What Every Church Must Do to Succeed in the Future

Series: King Jesus

Sermon Title: The Dark Religion of Legalism

Speaker: Sam Rainer

Date: November 17, 2024

 

 

Reflect

1. What’s a place you’ve traveled to that had a big impact on you, and why?
2. When was a time you felt unsure about something but decided to move forward anyway? What helped you overcome your hesitation?

Encounter

1. What stands out to you in Matthew 28:16–20? How does Jesus’ authority (v18) shape the command He gives?
2. Why do you think the disciples doubted, even after seeing the resurrected Jesus? How does this relate to your own faith journey?
3. What do you notice about the verbs in the Great Commission (go, make, baptize, teach, remember)? How do these shape the mission of the church?

Transform

1. Who is someone in your life that you can intentionally “go” to this week, whether to encourage, share your faith, or invite to church?
2. What steps can our group or church take to better live out the Great Commission together?

Additional Discussion Questions

1. What does it mean to you that God is “always with us” (v20)? How has this truth encouraged you recently?
2. How can we balance reaching “the nations” while focusing on the “one” in our local lives?
3. What might hesitation or doubt prevent us from accomplishing in our faith journey or as a church? How can we address this?

Interesting Facts and Tidbits

• The Greek word “ekklesia,” translated as “church,” means “called out ones,” highlighting the mission to be distinct yet engaged in the world.
• The Great Commission contains five verbs: go, make, baptize, teach, and remember—each pointing to a continuous and active mission.
• The phrase “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” emphasizes the unity of God and the believer’s transformation in identity.
• The Great Commission is one of Jesus’ final commands on earth, underscoring its critical importance for the church.

Related Passages

• Acts 1:8 – Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit and command to witness, tying into the mission of the church to go beyond its local context.
• Ephesians 1:22–23 – Describes the church as Christ’s body, emphasizing its role in completing His mission on earth.
• Luke 24:45–49 – Jesus explains the Scriptures to His disciples and commissions them to preach repentance and forgiveness.
• Genesis 12:1–3 – God’s call to Abraham to be a blessing to the nations, a precursor to the church’s global mission.
• Revelation 7:9–10 – A vision of people from every nation worshiping before God, illustrating the fulfillment of the Great Commission.