The Primary Task: Make Disciples of All Nations!

Part 4 The Primary Mandate – Disciple Nations Session 4.17 The GREAT CO-Mission - Overview Session 4.18 Christ Announces His Reign Session 4.19 Reawakening the Cultural Mandate in the Great Commission Session 4.20 The Task Is for All Christians – Where They Are Deployed Session 4.21 The Primary Task – Make Disciples of All Nations!

The Text Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Outline The Imperative – Make Disciples –What is a disciple? Of all nations! –The rise of individualism –The meaning of panta ta ethne –The Destiny of Nations –Nations are to be discipled! –What is a nation? –The means of discipling a nation

Make Disciples!

Make Disciples Greek word - matheteuo –1 to be a disciple of one. 1a to follow his precepts and instructions. –2 to make a disciple. 2a to teach, instruct From - mathetes - a learner, pupil, disciple

Is Not To teach – didasko - to hold discourse with others in order to instruct them, deliver didactic discourses; instill doctrine into one To evangelize – the word does not exist in the Bible To witness – martureo - to be a witness, to bear witness, i.e., to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something

The Concept of Disciple Life on life process To teach or instruct by modeling Questions: –What did Jesus do with his disciples for three years? –How did he do it?

Imperative Two commands in our text “Go” is not a command. What do you think the two commands are in this text?

The Two Commands MAKE DISCIPLES (19a) LOOK / BEHOLD (20b)

Focus We are commanded to disciple! Questions: –What are we to disciple? –What is not the focus of the imperative?

Of All Nations

The Rise of Individualism

Communalism: –Unity without diversity –Individual disappears Individualism: –Diversity without unity –Lack of community –Western world Community –Unity of diversity –Nature of the kingdom of God

The Marlboro Man

Frank Sinatra For what is a man? What has he got? If not himself - Then he has naught. To say the things he truly feels And not the words of one who kneels. The record shows I took the blows And did it my way. Yes, it was my way.

“Have It Your Way”

An Army of One

The Rise of Individualism Question: How has the Western focus on individualism affected: –The church ? –Our concept of mission? –Your life?

The meaning of panta ta ethne

The Destiny of Nations

Read –Set # 1: Genesis 12: 2-3 and Matthew 28: –Set # 2: Deut. 4: 5-8; Rev. 21: Questions –What do these reveal about God? –What do these reveal about the destiny of nations?

Nations are to be discipled! Matheµteusate — “Admit them disciples”

What is a nation?

What Defines a Nation? Modern concept “nation state” – politically and geographically bound More fluid concept bound by common: – Descent – ancestry – blood line – Language – Culture – heritage - ethne – Religion – Geography – Ideals

From Many Nations – One Kingdom And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” Revelation 5: 9-10

Biblical Concept of a Nation Rev. 5: 9b - from every tribe and language and people and nation –phule – tribe, race –glossa – language, tongue –laos – people, people of God –ethnos – people, people group, nation Key Definitions –Hebrew - gowy – nation, gentiles, people –Greek - ethnos – people, people group, nation

Great Commission Horizontal – around the world –Witness to the ends of the earth (Acts 1: 8) –Steward – be children of God in relationship to all creation (Mark 16: 15) Vertical – penetrate culture – disciple nations (Matt. 28: 19)

Ethnos from a Family of Words

The Ethos of an Ethnos Ethos of a culture deals with –Worldview –Sacred belief systems –First principles –Value system The cultural foundations (ethos) are directly related to the hopes and aspirations (telos) of her people.

Panta ta ethne Note it does not say to disciple individuals from each nation. Note that we are to disciple people groups rather than individuals. It is all nations, not just our nation or our neighborhood. The task will not be completed when there is an evangelistic witness in each nation, but when the nations are discipled.

The Means of Discipling a Nation

Means of Discipling a Nation Pray – Engage with God; this is his mission Evangelize – call people and nations to repentance Plant outwardly focused churches Disciple at the level of culture

Discipling Nations Rebuilt Societies Reformed Cultures Repentant Souls and Regenerated Lives G o s p e l – R e n e w e d M i n d s – D i s c i p l e d N a t i o n s C o n s e q u e n c e s – B e h a v i o r – V a l u e s - B e l i e f s

Mt. 13: Parable of the Mustard Seed & Yeast The Process - “Inside Out” Regeneration & Mindset Renewal Family Church Sectors & Spheres Community: Society & Culture Arts Media Commerce Law Governance

Ideas Spread Through Culture The Intellectuals (religion, philosophy) The Balladeers (popular music, the arts) The Professionals (law, politics, economics) The Common

Kingdom Culture and the Great Commission TRUTH JUSTICE BEAUTY on earth as it is in heaven DEMOGRAPHIC KTIZOGRAPHIC GEOGRAPHIC Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done Progress (Isaiah 9:7): “of the increase of his government… there will be no end” Time (Matt. 28:20b) “until the end of the age” TRUTH JUSTICE BEAUTY Kingdom Culture Infusion

Worldview Impact on Popular Culture Development Economics Environment LawEducation Family Life The Arts Politics Worldview Structures Lifestyles Institutions Lifestyles Institutions Laws Structures Laws

The Demographic Commission pas ta ethnē

Education Illustration

Development Education Program Education Policy Education Principles Education Paradigm Worldview Worldview Impact on Education Programs Who? Where? When? How? Policies What is Development? Principles Why? Paradigms Why? Doing Things Right Doing the Right Things WisdomActionReflection StrategiesStructures PersonnelCurriculaMethodologiesInstitutions DefinitionsGoals DefiningObjectives Problems andDescriptions SolutionsTheories Criterion/GridIdeals EthicsHabits of Ethosthe Heart StoicheionVision What is the Nature of: KnowledgeBeing Good and Evil

The Means of Discipling a Nation Living a life that baptizes Teaching that which transforms