Renewing the Great Commission: A Recap
Christianity in America seems to be on the decline. Studies show that church attendance is down as well as the number of Christian converts. What is the anecdote to this problem? The church needs to start acting like the church. How do they do this? Dr. Horton believes that within the American church, there needs to be a renewal of the Great Commission. According to his talk last Thursday night, it all revolves around Christ and his Gospel.
Many people today attempt to preach the Gospel by the lives or actions of charity. As Dr. Horton says, the Gospel is not something that can be lived by us. Rather the Gospel is a historic event that took place over 2,000 years ago. Too many times today Christians attempt to live the Gospel, only to fail. According to Horton, the Gospel is not something we do, it is something we receive. This is shown by the sacraments that the Lord has provided for us. He says that baptism is not a sign or seal of our commitment, but of God’s. The same is true for the Lord’s Supper. It is a sacrament of continual incorporation into his sacrificial death the blessings of the New Covenant.
The wind in the sails of renewing the Great Commission relies on our understanding and re-commitment to the Gospel. The means that God chose for people to be saved is through the preaching of the Gospel (Rom. 10). It is our job as Jesus’ ambassadors to proclaim this good news everywhere we go. To announce it so that people will be saved by his grace. Then, we must teach everything to them EVERYTHING about the Christian faith. This includes the participation of the sacraments. Renewing the Great Commission comes through our preaching and receiving the Gospel.
*If you would like to purchase a copy of this message, CD’s are on sale in Media Services on the middle floor of the library for $2.50 each.