THE GREAT COMMISSION IN

TEN PARTS Part 8

PART EIGHT: THE CONFIRMATION:

APPROVED WITNESSES AND MIRACLES

The five accounts of the Great

Commission are in:Matthew 28;

Mark 16;Luke 24;John 20;Acts 1.

We have covered 7 parts of the Great

Commission:1 The authority behind it:

Jesus Christ.2 The obligation: Go.

3 The place: All the world and everyone in it.

4 The method: Teach.5 The message: Hear, believe, repent, confess Christ, and be

baptized.6 The act of obedience:

Immersion.7 The perpetuation: Teach.

There are seven things that can help us to understand

how the Great Commission

was confirmed.

1 The Promise of the Power (and the Holy Spirit)

The foundation prophecy is. Joel 2:28-32 NET After all of this I will pour out my Spirit on

all kinds of

people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy.

Your elderly will have revelatory dreams; your

young men will see prophetic visions. 29

Even on male and female servants I will pour out my

Spirit in those days. 30 I will produce portents both in the sky and on the earth

— blood, fire, and columns

of smoke. 31 The sunlight will be turned to darkness and the moon to the color of blood, before the day of the Lord comes — that great and terrible day! 32 It will so

happen that

everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered. For on Mount

Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who survive,

just as the Lord

has promised; the remnant will be those whom the Lord will

call.It was to begin on Pentecost

with the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. The results

included

miraculous gifts for the early Christians. The accounts of the life of Christ contain promises

that helped to prepare that generation for the fulfillment

of Joel’s prophecy

Matthew 3:11 NET "I baptize you with water, for repentance, but the one coming after me is more powerful than I am — I am not worthy to carry

his sandals. He will

baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Other references to Jesus baptizing with the

Holy Spirit:Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33, Luke 11:13,

baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Other references to Jesus baptizing with the

Holy Spirit:Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33, Luke 11:13,

Mark 9:1 NET And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the kingdom of God

come with power."

Matthew 10:19 NET Whenever they hand you over for trial, do

not worry about how to speak or what to say, for

what you should say will be given to you at that time.

20 For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

John 7:38 NET let the one who believes in me drink. Just as

the

scripture says, 'From within him will flow rivers of

living water.' " 39 (Now he said this about the Spirit,

whom those who believed in him were going to

receive, for the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not

yet glorified.)

Peter quoted Joel in Acts 2 and affirmed that the earlier

events of that day were proof that the fulfillment

was occurring on Pentecost.

Acts 2:15 NET In spite of what you think, these men are not

drunk, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16

But this is what was spoken about through the

prophet Joel: 17 'And in the last days it will be,' God

says, 'that I will pour out my Spirit on all people, and your sons and your

daughters will

prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream

dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out

my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 And I

will perform wonders in the sky above and

miraculous signs on the earth below, blood and fire

and clouds of smoke. 20 The sun will be changed to

darkness and the moon to blood before the great and glorious day of the Lord

comes. 21 And

then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be

saved.'

2 The Need for This Power

They did not have the complete word of God yet, but they needed some way

to prove that their preaching was truly

inspired of God.

The miracles backed up their words and convinced people of the need to obey Jesus Christ. These gifts permitted them to overthrow the knowledge and

wisdom of this world.

1 Corinthians 1:21 NET For since in the wisdom of God the

world by its wisdom did not know God, God was

pleased to save those who believe by the foolishness

of preaching. 22 For Jews demand miraculous signs

and Greeks ask for wisdom, They were able to

demonstrate that the gospel is the only way.

Romans 1:16 NET For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for

it is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

John 14:6 NET Jesus replied, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No

one comes to the Father except through me.

3 The Purposes Behind the Miraculous Gifts of the

Spirit

There were two clear purposes.

The first was to reveal God’s word. This

refers to the process of making the will of God

known.

1 Corinthians 2:9 NET But just as it is written, "Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared

for those who

love him." 10 God has revealed these to us by

the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

11 For who among men knows the things of a man except the

man's spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12

Now we have not

received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things that are

freely given to us by God.

13 And we speak

about these things, not with words taught us by human

wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit,

explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.

14 The unbeliever does not receive the things of the

Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them,

because they are

spiritually discerned.

15 The one who is spiritual discerns all

things, yet he himself is understood by no one.

16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him? But we have the mind

of Christ.

John 16:7 NET But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I am going away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you, but if I

go, I will

send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong concerning sin

and righteousness and judgment — 9 concerning

sin,

because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning

righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you

will see me no longer; 11 and

concerning judgment, because the ruler of this

world has been condemned. 12 "I have many more things

to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but will speak

whatever he

hears, and will tell you what is to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will receive from me what is mine and

will tell it to you.

15 Everything that the Father has is mine; that is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what is mine and

will tell it to you.

16 In a little while you will see me no longer;

again after a little while, you will see

me."

The second was to confirm God’s word; This refers to the process of proving that

the message was (and still is) true.

Mark 16:17 NET These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; 18 they will pick up

snakes

with their hands, and whatever poison they drink will not harm them; they will place their hands on the sick and

they will be well." 19 After the Lord Jesus

had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and sat

down at the right hand of God. 20 They went out and

proclaimed everywhere, while the Lord worked with them

and confirmed the word through the accompanying signs.

Hebrews 2:3 NET how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first

communicated

through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who

heard him, 4 while God confirmed their witness with

signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the

4 Types of Miraculous Gifts

Several words are used in the New Testament to

describe the gifts.

Holy Spirit distributed according

to his will.

SignThis is a mark,

indication, or tokenWonders

These are thingsthat cause the beholder

to marvel.

John 2:11 NET Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee. In this way he revealed his glory,

and his disciples believed in him.

Acts 2:19 NET And I will perform wonders in the sky above and miraculous signs on the earth below, blood

and fire and clouds of smoke.

Acts 2:22 NET "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, wonders,

and

miraculous signs that God performed among you through him, just

as you yourselves know —

Acts 2:43 NETReverential awe came over

everyone, and many wonders and miraculous signs came about by the

apostles.

Power This refers toability or might. Mark 9:39 MKJV But

Jesus said, Do not forbid him. For there is no one who shall do a work of power in My name who

can lightly speak evil of Me.

Gift This comes from two Greek

words dorea; Acts 2:38 NET Peter said to them, "Repent,

and each one of you be baptized in the name of

Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 8:20 NET But Peter said to him, "May your

silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire God's gift with

money!charisma, Romans 1:11 NET For I long to see you, so that I may

impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you,

Romans 12:6 NET And we have different gifts according to the grace given to us. If the

gift

is prophecy, that individual must use it in proportion

to his faith.There are several specific

gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12.

5 Examples of the Use of

These Powers in Acts(This is not intended to be a complete

list. The reference refers to the

chapter in Acts.) The apostles on

Pentecost (2) Peter and John (3)

disciples (4); Ananias and Sapphira (5);

Stephen (6); Dorcas (9);

Peter and Cornelius (10); Peter’s deliverance (12);

Herod (12);

Elymas (13); Paul’s healing (14);

prison (16); the twelve (19); Eutychus (20); Agabus (21); a viper (28).

6 The End of the Gifts Was to Come in the

First Century

Joel mentioned an ending time: the great and notable day of

the Lord. This is a clear reference to the destruction of Jerusalem (see his prophecy and the

teaching of Jesus in Matthew 24:1-35; Mark 13:1-31; Luke 21:1-33).

Paul referred to the end of the miraculous age, too

1 Corinthians 13:8 NET Love never ends. But if there are prophecies, they

will be set aside; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is

knowledge,

it will be set aside. 9 For we know in part, and we

prophesy in part, 10 but when what is perfect comes, the partial will be set aside.

Ephesians 4:7 NET But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of

Christ… 11 It was he who gave some as apostles, some as

prophets, some as

evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 to

equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ,

13 until we all

attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the

Son of God — a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ's full

stature.

Micah indicated that it would last about 40 years. Micah 7:15 NET "As in the days when you departed from the land of Egypt, I will show you miraculous deeds."

7 The Bible Does for Us Today What the Miracles Did for Them

in the First Century

It reveals God’s will to mankind.

Romans 1:16 NET For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for

it is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

17 For the righteousness of God is revealed in the

gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, "The righteous by faith will

live."

2 Timothy 3:16 NET Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for

correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the

person

dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for

every good work. John 8:32 NET and you will know

the truth, and the truth will set you free."

John 17:17 NET Set them apart in the truth; your word is

truth.It confirms the plan of God

to all honest souls who study it.

John 20:30 NET Now Jesus performed many other miraculous signs in the

presence of the disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31

But these are recorded so that you may believe that

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you

may have life in his name.Ephesians 3:1 NET For this reason I,

Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus

for the sake of you Gentiles — 2 if indeed you have

heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given

to me for you, 3 that by revelation the divine

secret was made known to me, as I wrote before briefly. 4

When reading this, you will be able to understand my insight

into this secret of Christ. 5 Now this secret was not

disclosed to people in former generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, 6

namely, that through the gospel the Gentiles are

fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow

partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. 7 I became a

servant of this gospel according to the gift of

God's grace that was given to me by the exercise of his

power. 8 To me — less than the least of all the saints — this

grace was given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the

unfathomable riches of Christ

Now we know the real purposes of miracles. Now we know that miracles have ceased. And now we know how important the Bible is.

Since God works through His word, is it not important for us to learn it, teach it, and

live by it?