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“Jesus brings joy Satan brings sorrow.”

In this blog we will look at why the Great Commission means “Joy to the World.”

Yes, it is one of my favourite carols. We sing of the birth of the King, the most remarkable event in history which went on to climax at the cross with his death and resurrection.

“Joy to the World, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King;”

The message remains true, the King is continuing to come.

The result of the gospel being proclaimed in word and deed will be joy to the world. When the church is obedient to The Great Commission a growing joy will be evident in our towns and cities.

When we think of The Great Commission we usually think of Matthew 28:18-20.

“And Jesus came up 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, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” “ (NASB)

Before we explore more of what this commission means I want to focus on “joy to the world” for a few more moments.

To know God is to know joy. He is a God of joy or as John Piper says in his essay entitled The Happy God, He is just that, the happy God! Piper quoting 1 Tim. 1:11 says “the gospel is the glory of the happy God.” (Most translations say “blessed God” but Piper points out that “blessed” here means “happy.”)

So the gospel is the “happiness of heaven” let loose in our lives, in our families, and in our communities.

Note that the original announcement of Christ’s birth by the angels to the shepherds had a lot to say about joy.

“Don’t be afraid. For I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! (Lk. 2:10. TPT)

Then the prophetic word regarding the Messiah riding into Jerusalem at the conclusion of His earthly ministry also was one of great happiness;

Shout and cheer, Daughter Zion! Raise the roof, Daughter Jerusalem! Your king is coming! a good king who makes all things right, a humble king riding a donkey, a mere colt of a donkey. (Zech 9:9 Msg. Also Matt. 21:1-11; Luke 19:29-40)

Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him. (Heb. 12:2)

Again Piper in his essay says that Jesus lived and died, that His joy, God’s joy, might be in us and that our joy might be full. (John 15:17;17:13)

The Great Commission is mandating the church to proclaim the gospel of our happy God to an unhappy world.

Before I continue I hasten to add that like most Christians I don’t live continually in the joy of Jesus but succumb to the challenges of life with its sadness, and at times, depression, that accompany tough times. But I am so thankful for His grace and mercy that continually proves Himself as, “My glory and the One who lifts my head.” (Ps 3:3b NASB)

Then there is the cry and lament to God that is evident in scripture. Over 60 Psalms are songs of lament. These Psalms dealing with the hardships and doubts of life bring great comfort and encouragement in challenging times.

Jesus experienced dark times as He wept over a city about to reject and crucify Him. (Luke 19:41) Then there are the most poignant prayers in The Bible as Jesus, in the garden of Gethsemane, cried out to His Father for relief. (Matt. 26:30-46) I have often wondered about Jesus’ prayers of lament recorded in Hebrews 5:7-8. It says here that at times Jesus prayed with “loud crying and tears!”

Jesus understands suffering, hardship and brokenness. He comes to restore the “happiness of heaven” in our unhappy world.

I feel convinced that the church of the city proclaiming the gospel in word and deed would indeed see a work of the Spirit that resulted in great happiness and joy, even in the midst of suffering and hardship.

“For you will go out with joy.” (Is. 55:12a NASB)

THE COMMISSION TO THE CITIES.

The commission in Matthew 28 is often quoted in isolation and applied narrowly to the evangelisation of individuals. While that is vital of course, the commissioning of God’s people is for the redemption and restoration of the whole of creation, not just “getting people saved.” I know some will disagree and think I am off track. I understand that this wider framework needs more discussion. However where I have seen The Great Commission applied to a whole of creation or at least a whole of city approach, even in part, there has been a great result, including many coming to faith.

In a small way we have seen this in our own city as new initiatives brought blessing and Kingdom growth.

Across the world there are many stories of the gospel impacting whole cities and villages. George Otis’s series of Transformation videos highlighted several of these stories. I have been involved in some of these transformation stories in Fiji and Papua New Guinea. Several cities in the US and other places are reporting heightened gospel activity. Nowhere is perfect of course but at least these pioneer stories bring encouragement to step out of the old paradigm into the new. (Transformation websites tell some of these stories. See the various Movement Day websites.)

My late Fijian friend, Rev. Ratu Vuniani (Vuni) Nakauyaca once said to me, “The missionaries taught us to fish with a line, but God has taught us to fish with nets.” Such were the whole of village revivals that he was involved in.

The commission scriptures are many more than just Matthew 28. They need to be seen together to get a fuller picture. The ones in the gospels are really recommissioning scriptures as they often quote or allude to the many commissioning scriptures in the Old Testament.

I need to say that there is only one place in The Bible where the church actually fulfilled the commission scriptures. That of course is Acts of the Apostles.

Matthew 28 is a call to make disciples of nations, but in Acts the church went to cities, not nations. Was the early church disobedient to the commission? Not at all, as they knew the strategy for reaching nations was first of all to cities, as a nation is the sum total of its villages and cities. Over time this is exactly what happened.

Transformed cities impact nations.

The commission is to disciple nations, not individuals as it nearly always interpreted today. The strategy to disciple nations is to do that city by city. An aspect of this is the discipling of individual Christians by involving them in the bigger city and nation story.

When this has happened I have seen amazing spiritual growth even among teenage believers.

Francis Xavier the founder of the Jesuit’s in 1520 was reported to have said, “Give up your small ambitions and come change the world.” He certainly achieved that!

A friend of mine once sent me the following quote, “The great danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that our aim is too low and we reach it.”

Too often the zeal of Christians to impact cities and nations with the gospel is dampened by the small, self centred vision of their leaders.

“Without a vision the people perish (Proverbs 28:18a KJV). That “vision” is the biblical vision for cities and nations, indeed the whole of creation, not just my church or my ministry.

The commission recorded in Mark 16:15 is clear, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (NASB)

In Luke 24 the commission reminds us again that this is just a recommission of the commissions recorded in the Old Testament.

“Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things. “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”“ ( Luke 24:44-49 NLT)

To understand the fullness of the commission to cities and nations we need, like the disciples, to have our minds opened to “understand the scriptures.”

The Luke commission flows into the Acts 1 commission. Jesus, after spending 40 days explaining the Kingdom of God to His disciples, commissioned them one last time before His ascension;

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” “(Acts 1:8. NLT)

The early church was to begin in the city where Jesus ended His earthly ministry, Jerusalem. Then they were to go to the villages and cities of Judea and Samaria and then into the cities of the Roman Empire. The church has and still is continuing this commission.

Before leaving the Gospels we should consider a commission scripture often left out when gospel evangelism is being considered.

“Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.” (John 17:18-23 NLB)

The word “sent” is the same Greek word that “apostle” is derived from. In other words Jesus’ apostolic commissioning to the disciples and all subsequent disciples (us!) is to go into the world unified, as unity among Christian’s will be the greatest witness to the watching world.

Jesus had just given His disciples a new commandment.

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”(John 13:34-35.)

This kind of love is the sacrificial meeting of others' needs out of personal resources. It is counting and considering the needs of others before personal needs.

The depth of this love is the seedbed for humility and unity. The love and unity of the church in the city is proof to the city of who Jesus is. The lack of church unity is the greatest sin in any city as disunity denies the world its witness and God His glory, according to John 17.

There is no greater gospel witness than love reflected by practical unity. It could be a marriage and a family or the church of the city, as both make a powerful statement. The world needs to see the joy of a people redeemed and restored to loving marriages, families and communities. This will never be perfect of course, but even the humility of the journey is a witness to a broken wounded world that is increasingly hopeless and running out of options.

Practical unity meets the needs of the desperate and marginalised.

Yes the world has faced a pandemic but the growing human pain in our cities will prove to be a greater pandemic.

I suggest God is calling His church to refocus The Great Commission strategically on the whole world, city by city, beginning in the city of residence.

THE BIRTHING OF THE COMMISSION TO THE WORLD

Below are a few of the Old Testament scriptures that form the basis for what we call the Great Commission. God is the sovereign creator, redeemer, and restorer of the whole cosmos. He has designed the world for redeemed humanity to be His vice rulers. The commission of the vice rulers is the holistic reign of King Jesus over all the earth, as it is all His. (Ps. 24:1-2)

“There is not an inch in the whole area of human existence of which Christ, the sovereign of all does not cry, ‘It is Mine.’” (Abraham Kuyper 1880)

“Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.” (Gen. 1:28a NLT)

This is the foundational commission for all of God’s people who are called to “reign in life” as a kingdom of priests reigning on earth, now. (Rom.5:27; Rev.5:10).

“All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (Gen.12:3c. NLT. This is an aspect of restoration of all things. Acts 3:25).

“….but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD—“ (Num. 14:21 NKJV. Unity reflects God’s glory. John 17)

“Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.” (Ps. 2:8. NKJV. The gospel will impact nations as Paul clearly stated. Rom. 1:1-5; 16:25-26)

“Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high…” (Is. 32:15a. NKJV. The Holy Spirit poured out marked the birth of the church and a fresh empowerment from the throne of God. (Lk 24:49; Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 12:12-13)

“I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.” (Is. 49:6c NLT. Also quoted in Acts 13:47-48. Note how the gentiles rejoiced at this news.)

“He was given authority, honour, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.” (Dan. 7:14. NLT. Jesus had this “all authority” in Matt. 28:18)

The Great Commission, forged from the whole biblical story, is God’s mandate empowering Christ’s church to bring redemption, renewal and restoration to creation, community and culture.

This is the gospel of the Kingdom. The result will be “joy to the world.”

By Ian Shelton Coordinator of Movement Australia