Text: Matt. 28:18-20

This morning I continue a very important series for our church. I believe that this is the word for our church at this appointed time. Please pay close attention to the word this morning.

Last week I preached that the mission of the church was to preach the gospel to all nations. We have the responsibility, according to scriptures, to preach God’s word to everyone around us. I also preached that our outreach ministries are not effective unless we are full of God’s power. We must receive the power that God has promised. I remember from last week talking much about the difference between peace and power. Many people in the church are comfortable with the peace that their sins are forgiven, but they never pursue the power to be successful in outreach. Jesus told his disciples to spread the gospel around the world, but told them to wait for the power to begin. They dedicated their life to the work, but did not begin it until they were full of the power from God.

Today, I want to begin with the conditions that this outpouring can be received. When you get home read the last chapters of Matthew and Luke and the read the first two chapters of Acts then you will be able to appreciate what I will say in this sermon.

The disciples had already been converted to Christ, they had surrendered their lives to him, and their faith had been confirmed by His resurrection, but let me say that conversion to Christ is not to be confused with a consecration to the great work of saving this world.

In conversion, the soul deals directly and personally with Christ. It yields up its prejudices and its selfishness, accepts Him, trusts Him, and supremely loves Him. All the disciples had completed this list, but they had not received a definite commission yet or a particular infusion of power to fulfill a commission. However, when Christ had settled their fears and confusion of his crucifixion and resurrection he gave them the great commission to win all nations to him-self. But he admonished them to wait in Jerusalem until they were clothed in power. Which He said would happen in a few days.

Now notice what they did. They got together, the men and the women for prayer. They accepted the commission. They understood the importance of the commission and that the work was too great for them alone (without some supernatural power). They began to realize the necessity of this great out pouring that Christ had promised. They continued day after day in prayer and self-examination. We must conclude that they had consecrated themselves, with all they had, to the conversion of the world as their lifework. They must have turned away from any ideas of living for themselves in any form. They devoted themselves with all their powers to the work that was set before them. This self denying, this dying to the world, must have preceded their actual seeking of the promised power. They then continued in one accord in prayer for the promised power.

They had a work set before them and they had a promise of power to perform it, but they had to wait until the promise was delivered.

How did they wait?

1. Not in inactivity

2. Not in making preparations by studying

3. Not by going about their personal business and offering an occasional prayer for the power.

4. Rather they continued in prayer and persisted in their petitions until the answer came!

They understood that it was to be received from Christ and that it was the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They prayed in faith. They held on with the firmest expectation until the outpouring came.

We have the same commission. And just as they needed the power from on high to be successful so do we!

We have the same promise. Now, let us take the same course that they did. They were Christians and had a measure of the spirit to lead them in prayer and in consecration and so do we. We all possess a measure of the spirit to lead us to true consecration and to inspire us with the faith essential to prevail in prayer.

Let us not grieve or resist Him, but accept the commission and fully dedicate ourselves, with all we have, to the saving of souls as our lifework!

Let us go to the alter with all we have and all we are and let us lie there and persist in prayer until we receive this outpouring!

Conversion to Christ is not to be confused with acceptance of this commission to convert the world. The first is a personal transaction, relating to its own soul. The second is the soul’s acceptance of the service in which Christ proposes to employ it.

Christ does not give us a job without giving us the tools to complete the job. If we accept the job, if we dedicate our hearts to receiving the power, then we can expect to receive the power!

1. A clear conviction that the commission to convert the world is given to each Christian as its lifework. I am afraid that a great majority of Christians seem never to be impressed with saving souls. They always leave that work for someone else.

2. A conviction of the necessity of this outpouring of power upon every individual soul. Many people believe that it is not needed or that it is not for them, but this power is a must for all believers who dedicate their life to the work of Christ.

3. The need of earnest faith in the promise of this outpouring. Many people seem to doubt whether the promise is for the whole church. Therefore, they don’t have the faith to grasp it.

4. The persistence in waiting on God for the power. Many faint before they prevail so the power is never received. Most people are happy in just the hope of eternal life for themselves that they never move beyond to seeking power to reach other people. Many Christians speak of the need and dependence on the spirit, but very little will tarry until they receive this outpouring.

There is a very alarming weakness in the church. Are we not weak? Are we not criminally weak? The ministry is weak because the church is weak. And the church is weak by the weakness of the ministry. We need a strong conviction for the need of this great power and a faith in the promise in order to receive this outpouring of power!

AS I begin to close, suppose any of the apostles, or those present on the day of Pentecost had failed through apathy, selfishness, unbelief, or ignorance to obtain this power. Would it have been unjust to disqualify this person from the work that Christ had appointed him? Christ had made it very clear that without this power, they could do nothing. He plainly commanded them not to attempt the work in their own strength, but to wait for the power. He also told them that if they waited they would receive the power in a few days. But what if, some had stayed home to attend to their own business. What if some would have been too tired to come to the meeting place? They would have been disqualified.

With such a demand to convert the world ringing in your ears; with such an admonition to wait in constant, wrestling prayer until we receive the power; with such a promise, made by the savior, what excuse can we offer for being powerless?

How can we fatally neglect to dedicate our lives to the commission and receiving of the power? The early believers gave themselves no rest until they got the power. In order for us to meet the needs of this world with the word of God, we must flow in the power. It is not about education, we have seen uneducated men get up and preach a message with the power of God and hundreds repent of their sins. We have also seen the very educated preach with no power and no one repent.

It is not about your social position, or your education status. It is the power from on high that gives you the ability to go into the entire world and preach the gospel to every creature. Wake up and take it to heart. Do not rest until this outpouring of power from on high is brought forward into its proper place. Do not rest until it takes that prominent and practical position in the view of the whole church that Christ intended it to take. Wake up and realize that the commission is intended for you and the power is given to make you successful in this commission. Pray for the power. Take the work of Christ serious in your life. Thank God for your salvation, but now pursue the power to convert more people.