saying that it is a wise thing to win souls? Certainly both are true.

Whose Soul?

         When we think of soul sinning, three categories come to mind. First is self. Jesus stressed that the first application of His teaching must be to self (Matt. 7:1-5). Those who have never been saved must also be won. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…" (Matt. 28:19). And do not forget about those who were once saved and have returned to the world. They need to be won again (James 5:19-20).

Why Is It Wise?

Soul winning is wise because…

1. It is the greatest love for another you can show. Helping physically, financially, or emotionally is great work, expected and rewarded by God. However, it does not address one’s greatest need. "For what will a man be profited if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul?" (Matt. 16:26).

2. Souls are saved from eternal torment. That is the consequence of our sins: the destruction of body and soul in hell (Matt. 10:28). Christ is the only remedy (Acts 4:12). God does not want anyone to have to so suffer. Surely you don’t either.

3. It brings joy. Obviously, it brings joy to the one who is saved (e.g., Acts 8:39). But it is also a source of joy unlike any other to the soul-winner. You who have done this work appreciate Paul’s feeling toward the Philippians, his "joy and crown" (Phil. 4:1).

4. It multiplies. It is God’s plan for the good in one life to spill over into another, and from there into another, and so on. "And the things you have heard from me…these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2).

How Is It Done?

         Our text links righteousness with soul winning. Surely no one can expect to convince others to obey truths that he himself does not live. Again, our first application must be to self. "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).

         Influence alone, however, is not enough. The gospel is God’s power to save (Rom. 1:16). "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. How shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Rom. 10:13-14). If we are to be soul-winners, we must do as the first-century Christians, who "went about preaching the word" (Acts 8:4).

- The Manslick Road Speaker, April, 2002

I. What Is Patience?
        The words patience and longsuffering in the New Testament are translated from two Greek words:
MAKROTHUMIA - makros - "long", thumos - "temper". Defined as "forbearance, patience, longsuffering." The idea is one who has a long temper, or a long fuse, as opposed to a person with a short fuse.
HUPOMONE - hupo - "under", meno - "to abide". The idea behind this word is the ability to bear under a load.
The first word, MAKROTHUMIA, generally expresses patience with regard to people. The second word, HUPOMONE, generally expresses patience with regard to things.

II. Why Do We Need Patience?
        Some things are worth waiting for. Instant isn't always best.

        1. Expected of a Christian
Gal. 5:22-23 - patience is a part of the Fruit of the Spirit. This is fruit, not fruits. All or nothing, can't pick and choose. One can expect to find patience in the life of a Christian.
        2 Peter 1:5-7 - part of the Christian graces. To be added as we mature.

2. Everyday Life
        Regardless of innovations and conveniences, there are many times in our daily lives that we must have patience if we are going to cope. In the workplace, traffic, airports, daily "emergencies." Dealing with children or the elderly.
Family - patience is a characteristic of love (1 Cor. 13:4).

3. Added Struggles of Being a Christian
        2 Tim. 3:12 - Christians have a double burden. On top of the normal stresses of life is the promise of persecution for our faith.
        Many of the passages dealing with patience are in the context of bearing under the trials of persecution: Matthew 24:9-13; 1 Peter 2:20

4. Avoiding Church Problems
        Anytime you group people together you have a potential for problems. Patience is very important in dealing with brethren, avoiding problems and maintaining the unity and peace of a local church. Much attention is given to how we get along with one another: Eph. 4:1-3; Col. 3:12-13.
        1 Thess. 5:14 - different members need help with different things, but we must show patience to all.

5. Waiting on the Lord
        We are on the Lord's timetable, not our own.
        Psalm 27:13-14 - We sometimes have a hard time understanding why God seems to allow bad things to happen. Things don't always work out the way we would have planned them, but we know God has a purpose.
        James 5:10-11 - the prophets are given as examples of those who were patient through suffering while waiting on the Lord.
        Salvation is a promise to be received at the end of a life of faithful service: Romans 8:24-25; Hebrews 6:12, 10:36.

III. How Do We Develop Patience?
        It is something that we have to work on.

1. Fruit of the Spirit
        The Spirit works in our lives through His word. Patience comes as we understand and apply God's word to our lives.
        Rom. 15:4 - God's word gives us patience.
        Col. 1:9-11 - God's word gives us a knowledge of His will, this wisdom and understanding gives us the strength we need to stand under any trial. We are not tossed about, but can stand firm and wait on the Lord.

2. Example of Christ
        1 Peter 2:21-23 - Christ left a perfect example of patience in the face of suffering and certain death. Not only that, throughout His life, Jesus exhibited patience in numerous circumstances that we all have in common. He was the victim of prejudice, ingratitude, His disciples were slow to understand.
Jesus shows us how to be patient, if we will learn.

3. Enduring Trials
        James 1:2-3 - no one enjoys trials, but this is the only way we can have patience. "I asked the Lord the give me patience with my trails. He allowed me to face trials to develop patience."
        It is in suffering that we learn. We look back and see that we survived it, and it wasn't the end of the world. We are prepared for the next time.

4. Focus on the Important Things
        "Don't sweat the small stuff." "100 years from now, no one will care."
        Some things really aren't worth the worry. But we worry because we aren't filling our hearts and minds with the important things - Phil. 4:6-8.
        Patience is connected with hope - 1 Thess. 1:3. Look to heaven. Focusing on the important things allows us to handle the small emergencies of life without falling to pieces.

5. Think About Others
        Why is God patient with us? He remembers who we are - Psalm 103:14
        The world doesn't revolve around me. If I can remember that I'm not perfect, and there are times that I would like others to cut me some slack, then I need to be willing to do the same. This is part of the Golden Rule - Matthew 7:12.

Conclusion:
        Mankind is never going to outgrow the need for patience. We all see the need for it, as Christians we must develop it. James says that it is what will make us perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
        No one said it would be easy being a Christian. We need patience, so that after we have lived a life of faithful service we will inherit eternal life.

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