He Has Risen, Come See and Go Tell

(Today I am sharing an Easter outline I put together for my Bangladesh ministry)

[Click here if you wants a clean copy to download]

Matthew 28:5-7

The Message of Easter is 

"COME SEE, GO and TELL!"

"Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you."

Being A Watchman For Christ

by Chuck Ness

Up until the 19th century, cities often stationed watchmen on high walls or in watchtowers to keep guard. Their job was to keep an eye out for the enemy, by watching out over the horizon from their vantage point. They were the ones who warned the people of any apparent dangers. If they saw any sign of an attack, they would alert the people with a trumpet blast, or ringing a bell. However, if they failed to properly warn the people, by falling asleep or just being unaware, then the city could be attacked without the citizens being prepared to defend themselves. If they were ever caught sleeping on the job, their punishment was death.

You're probably wondering why this matters to Christians. Well, there is an Old Testament warning from God to Ezekiel that should also be taken as a warning to us Christians. (Ezekiel 33:1-20) A warning that we must heed, in order that we can truly understand the importance of being Christ's messenger in the World. I posted the Scripture at the end of the commentary.

The Clarion Call of the Great Commission

At the end of this commentary is a short video of a Pastor named, Ken Graves. It's just a portion of a much longer message, but it fits this commentary on the "Great Commission". It fits because all the men I mention in this commentary lived a hard life that was filled with pain, disappointment, and death. Yet with death they had the ultimate victory. All this for a chance to spread the Gospel. Ken offers something all men need to hear about life being hard. He points out how most of us have yet to truly feel the pain of suffering for Christ. 

"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."Matthew 28:19-20

by Chuck Ness

These were the last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before He ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. Yet it would take the stoning of Stephen to force His followers to obey His last commandment. Soon, the early Christians would leave friends, family, and home to answer the clarion call of the "Great Commission" to spread the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. For the next couple hundred years Christianity would spread throughout the Roman Empire like chickenpox in a child's day care center.

It's no coincidence that the standard bearer which missionaries used as their example throughout the years has been Paul of Tarsus, who was present when Stephen was stoned. By being the example of what it means to follow the "Great Commission", Paul would take the gospel to the Gentiles of the Roman Empire, and eventually share the gospel with Nero himself. For the next couple of centuries men like Polycarp, Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian would continue where Paul and the other disciples left off until 314 BC when Constantine would embrace Christianity and make it the favored religion of the empire.

Some "Great Commission" Advice To Follow

by Chuck Ness

Some of you may know of Francis Chan, and thus have either a positive or negative impression of him.  Usually it comes down to what some think of his teaching style. However you feel about him, I ask that you give this short video a listen.

Now I am not trying to convince you to become a follower of Francis, but in this short 1:45  he says exactly what is wrong with many Christians when it comes to following the "Great Commission" of Jesus Christ that can be found in Matthew 28:18-21;

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

Too many Christians feel that all they need to do is show up at church, listen to the preacher, attend a few Bible studies, and memorize Scripture so they can say what other Christians want to hear. However, how many Christians truly step out of their comfort zone to share the Gospel, baptize believers and disciple them to where they too can follow the Great Commission themselves? For that matter, how many Christians can honestly say they brought other sinners to Christ? Or at least tried to, even if they failed?

Francis Chan was the founder and Pastor of a megachurch in Simi Valley California, Cornerstone Community Church. He and his wife started it in 1994. After 6 years of leading a flock of thousands, he decided to step down as Pastor. Francis felt the need to seek guidance from God as to how he could better serve God. Eventually he moved to San Francisco began a series of house churches. He is currently leading 15 home churches in a way that he feels better for reaching and leading Christians to fulfill Christ's Great Commission command.