J. Hudson Taylor believed "the Great Commission is not an option to be considered, but a command to be obeyed." While we do not know if he said those words exactly, we know he lived by them when he founded the China Inland Mission in 1865. Jesus concludes His Great Commission with these words: "'and lo, and I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen" (Matthew 28:20b). The age of the Great Commission will one day come to an end. Let me point out three elements in our passage known as the Great Commission.

First, note the agency of the Great Commission. Matthew 28:18 reads, "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.'" This means God the Father has given God the Son this divinely delegated authority. Adrian Rogers said, "The Holy Trinity never meets in emergency session." Before the foundation of the world God had a plan to save lost humanity (Ephesians 1:4) and Jesus "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8b) was lovingly given by the Father as a sinless sacrifice. After His death on the cross for your sin and mine, the Father raised Jesus from the dead and gave Him all authority (Philippians 2:5-11). The Lord Jesus Christ alone has the authority to issue the Great Commission.

Second, note the agenda of the Great Commission. Matthew 28:19-20a reads, "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. . ." Matthew presents the outline of the agenda which involves making disciples of believers, marking them by baptism, and maturing them with biblical teaching. Mark presents the outreach of the agenda with its worldwide scope (Mark 16:15). Luke presents the outcome of the agenda whereby Gospel preaching is to produce repentance and remission of sins in Jesus' name (Luke 24:47). Leonard Ravenhill said, "The only people who want to change the Gospel are those who are unchanged by it."

Third, note the agents of the Great Commission. Matthew 28:20b reads, "'and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen." This commission was given to "them" (Matthew 28:18) and to "you" as believers. Jesus said, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:20, "Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God." Adrian Rogers said, "Life is short. Eternity is too long. Souls are too precious. The Gospel is too wonderful for us to sleep through it all."

Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey, of Robertsdale, is the author of "Don't Miss the Revival! Messages for Revival and Spiritual Awakening from Isaiah.