EXPLORE THE TEXT
Believers are to share the gospel with people of all nations.
16 The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee,
to the mountain where Jesus had directed them.
17 When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted.
18 Jesus came near and said to them,
“All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.
And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Summarize this content from pages 60-61 of the PSG
to highlight the message of the Great Commission:
“The training of the disciples was now complete.
The time had arrived for them to carry on the work Jesus had begun.
Based on Jesus’s kingdom authority,
the disciples were to draw more of God’s chosen ones into the kingdom.
They were to ‘make disciples’. .These disciples were to come from ‘all nations.’ This term nations speaks of all people groups everywhere. .
Making disciples involved two actions.
First, they were to ‘mark’ these disciples by ‘baptizing them.
Baptism was an outward declaration that one belonged to Jesus Christ by faith in His atoning work. .Second, making disciples involved ‘teaching them
to observe’ all that Jesus taught and commanded.
Bringing the nations to faith was only part of the job.
They would need to be nurtured in the teachings of Jesus.”
This is a huge task.
But we don’t carry it out on our own.
In addition to our brothers and sisters in Christ,
Jesus promised His power (v. 18)
and His presence (v. 20).
He has provided all we need to carry out His work until “the end of the age.”
Review these points from Apply the Text on page 62 of the Personal Study Guide:
Challenge adults to consider how each of these points should be a foundational element of our faith, not only at Easter but as we walk through life.
Invite a volunteer to read aloud the first set of questions on page 62 of the PSG. Provide your own responses and allow volunteers to share their answers. Record ideas for sharing the gospel with others on the board and challenge adults to follow up on one of these ideas with someone they know this week.
Draw attention back to Pack Item 4 (Poster: Key Verse: Matthew 28:19-20a). Remind adults that the power of Jesus’s resurrection is the power that equips us to share the gospel with others. Challenge them to ask God to reveal His power through them this week.
Briefly share the second set of questions on page 62 of the PSG. Emphasize the power of a transformed life. Allow adults a few minutes to talk with God quietly about how they can live out His resurrection each day. Close the session in prayer.
During the week, reach out to the group with an email or text. Encourage them to take time to notice “empty” things this week: an empty bird’s nest, an empty school bus, or even an empty house. Invite them to take a photo of what they see and to share it with your group. Challenge adults to use these spaces to help them focus on Jesus’s empty tomb.
The Lord Jesus Christ has commanded the preaching of the gospel to all nations. (See Luke 24:46-49; Acts 1:8.)
Compare passages that share the same account.
Read Matthew 28:1-15 again and record significant points related to the resurrection. Then, read the resurrection passages in Mark 16:1-20; Luke 24:1-52; John 20:1-22 and do the same for them. What similarities do you see in these passages? What are some differences that help you get a more complete picture of the events surrounding the resurrection?