The Authority of Christ
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20, ESV
Jesus cites His own authority as the reason to share the gospel and make disciples.
Prior to this point, Jesus had been seized, beaten, and put to death on a cross. This stripped the disciples of nearly all hope they had in Jesus being the Messiah. They scattered, fled, and denied him because it seemed as if Jesus had lost. He was put in a position which made him look powerless over the governing authorities, and He refused to even respond to many of their accusations. Jesus’s death made the disciples question His authority and divinity, and they began to return to the lives they had before Jesus.
But then, as Mary and Mary Magdalene went to see the tomb, there was an earthquake as Christ’s authority was set on display. The guards trembled as an angel announced to the women that God has raised Jesus from the grave. The power over sin and death was restored to the King, and all men have hope for salvation. The resurrection was a display of Christ’s authority and divinity, even after the disciples doubted it, and shows that Christ and Christ alone has the power to save.
Christ’s Authority Leads Us To Discipleship
With all authority having been given to Christ, the natural and logical conclusion to this is to make disciples. When we make disciples, we entrust their salvation to Christ, to whom all authority has been given. If all authority has truly been given to Him, then there is nothing else which can determine one’s fate, including us. If Christ has all authority, we have none. If we lead someone to Christ, He receives all glory because we have no authority over sin and death or the eternal destiny of a person. This means that another’s salvation does not hang on us, but ultimately, on the one who has the authority. So when we share the gospel, we can be confident in Christ’s finished work on the cross, and His ability to save the lost. We are simply instruments by which Christ exercises his authority, so the pressure and heavy lifting for making disciples is ultimately on God.
Again, if Christ has all authority, we have none. We are under His authority and must obey his commandments as faithful servants. If we do not obey God’s commandments, we attempt to undermine his authority and give ourselves authority over our own life. This behavior is not in keeping with a faithful servant of God, as servants do the will of the master.
Missions as a whole, however, cannot be seen simply as obeying commands. Our desire to share the gospel comes from a preexistent love of God and a desire to see others changed by Him. Creating disciples is the natural outpouring of one who is in Christ. Because in Christ we are no longer subject to the law, obedience is not a chore but rather a privilege. This is then how it must be with sharing our faith. Christ bore our punishment for sin, so rather than having to account for our own sinful actions, we are clothed in righteousness and can spend eternity with God. Furthermore, we have the ability to be God’s instrument when he gives others this gift through sharing our faith.
