The Great Commission, the Restoration and the New Year; Our Past and Future
Matthew 28:18-20
The New Year is 1 day, 12 hours and 33 minutes away!
a. Changes in our lives.
b. But there should not be any changes in the Lord’s church.
c. "New church for a new millennium."
We have a heritage called the restoration movement.
Text – the points in the text provide an outline of what Jesus wanted the church to be.
d. They were the principles of the restoration.
e. They should be our principles as we step into the New Year.
"All authority has been given unto me in heaven and in earth," – The absolute authority of Christ is the foundational principle Christ gave to the church. It was the foundation principle of the restoration and should be our foundation in the New Year.
A. Our plea is that the Bible, the word of the Lord, is our only rule of faith and practice.
B. It would seem that all who profess to be Christians would subscribe to the same, but His authority has been usurped by popes, councils, conventions and creeds.
C. Those of the restoration movement saw the error of this.
1. For example Barton W. Stone was troubled by creeds.
Even as early as his ordination into the Presbyterian ministry, long before he became a leader in the restoration movement. They asked him if he accepted the doctrines of the Westminster Confession of Faith.
"I do, so far as I see it consistent with the word of God."
2. The Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery declared; "We will, that the people henceforth take the Bible as the only sure guide to heaven and as many as are offended with other books, which stand in competition with it, may cast them into the fire if they choose."
D. As we move into the New Year if you ask why we seek to prove everything by book, chapter and verse, it is because we believe in the absolute authority of Christ.
1. …If you ask why we have no councils, conventions or synods, it is because we believe…
2. …Why there is no church of Christ manual, discipline, confession of faith or book of church order, it is because…
3. …We insist on baptism for the remission of sins, acappella music, the Lord’s supper every Sunday; it is …
E. The position of authority given to Him, places Him and Him alone, at the head of the church (Eph. 1:20-23). The moving into the year 2002 does not change it.
"Go ye therefore and teach all nations." - Jesus wanted us to preach "the gospel." The restoration movement arose from the understanding that the gospel should be preached because it and it alone has the power to save souls. It is still God’s power as we move into the New Year.
F. The first clashes between those of the restoration movement and those of denominations were over this issue.
1. The Cane Ridge Revivals implied an open invitation to anyone who would hear and believe.
2. This was a challenge to Calvinism with its view of predestination.
G. Therefore Stone and others came to realize that the offer of salvation in the pure gospel is made to all and that every person has the free will to accept it or reject it.
H. The contention we have with the denominational world today is that they feel the gospel must be changed to be effective (sinner’s prayer, mourner’s bench, etc.).
I. As we move into the future there will be more and more cry for change.
1. "Gospel preaching just isn’t as effective as it used to be."
2. "We need more drama, background music, make things more acceptable to our visitors, etc.
3. But it is that old Jerusalem gospel; preached by Peter and the Apostles; preached by those pioneer preachers of the past, that will only save mankind.
"Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit." – Here was God’s plan to save mankind. In mark contrast to the denominational world, the restoration movement emphasizes the place of baptism in the plan of God. We must continue to do so in the New Year.
J. On one hand, Catholicism has made a sacrament of it. On the other, Protestant denominations deny its importance.
K. Those of the restoration movement were slow to understand, but once they realized what the Bible taught, they were firm in their stand for it.
L. People sometimes question why we give so much emphasis to baptism.
1. Well, Jesus showed its importance right here in the great commission.
2. When something is put in the name of someone, it means there has been a transfer of ownership (car title).
3. So one is baptized in the name of deity. Baptism is the procedure by which there is a transfer of ownership.
Mk. 16:16
Lk. 24:47
Acts 2:38
M. As we move into the future some will question baptism even more, but Christ settled the issue once and for all in the great commission.
"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." – Jesus told us in the great commission that the pattern for the church is the teaching of the Apostles.
N. The position of the restoration was that there is indeed a pattern in the New Testament and that the church of Christ exists where that pattern is followed.
O. Notice these points in what Jesus said.
1. There are things He commanded.
2. The Apostles were to teach the things He commanded.
3. The disciples are to observe what the Apostles taught that Jesus commanded (a line of authority).
P. "Just the red letters" – but this passage teaches…
1. Mt. 18:18-20
2. II Cor. 5:20
Q. The reason why the faithful leaders of the restoration did not practice infant baptism, use instruments of music in worship, take the Lord’s supper only on certain Sunday’s was because there was no authority for them to practice such in the apostolic pattern.
R. The motto, "Where the Bible speaks, we speak; where the Bible is silent, we are silent," is simply saying that we are seeking to follow the apostolic pattern.
1. This is not an idea invented by man, it was ordained by Christ in the great commission.
2. As we move into the future some will mock "pattern theology" but Christ settles it here once and for all.
"I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." – The great commission confirms Christ’s plan is unchangeable.
S. Jesus said it would remain relevant for all times. The restoration believed that in spite of all the changes introduced by men, the Lord’s plan has never changed, that New Testament Christianity is the only true Christianity even in the new millennium.
T. The promise of Christ’s abiding presence is precious to every Christian (Heb. 13:5) but in the great commission it had special application to the Apostles.
1. It is connected with their mission of teaching men to observe the commandments of Christ.
2. They would leave the world before its end, but as long as the world stands, the Lord would be with them in the message they taught.
3. The authority of the Apostles does not stop.
U. As we move into the future, many will say we need a new gospel, a new worship, and a new church. But the great commission says the authority of the Apostles will last until the end of the world.
V. Heb. 13:7-9
1. Connects the unchanging authority of the Apostles teaching with the unchanging Christ.
2. We live in a changing world, but the bottom line is Christ’s teachings never change!
As long as we believe in Christ, we will believe in the great commission. As long as believe in the great commission, we will believe in the principles of the restoration and will continue our quest in the New Year to restore New Testament Christianity.
As move into the New Year, we will fight the same battles as those of the restoration movement. Let us have the godly courage to make the same stand.
James Pharr
Lenoir, NC