Part 1: The Great Commission Through 1st Century Jewish Eyes

Week 1: The Great Commission Through 1st Century Jewish Eyes – Prayer
Week 2: God’s Message: Repent – Proclamation
Week 3: Making Disciples – Proclamation
Week 4: Teaching Obedience to Jesus – Proclamation
Week 5: Leadership Lessons – Prayer

“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.”” (Mt 28:18–20)
A. Standard Narrative: “God had a two-stage plan – the first,
ethnic/localized/exclusive/judgmental, the second, non-ethnic/noncentralized/inclusive/about .“
B. About the Day of Judgement
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has
been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations… (Mt 28:18–19
NIV)
• 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the
one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. (Ac 10:42
NIV)
• 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is
more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his
hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the
barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Mt 3:11–12 NIV)

C. Warning the Gentiles was a Jewish job
3
He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.” 4
… 6
he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes
of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for
the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” (Is 49:3–6 NIV)
42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to
speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. 43 When the congregation
was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul
and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of
God. 44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of
the Lord. 45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They
began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him. 46 Then Paul
and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you
first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we
now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “ ‘I have
made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the
earth.’” (Ac 13:42–47 NIV)
• 1
At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue.
There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks
believed. (Ac 14:1 NIV)
D. Biblical Narrative = Consistency with the words of the prophets
43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives
forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Ac 10:43 NIV)
.13 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14
Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his
name from the Gentiles. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with
this… (Ac 15:13–15 NIV)

A. Gentiles and the Gospel: Inviting them to dinner….at a Temple???

14 Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his
name from the Gentiles. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this,
as it is written: 16 “ ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I
will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’
(citation from Amos 9:11-12 LXX) (Ac 15:14–17 NIV)
6
And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to minister to him, to love the
name of the LORD, and to be his servants… 7
these I will bring to my holy
mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and
sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of
prayer for all nations.” (Is 56:6–7 NIV)
6
On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all
peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines. (Is
25:6 NIV)
16 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up
year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the
Festival of Tabernacles. (Zec 14:16 NIV)
34 “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the LORD’s
Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days… 36 For seven days
present food offerings (all offerings done at the Temple) to the LORD…40 On the first
day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other
leafy trees—and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. (Le 23:34–40
NIV)
9
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could
count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne
and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm
branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs
to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Re 7:9–14 NIV)
• 1
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in
heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said,
“Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” (Re
4:1 NIV)