Dear Christian friends:

This month, perhaps today, many young men and women will graduate from our military colleges: West Point (Army), Annapolis (Navy), and Denver (Air Force). These young people will not receive a diploma as other graduates of other colleges and universities receive. They will receive a commission from the President of the United States of America. What is a commission? A commission is a paper or letter, which an authority writes, sending someone to do a certain work. The graduates of West point, Annapolis, and Denver receive a letter which President Reagan has written and signed ordering them to defend the U.S.A. from all its enemies. These young men and women will then become "Commissioned Officers".

In our text today we read "The Great Commission." It is greater than the commission our West Point graduates will receive this month. It is greater than any commission anyone has ever received from any king or president. It is


Who gives the Great Commission? Jesus Christ gives it! Jesus is the Sender. Jesus is the Authority.

In our text Jesus says, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me."

President Reagan's authority is limited. He is President of the U.S.A. He is not president of the whole world or earth. There are many other rulers and governments here on earth. But Jesus says that He has received authority over the whole earth! Jesus has more authority than that! He says that He also has been given all authority in heaven! Jesus is the great King, the King of kings and the Lord of lords! All authority has been given to Him. President Reagan will rule, Jesus permitting, for 8 years. Then his rule is ended. Jesus has been ruling for 2000 years, and He will continue ruling forever. Jesus' rule is in heaven and on earth.

Jesus says, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me." What does Jesus mean? He means since He became a Man. (As the eternal Son of God, the Second Person in the Holy Trinity, Jesus always had all authority with the Father and the Spirit.) As a true Man, the Father gave Jesus all authority because He is the Son of God and because He suffered and died for the world's sin. In heaven all angels and people praise Jesus and sing:

"To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us a kingdom of priests to serve His God and Father - to Him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.'(Revelation 1:6)

"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:12)

Jesus, the great King over all who has all authority in heaven and on earth, is the Sender. Whom does He send? Whom does Jesus commission?

Jesus says in our text, "You go!" To whom was Jesus talking? To His 12 disciples and to all the other believers who lived at that time, 2000 years ago. Those first disciples and believers have died, but Jesus is still King. Jesus is still sending people today! Whom does Jesus send today? You and me, all who believe in Him today and love Him and worship Him. Our text says, "The disciples saw Jesus and worshipped Him, but some doubted." All who believe in Jesus and worship Him, He sends.

This should inspire us and excite us! Think! The great Ruler in heaven and on earth, the One who has received all authority from the Father, He sends us. This should give us a feeling of power and honor. We should not feel afraid or shy, but brave and excited.

David Wilkerson, who preached to the gangs in New York City and who wrote the book, "The Cross and the Switchblade," tells about his work preaching to the gangs. Wilkerson was trying to make peace between two rival gangs. The kids asked him why he came to them. He answered, "God has sent me." Wilkerson was a brave and successful minister to the gangs of New York City because He realized that Jesus sent Him. You and I will be more brave and successful, if we remember that Jesus, the King of the whole earth and heaven, sends us!

Where does Jesus send us? What is our mission? In our text Jesus says, "You go and make disciples of all nations." We must go and make those who do not believe become believers, followers of Jesus, the same as we are now. We should lead them out of darkness into His marvelous light! Notice, Jesus says "all nations." We should love all nations and feel responsible for them. We must not hate any nation or person from another nation. Jesus loves all the various nations and wants them to believe in Him and receive His love, His forgiveness and eternal life. I am very pleased to see that many of our members are trying to love the deaf of other nations: Koreans, Mexicans, Blacks, Filipinos and others. True, we in person can't go to all the nations in the world, but we can help to send missionaries to go in our place. We can do this by giving for the support of District and Synod missions. Our Synod sends missionaries to 37 countries in the world. Your offerings help support that work. This year our congregation is giving $3500. for District and Synod missions.

This work which our Lord Jesus sends us to do is a big job and we may feel it is too much or beyond our abilities. True, by ourselves we cannot do this work. But Jesus promises to be with us as we do this work. He says, "Remember! I am with you always, to the end of the world." Jesus will be with us and give us the Holy Spirit, if we believe and go and make disciples of all nations. But if we are afraid or lazy or careless and refuse to go tell someone, or refuse to give for missions, we will not receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus gives the Holy Spirit when we do His work and as we do it. If we refuse to go, we will receive no power or wisdom from the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, let us have faith and obey! Let us go as our Lord Jesus commands! He has all authority and sends us and enables us! We cannot fail, if we believe and obey! We are commissioned officers of the greatest Authority! "Onward, Christian soldiers!"

Amen.