The Church of Eleven22 - The Great Commission - Neighbors to Nations - Matthew S8E1

Episode Date: October 25, 2026

What is God's purpose for your life? In Matthew 28:16–20, Jesus gives His followers a clear command: go and make disciples of all nations. The Great Commission is not just a calling for pastors or missionaries. It is the mission of every follower of Jesus Christ. As we conclude the Gospel of Matthew, Pastor Joby Martin challenges us to examine whether we are truly followers of Jesus or simply fans of Him. Being a disciple means more than knowing Scripture or attending church. It requires surrendering to the authority of Jesus, walking in obedience and making disciples who make disciples. Through Neighbors to Nations, a two-year discipleship journey at The Church of Eleven22, we are reminded that God has blessed us to be a blessing to others. Whether in our neighborhoods or across the world, we all have a role to play in making Jesus known. We cannot do everything, but everyone is called to do something. 📖 Scripture References: - Matthew 28:16–20 - Genesis 12:1–3 - Acts 1:8 - John 6:60–69 - 1 Corinthians 11:1 - Revelation 7:9–10 - Matthew 6:19–24 📌 Supplemental Resources From This Week: • Full Service • Deepen Podcast • Neighbors to Nations Vision Introduction • Matthew Season 8 The Church of Eleven22® is a movement for all people to discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ. Eleven22 is led by Pastor Joby Martin and based in Jacksonville, Florida, with multiple campuses throughout Jacksonville and the surrounding areas.   To find out more about how God is moving in and through The Church of Eleven22, visit coe22.com

Amen and amen and amen. Hey, if you got your journal, hold it up right here. All right, this is going to be very, very important. We have finally made it to the end of the Gospel of Matthew. We're going to study the last five or six verses or so. We have been doing this for 42 weeks, and this journal is going to be very, very important to you. I would highly encourage you to open it up to the front there where it says table of contents and write your name and your number and your email address just in case you happen to misplace it.

We don't have to give out 30,000 more of these. And you never know what may happen. You're single people. Make sure you definitely write in your name and number there. It could work out to your advantage, okay? We need you to bring this back every single week. That video was long, and it tells you an overview of all the things that we're stepping into over the next bunch of years. And if you want more details on it, I think it's page 9 to 42 can give you more.

No, 9 to 45 gives you more details. And so part of the reason that you have this. is as we step into this neighbors and nation's journey, and we unpack the Great Commission today, the goal is that every single one of us that are part of 1122 would ask God this fundamental question in our life. God, what is my place in your great commission in regards to my giving, my growing, and my going?

And the growing and going to be answered by this. And so you should start reading through this, you should start praying over this. You should put this in a place where you're going to see it over the next five weeks. And there's going to be some things that you see in here, like you might see that we're taking care of military families, and that stirs your affections.

And then you might see that we serve long-term missionaries, and it scares you to death. And you say, all right, Lord, what are you calling me to do? It's probably going to be the scare you to death thing. That's my story. But whatever it is, that's what we're doing. None of us can do it all, and every single one of us are called to be a part of the Great Commission.

That's why we are studying this text today. If you remember back on Christmas Eve, I know you remember every word that I say, thank you. and you remember back on Christmas Eve, I said, I want to give you a challenge. And I have heard dozens and dozens and dozens of people, especially over neighborhood nights over the past several months, come up to me and said, I took the challenge. I challenged you, give me one year. You just show up for one year. Be here on the weekends, join a disciple group serve.

You go all in for one year because it might change your life. It might change your family. It might change your legacy forever. I have talked to dozens of people that said it only took about two months and my whole life has been changed. I got a very similar challenge. This series, Neighbors the Nations, is just five weeks long. I want you to give me five weeks to be here every week over the next five weeks, praying like crazy, saying, all right, God, what is my role in your great commission in my giving, my growing, and my going?

And trust me, you have no idea what hangs in the balance. Now, from the day that we started studying the Gospel of Matthew, which was we have spent 244 preaching hours so far in this gospel. And all of that was just a setup to this message. Probably the number one question I get as a pastor is this. Pastor, how do I know God's plan for my life? How do I know God's purpose for my life? How do I know God's will for my life?

I got really good news. It's right here in Matthew chapter 28. It's not confusing. It's right here in written down on the page. And here's what's great, man. I've heard it said, you know, the two greatest days of your life is the day that you're born and the day you figure out why.

There's one more day that's a little bit better. It's the day that you're born, the day that you were reborn in Jesus Christ on purpose. And then the day that you figure out why on earth that he put you here, you're about to find that out today. This is such a big deal. And if you remember, and I know you remember everything, We've been studying Matthew 42 weeks, and remember Matthew, Matthew has a point when he's writing his gospel.

Matthew was born an insider. He was a Jewish guy. He chooses to be an outsider. He works for the Roman government, exacts taxes from his own people to give to the government to terrorize his own people. It's not good. And then Jesus comes along, and Jesus doesn't call him Levi, his given name. He calls him Matthew, because it ain't over until Jesus says it's over. And Matthew drops everything and begins to follow him.

Follow us Jesus. And he sees Jesus fulfill every promise and prophecy of the old covenant. He sees his life, his death, his resurrection, and his ascension. And then later, Matthew is carried along by the Spirit of God to write what we know as the gospel of Matthew. And Matthew is writing to a particular people. Matthew is a Jewish guy writing to a Jewish audience. And one of the things that Pastor Onee taught us is that Matthew is like a, he's like a lawyer

putting together a case. And the case that he is putting together is that Jesus is the greater Israel. that all the way back in Genesis chapter 12, God blesses Abraham, and then by the time Jesus shows them on the scene, they missed the blessing. Genesis chapter 12, here's what the Bible says. Now the Lord said to Abram, go. That's going to sound very familiar, because when we get to the Great Commission, it's going to say, therefore, go.

The Lord said to Abram, go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. and I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great. So that. Say so that. That's pretty loud. Good job.

So that. There you go. You will be a blessing. By the time Jesus shows up on the scene, the Israelites are like, we're chosen to be chosen. We are blessed to be blessed. And Jesus is like, you dummies.

There's a so that. The point is not to be a cul-de-sac of the blessing of God, but a conduit of it. Ain't no special about you. God placed his favor on you so that you would be a city on hill, light of the world. The whole world could come and worship the one true God. And so the case that Matthew's making is that Jesus is the greater Israel. That Jesus is the blessing that you see in verse 3. I will bless those who bless him and dishonor you.

Those who dishonor you, I will curse. and through you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Matthew is saying, and here is the blessing. His name is Jesus. He is going to be the one that blesses all the world. This is the whole point of the gospel of Matthew. And so when you get to verse 16, we're only going to do a few verses. It says this.

Now, the 11 disciples went to Galilee. Until this week, I always thought that the Great Commission happened at the ascension. It doesn't. This happens probably, it's like, eight to 11 days after the resurrection. And then Jesus is going to appear to over 500 people for 40 days in Galilee and on the seashore and at the temple and at the empty tomb and on the road to Amas. And then eventually he's going to make his way back to the Jerusalem area, this little town called Bethany across the Kidron Valley. And he's going to ascend to the right hand of God. But before he does this in Galilee, if you remember last week, Dr. Carter was teaching us and he said,

he appeared to the women and the women went and told the dudes, hey boys, the boss said meet us in Galilee. and so they packed up their stuff and they went to Galilee. So now the 11 disciples went to Galilee to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them because in the book of Matthew, a bunch of cool stuff happens on mountains. And then Jesus is going to give them the great commission. Before he eventually 40 days later, ascends to the right hand of God the Father.

This is a really, really big deal. And the ascension of Christ, what you say before, like after you've been resurrected and before you ascend, this is the most important thing. For all of you old heads in here, remember Elvis? Remember when Elvis would be at a concert? Kids, you don't even understand what it was like, bro, when Elvis was kicking it, man. People when Elvis would show up, even fat Elvis, not even cool Elvis, fat, sweaty Elvis, would be in Vegas, just, I mean, just getting after it, bro. And the crowds would lose their mind so much.

There had to be a curtain call. when Elvis left the building, what happened? An announcer recomb on and say, Elvis has left the building. This is that Jesus has left the building situation here. This is the announcement of all announcements. So they go to Galilee, they're up on a mountain, and there's the resurrected Christ. Get that through your head for a second. The resurrected Christ.

He was dead, buried. Now the stone has been rolled away. The tomb is empty. there up in Galilee, Jesus is physically, bodily, resurrected standing there on a mountain. Look at this next verse. And when they saw him,

they worshipped him, as they should. This is Jesus. This is the resurrected Christ. By the way, just a one-off. There's about a million people online right now. That's where all the dumb people live is online. And they'll say things like,

well, Jesus never claimed to be God. You, oh my gosh, we've pointed this out so many times in the book of Matthew. Jesus receives the worship of people. You know why he receives the worship of people? Because he is to be worship because he is God. If you remember everything I say, because I know you do,

if you go back to when Jesus was being tempted by the devil, the devil said, bow down to me and worship me. And Jesus says, oh no, contrary. The Deuteronomy says, you shall worship the Lord and the Lord alone. Get out of here, devil and devil's got to leave. But now when people are worshiping him, he does not rebut them. He receives it. Why?

Because Jesus is the second person of the Trinity, God, the Son. co- Eternal with God the Father forever and ever, and he is worthy to be worshiped. And people worship him as they should. Look at the next part of this verse. But some doubted. What? Bro, you're in Galilee. And there's Jesus, all scarred up head, holding his hands, hole in his side.

He's standing there. How much more evidence do you need? And some people fall on their face. I'm like, oh, Lord Jesus. And the next guy's like, man, I don't know. I think that's AI. I don't know. Here's the thing, man.

Evidence will never be enough to convince you. Remember what Dr. Carter taught last week? Pastor Matt taught last week that the chief priest believe that Jesus resurrected from the grave. And they were like, we can't let anybody know. The women believe that Jesus resurrected from the grave and they bow down on their face and worship him. Evidence will never be enough. If I can argue into the kingdom of God, somebody else can argue you out. And I am pro apologetics.

Apologetics means that you just have a reason to defend your faith. I'm obsessed with it. Every night before I go to bed, I get sucked into the vortex of watching these apologists just rip people a new one. My favorite one is a dude named God Logic. You should watch God Logic. I'm going to bring him here. And he just eviscerates Muslims and Jehovah's Witness and Mormons and makes them look dumb.

And I love it so much. However, even though everything God Logic says is true, I've still yet to hear the person, hear the argument, but you know what you're right, I'm switching teams. Because evidence won't be enough. The resurrected Christ is standing on the mountain. And some people are going, praise them. And some people are going, maybe. For one, it makes me feel a lot better about my preaching.

Because sometimes I'm up here just slinging it. And some of you're like, yes. and then this guy's on Facebook. I'm like, okay, if I have to resurrected Christ can't get 100% participation, then who do I think I am? Now, here's the reality, man. Until your heart is seized by a greater affection, you'll never worship him. Until your need exceeds your ego, you'll never bend your knee to him.

I wish I could talk you into it. I try so hard every week, every single week. I try to use the right word and tell the right stories and be funny. So all you men that are like, I don't know, I get you to laugh. You'll do like this. And then I try to get your heart real quick, okay? I try. And I can't talk you into anything.

It's not until the Spirit of God woos you unto the Son of God that you will surrender your life to him. So they worshipped him and some doubted. Now let's get personal. Anybody ever doubt? Jesus stuff. I do. That might make you nervous. Follow me.

Sometimes I doubt. I do, man. I got questions. I got unanswered questions. God, well, but you allow that to happen. I can't understand this. I doubt. And so if you doubt, here's some really good news.

You could make a great disciple. These are the 11. They don't doubt forever. They're going to get over it. They're going to become the apostles. they're going to add one more guy, and they're going to turn the world upside down. So if you've got some doubts, cool, you could be a great disciple, see their disciples. And you know what they doubted?

The resurrection of Christ. It's the whole, you can't even be a Christian without it. And so if you doubt, you're in some really, really good company. Because the opposite of faith does not doubt. The opposite of faith is fear, because you think your circumstances. are in control and not God. The opposite of faith is ego, because you think you're in control. The opposite of faith is, I got this. The opposite of faith is control. So you can have all kind of unanswered questions. God's okay with that. Do you know why?

Because you know what God wants from you? You. A relationship with you. not just begrudging mental assent to theological realities, though doctrine matters like crazy. What he wants is you, and in order for you to receive the love of God and reflect the love of God, you've got to trust God. And so what do you do when you've got doubts and unanswered questions? Here's what the Bible says to do. You just pick them up and you follow after Jesus. But that's what these boys are doing.

They're in Galilee. Why? Because that's where Jesus said go. And they're not even sure if that's him or not. But you see what they're doing? They just pick up their doubts and they do what Jesus said to do. You do that long enough. One day, your doubts, your faith becomes sight and you see him.

In John chapter 6, this is my favorite place to see this. In John chapter 6, we talked about it several weeks ago. Jesus just feeds the 5,000 and this big crowd is following Jesus. Not because they want their heart full of Jesus. They want their bellies full of more miracles. And so Jesus begins to preach what in my business we call a s, facemaker. You ain't got room. You preach this one one one time. And Jesus says, unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no part with me. And people are like, wait, what? I'm just here

for some leftovers. I mean, listen, man, we're Jewish. We can't eat the prophet. We can't even eat pork. What are we talking about here? And everybody starts leaving. And then Jesus walks up to Peter. And Jesus does not ask random questions. He goes, yo, Pete. you want to leave too? And Peter's thinking, sort of. I mean, dude, I left this lucrative fishing business with my dad, and now you talk about feasting on your flesh.

What the heck? And Jesus doesn't explain anything. He could have explained it about three seconds. He said, bro, I'm talking about communion. The body and the bread is actually about the gospel. Apart from the gospel, you have no plan. Just hang on. After the resurrection, it all that makes sense.

He explains nothing. And so Peter's standing there with all these unanswered questions, and his question is what puts steel in my spine to follow Jesus. Peter looks around and he goes, to whom shall we go? You're the only one that offers eternal life. So what do you do when you doubt? First of all, welcome to humanity. You just pick up your doubts. You pick up your and answer questions and you follow after Jesus. And that's called faith. or trust, the Greek word is Pestua. Years ago, about 10 years ago, I was leading a mission trip in Africa. And I was flying home and we had a layover in Amsterdam because this is a long ways over there.

It's like two, 10 or 12-hour flights. And we're boarding the plane and I'm tired at all the things. And I'm praying for the person that is sitting next to me on this 10-hour flight. But I'm not praying with them in like the spiritual way you think I would pray for him. I'm actually praying against certain type of people that God would put next to me. He did not answer my prayer. And so the person God chose to sit next to me was this really chatty 25-year-old girl that I did not want to spend 12 hours with on an airplane, but God wanted me to.

And so we sit down and I think, oh, no, here we go. And she's super chatty. Hey, what are you doing? And I was like, I'm a pastor. And she was like, oh. And so this is what I do, okay? When I sit on a plane, I always have to write a sermon. So I just get my Bible out.

And I'm like, you want to talk about this for a little while? and one of two things happens because salvation is of the Lord and if God wants me to have a conversation and they're interested in praise B and if God doesn't want to save them at this time I'm like, well, sweet, maybe you'll save you another time I'm going to work on my sermon or watch my movie.

Win-win, okay? So I opened my Bible and she looks at me and goes, you actually believe that, do you? And I go, oh yeah, let's talk about this for a little while and I began to share the gospel with this girl. And I didn't start at the reality that every single one of us are sinners, but I started with the reason that God made us,

that out of an overflow of God's love for God's self, he created image bears, and you're made by God and for God. And you were created to be in a right relationship with him. This is why the temporary things of this world will just never scratch that itch, no matter how hard you try. And then sin separates us from a holy and just God.

And she began to tear up. Part of the reason she began to tear up is that she had been on a vacation to Amsterdam as a 25-year-old single girl. And I didn't get into it too deep with her, but she had been doing things with her body that God did not intend to do. And she was broken and she knew it.

And so I began to tell her about God so loved you that sin his only begotten son. And there's more grace in Jesus that sin in you. And the sovereign king of all of the universe that holds the stars in the sky worked it all out and used Delta that I would be sitting right next to you because he heard your prayer and he came for me to tell you

that he loves you and he wants you to surrender his life to him. And she starts crying. She starts crying. And you know, if you've done this a lot and I've done this a lot, dude, you get them crying. Bingo, we're about to close the deal. So I'm about to Billy Graham this thing and get her to pray and do the whole thing right there at the end. And then what happened, the Spirit of God is wooing her to himself. And then you can tell, boom, here comes the questions and the doubts.

and the brakes come on. Because she realizes if I follow Jesus, it's going to change my whole life. And she goes, in through tears, and I'm like, you want to surrender your life to Christ right now. He'll forgive you right now. She goes, well, hold on, hold on, let me ask you a good question. But what about, what about gay people?

Does God not like gay people? And what about if there's a man on an island's never heard of Jesus? Does he go to hell? And what about the dinosaurs? How do you explain the dinosaurs? And I was like, all right, I hear you. There's answers to all this. But can I just ask you, first of all,

loves everybody so let's clear that up secondly are you gay she's like no okay and you're obviously not deserted on an island you're with me here right do you happen to be a paleontologist so can you know that on the smoke screen and let's just talk about what's actually going on here that's what you do when you have doubts and unnerged questions you just pick up your doubts and you follow after him they stand on the mountain they see the resurrected christ some worship him and some doubt it don't freak out when you have doubts just pick up your doubts just pick up your doubts follow after Jesus. And then, verse 18, and Jesus came and he said to them, oh, I love this one, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. How much authority? All authority

on heaven and earth has been given to me. If Jesus has all the authority, how much authority you got? None. He has all the authority. And here's what's crazy. He says all authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. It's been given to him by right and by resume. It's been given to him by right because Jesus Christ is God the Son, second person of the Trinity, co-eternal with the Father, who spoke everything into existence and everything that has been made visible and invisible was made by him, for him, through him, and to him. And there is not one inch in the entire cosmos of this planet and everything beyond that Jesus does not rightly declare, mine, he has all authority by right.

And resume, because he's fresh out of the grave. He lived the perfect life. He chose the Father's will over the way of this world every single time. He went to the cross and God made him who was without sin to be sin for us. And yet he had no sin. So when he was laid in the grave, the wages of sin is death, but he has no sin. So death could not hold him. And so he snatches the keys of death out of the hands of Satan.

He rolls that stone away. and he walks victorious out of the tomb, putting death to death. And so not only is all authority his because he is God, but he also went and took it back, and all authority in heaven and on earth is his. This is what he is saying. Now this is what this means, man. All authority.

That means he has authority over your body. Think about that for a little bit. Annual bedroom. And your bank account. and all of your activities, and the angels and demons and life and death, and even all of eternity. And Americans don't like this, because the world that we were raised in was,

you don't tell me what to do. He does because he's got all authority. Everybody likes the 23rd Psalm until you get to this part. The Lord is my shepherd. Look at my shepherd. He makes me lie down. And if you go, well, he don't make me do nothing. then he ain't your shepherd.

Oh, you might believe in Jesus. You've just never surrendered your life to the Lordship of Jesus. In the beginning of the sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, blessed are the meek, blessed are you when you turn the reins over of your life to his, and you say, I ain't the boss of me,

you're the boss of me, and I do what you say, especially when I don't like it. Look, dude, it ain't submission until you don't like it. If your boss is like, I command you to take a vacation. I submit.

No, dummy. So all authority on heaven and earth has given unto him. So the next thing he says is going to be the most important thing you've ever heard in your life. So he says, go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. This is what he says in Galilee. Later he's going to go to Bethany before he ascends to the right hand of God,

Father, the writer of the Gospel of Luke, Dr. Luke, he's going to record these words, which are the same kind of command, just some different words. He says, and you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses. You're either going to be a good one or a bad one, but you're going to be one. And you will be my witnesses. In Jerusalem, that's your neighborhood. In Judea, that's like the county you live in.

in Samaria those people that your grandma said you can't supposed to trust you don't even like those people for me that'd be like gangsville and welcome our UF outposts we love you so much okay you're part of the family

and to the very ends of the earth this is the great commission therefore go and make disciples of all nations it's Matthew 2819 now maybe you hear 2819 you're like where have I heard that before and maybe it's because you know of my friend Philip Anthony Mitchell's church up in Atlanta, and God has his hand on my boy Philip,

and he's doing a mighty work at 2819, okay? Praise God. And so the only reason I bring him, bring them up, he'll be here next year to do a men's conference with us. And the only reason I bring him up is this, we need to be praying for 2819 church, and here's why. They are experiencing what we have experienced where, like, the facilities cannot facilitate the ministry God wants to do. They're full, full, full, full. And our experience in James, Jacksonville and every county we've been in. If we've had unbelievable favor and grace with like the city and county people that are in charge of stuff, that is not their experience right now in Atlanta.

So would you join me throughout this next few weeks praying for the advancement of the gospel through 2819 and Philip Anthony Mitchell? And here's why. Let me tell you why. We are not the kind of church that is jealous of or critical of other churches. Anybody that's a Bible gospel teaching church is on team Jesus. And we pray that the spirit of God has poured out on everyone. of those churches. So you get, this is it. Jesus is saying, here's the point of your life. Therefore, that's how he starts. Well, what's the therefore therefore? Well, there's two things.

One, because he just said, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, I don't take votes. We're not doing an online poll. I'm not going to make suggestions. Hey man, if you feel like it, do you mind maybe making a disciple somewhere if it doesn't. No. He's the king and the king gives orders. Therefore. The second reason, therefore, is there is because therefore and so that mean the same thing. And Abraham whiffed on it. The people that followed Abraham whipped on it.

I'm going to bless you so that you'll be a blessing. Jesus just said, I came and lived the perfect life, died in your place, resurrected from the grave. All authority on heaven and has been given to me. Therefore, I did not just save you to be saved. I save you to be sent the moment you get rescued, you are part of the rescue team. Therefore, go! Now here's the thing.

If you know Greek grammar, coin a Greek first century grammar, which I'm sure the front row right here, you guys are fully familiar with this, but you could explain to everybody else that the only imperative in that sentence is make disciples that that word go is probably better translated, like as you are on the go or wherever you go.

You see, because during Neighbors the Nation, some of you are going to go as full-time missionaries to the Congo. And some of you are going to go as full-time missionaries to the car line. Both are very dangerous. Car line is infinitely more dangerous. So wherever you go, as you're on the go, here's the imperative. Make disciples.

This is the purpose of your life. What's God's plan for your life? Make disciples. Where? Wherever you go. That's the purpose of your life. Yeah, but I run an electrical company. Okay, cool.

Make disciples of electricians. That's fine. All right? Turn lights on in churches. That'll help. Whatever, but I'm a football coach. Oh, neat. Guess who made this disciple?

A football coach. How about do that? Wherever you go, wherever you go, wherever you own the go, make disciples. Here's the thing, man, not just converts, not make believers, not build crowds, but make disciples, followers of Jesus. Well, first and foremost, you've got to be one to make one. And when we use the word disciple in America, we don't know what it means as compared to the first century.

Because oftentimes we'll translate the word rabbi as teacher. It's kind of, I mean, it's not untrue, it's just not the whole truth. You see, in the West, we think a teacher's job is to pass along information. I'm going to teach you what I know. And if you do that, you're a good teacher. But in the first century, a rabbi was not simply, let me teach you what I know, but you are going to become who I am. Think about what Jesus said to the first boys. Hey, man, drop your nets and follow me.

And I will make you fissures of men. He didn't say, I'm going to teach you theological reality. and doctrines of the Bible. No, no, no, I'm going to make you fishers of men. In fact, the phrase that they would use in the first century when you began to follow a rabbi is they would say, may you be covered in the dust of your rabbi, that wherever he went, you went.

And Jesus said, follow me. So what it means to be a disciple is that we are just continuously taking our next step of obedience. And if you quit taking steps by definition, you ain't following. and we ain't got no standard arounders of Jesus. We're called followers of Jesus. This whole neighbor's the nation's thing is about you and me saying, God,

what's my next step of obedience? What's my role in your great commission in regards to my giving, my growing, and my going? And here's the thing, man. I'm afraid we've got a lot of spectators. I'm afraid in the American church we got a lot of fans. and not a lot of followers. And here's what I mean.

I'm a huge, huge football fan. Die hard, ridiculous fan. I have a college team and I have a pro team. And I love them so much. And I get into it a lot. And two weeks ago, I had the greatest regular season football weekend of my entire life.

It was so great. the gators lost to South Carolina. How embarrassing. I loved it. I watched every minute of it. I cheered. I loved it. Then Georgia beat Alabama.

And God blinded the referees so they couldn't see that egregious past interference. I don't care. I don't want a fair. I just want to win. I don't care. They've been cheating for years. Who cares? I'm so excited.

And then the next day, the Jags are in London. we've got the ball with eight seconds to go and run right up to the very point you can run and then make like a million-yard field goal and we walk off the Eagles. Praise God from whom all blessings flow, man. Cloud not. And then one week later, one week later, the Gators beat Texas. What? Georgia loses the Auburn.

That's a basketball school. What are we doing? And then the Jazz get walking. off with the Texans because we had to play them and the zebras that hate us, and we lost. Now here's the thing. I'm a huge fan. I'm a die-hard fan.

And I get into it while the game's going on, and I watch them by myself for the sake of my own witness. I don't let anybody watch it with me. But other than the emotional investment that I make during the game, do you know how much the wins or the losses affected my life? None. It didn't change me as a husband.

Didn't change me as a friend. Didn't change me as a dad. It didn't affect the next morning when I woke up and read my Bible. It didn't affect my spending habits. It didn't affect any, nothing in my life other than being entertained by it during the game and disappointed by it during the game. It affected nothing in my life. Here's what scares me to death about the American church.

I think there's a bunch of fans. And you're into it. You go to the game. You know the chance. You feel the fields. just doesn't change anything in your life. Jesus says that's not what a disciple is. He says, therefore make disciples.

You've got to be one before you make one. And then the next question, listen, dude, so who are you disciplining? Can you be like, yep, there's one I made right there. Because if this is the great commission, if this is the most important thing, then can you really be one if you've never made one? Or are you just trusting that I'll do it for you?

Yeah, every single one of us are called to make disciples. Like, how are I going to do that? Well, man, I mean, we've set up all kind of ways for you to do it. You know, go through a growth track. We'll help you. You can serve in kids. You can serve and you can be a disciple group leader. You'd be a caregiver.

I mean, there's a bunch of ways. But if you look back over your shoulder and you can't say what Paul says in 1st Corinthians 111, follow me as I follow Christ, then you are out of step with the great commission. If you're a parent, it of course starts with your kids, man. You're the primary disciple in their life. But this is what we are all about. At home, at work, at school, whatever it is, man. He says, therefore go and make disciples.

All nations. You know what that word is? In Greek, ethnos. Sound familiar? It's where we get the word ethnicity. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the peoples. Like, regardless of what people look like and sound like, where they're from, and who the mom and daddy is,

and what their heritage is, This is a movement for all people to discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ. You see, because the body of Christ is unified, but it's not uniform. We don't all look the same, but we're all unified in Christ, that we may be distinct, but we are not divided. We may have different heredages, but we have the same father, and that's what brings us together. And here's why. Here's what we're aiming at, by the way, Revelation chapter 7, beginning of verse 9. This describes what it's going to look like in heaven.

John the Revelator says, and after this I looked and behold a great multitude that no one could number from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the lamb, clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, salvation belongs to our God

who sits on the throne and to the land. That this gospel is for all people, every image bearer of God, you've ever come eyeball to eyeball with is a trophy of the grace of the cross of Jesus Christ. That's why this thing is a movement for all people. Now, the liberal theologians, also known as lost people, they will say, well, yeah, everybody's going to heaven, but Jesus isn't the only way. The problem with that is the words of Jesus. Jesus says, I am the way the truth in the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me. then there are some cults out there like the Mormons for a long time are like nope only for white people and then the Hebrew Israelites also a cult go nope only for Africans the Bible says this thing is for every tribe every tongue and every nation and then there's even I hate all the categories but there's this people that would call themselves conservative is this weird little group of people that you shouldn't listen to and they do think that Jesus is the only way for all people but until we get to heaven, we should all be separated here on earth. That is not what Jesus taught.

Some of you, you've got a hat with it on. This is the theme of our year. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Well, what does it look like in heaven? Every tribe, every tongue, every nation. And Jesus, when the disciples are like, hey boss, teach us to pray. He's like, all right, when you're praying, make sure you say this, on earth as it is in heaven.

So if anything on the planet ought to look like heaven with every tribe, tongue, and nation, ought to be the church, the people of God. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, next part, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We've been baptizing some people. Have you noticed? Sometimes one guy asked you, all really into baptism. It's in the Great Commission there, Leroy. What are you talking about? Last week, we did Easter and October and baptized 276 people. Praise God. A month ago, it saturated, we baptized 911 people.

During Beach Baptism, we baptized 2,552 people in one day. So far, in 2026, we have baptized 5,390 people this year. Praise God. Now, let me tell you what the haters say. I don't know if you know we got haters. Have you found out yet? Yeah, they're there. And here's what they'll say.

It's just all about the numbers. What? All right. If you were baptized this year through the Ministry of 1122, this year, 26, would you raise your hand as high as you can and just keep it up? Raise them up high. Let's go. Is it Jerry?

Jerry, would you stand up? You ain't supposed to outdress the preacher, Jerry, but don't worry about it. Can you stand up? I know you walk with a cane. This is Jerry. Jerry, you've been through it, man, because I pray for you all the time. And we get to hang out and talk

and your beautiful family. Here's what I want you to know, Mr. Jerry. Over the last 14 years, this church has spent tens of millions of dollars building, building so that the church, because the church isn't a building, building building so that churches could gather that we could preach the word

and glorify God in worship. We have sent out a hundred full-time missionaries, thousand short-term missionaries. We've sponsored kids. We've cared for the elderly. We've cared for our first responders. We've got Bible studies all over the city.

And we've done all of this for one reason to therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and son and the Holy Spirit. And it's been tens of millions of dollars. And what I want you to know while everybody listening if the only fruit we could see from that was you, Mr. Jerry, going public with your faith in Jesus, it would be worth every penny.

Church of 1122, would you celebrate the baptism of my friend Jerry? Thank you, brother. Thank you. Now here's the thing. There's 5,289 stories like this with Mr. Jerry. That's why we celebrate because Jesus said that it was a big deal. He said, therefore, go and make disciples. of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,

to the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And then he says, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. Like I said, man, we want followers, not fans. We're not trying to make converts. We're making disciples. That's why we teach the full counsel to every part of our life. This is not pick and choose what you want. This is, I'm following Jesus.

And then right on the end of this, right on the great end of the Great Commission. Therefore, go and make disciples. of all nations, baptizing them, and the Father of the Son, the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And then you get this promise. And don't miss the promise, man. The King James says it this way,

and lo, I will be with you. That's what you're actually looking for. Is to be with God. That's what you were created for. Is to be in right relationship with God. All the way back at the very beginning when God created the very first person out of an overflow of God's love for God's self,

he decides unto his own glory to create image bearers. And he gathers together the dust of the ground. The word in dust in Hebrew is Adam. It's where we get the name Adam. And the Bible says, but he is not yet a living creature. And that the Bible makes it very clear that he gets nostril to nostril, face to face with the very first man, Adam, and breeze the ruah of life.

And then he opens his eyes. and he's alive. And the very first person is face to face with his creator, his heavenly father. And that's what every single one of us were made for. And Jesus came to make a way for us to be reconnected with our heavenly father. And then he says,

and when you're on mission with me, I'm going to be with you. Not just in the general omnipresent, Psalm 139, where can I go from your presence, kind of with you, but I'm going to be with you in a different kind of way. Now, you may look at that and you think, well, okay, so I'm supposed to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that he has commanded us.

Yep. And you go, well, that seems like a lot. It is a lot. And you think, well, how am I going to do this? Well, I got really good news. Neighbors of the nations. Yeah, this is it. This is how we're going to do this as a church.

And none of us can do it all, me included. You can't do it all. Nobody can do everything, and every single one of us are called to do something. And what I'm asking you to do, here's our number one goal for neighbors to nations, is that over the next five weeks, you would be praying your faces off. You know the difference between saying your prayers and praying? You know the difference? You know how like at Discibel group

when like Jerry shares a prayer request? I'm like, I'll pray for you. And then you don't. And then you see them at church. And then you see them at church. Hey man, I've been praying for you. That ain't what I'm talking about. You can keep that one.

I'm talking about it. On your face before the God of the universe going, God, we learned in John 10 that you're the good shepherd and your sheep hear your voice. I want to hear your voice. What is my role in your great commission? In my giving and my growing and my going? This journal is going to help you with the growing and going.

For some of you, you're going to jump into our military care and take care of families. For some of you, you're going to partner with the fellowship of Christian athletes and take the gospel into our schools. For some of you are going to start disciple groups. You're going to serve in our student ministry. It may be taking the gospel to the gospel to the church. the nations and you're going to be a full-time missionary or be a part of our disaster relief. You may head up the neighborhood prayer walk in your neighborhood.

I don't know what you're going to do, but the Spirit of God does. He's not surprised. And our number one goal is that every single one of us would go before the Lord and say, Lord, what is my role in your great commission in my giving, am I growing, am I going? And then there for sure is also a giving part of this. If you open up this to the back, there is this. commitment card and just breathe. We're not doing anything with it today except praying about it. One of the things I've learned in 34 ministries, 34 years of ministry is simply this. I don't know how to get people to fully follow Jesus without going after what Jesus said the number one competitor for the human heart is. Okay? And Jesus says no one can serve two masters. No one can serve both God and money. And we are not legalists around.

here but the Bible clearly teaches that we are to bring our first and best not because of any kind of Old Testament Levitical rule this actually predates this is like Canaan Abel and Abraham and Macusidac and this is just from the beginning of the Bible to the end of the Bible that God has entrusted us with everything we have and because God is first and God loves first we cheerfully bring back to him our first and our best as an act of worship. And Jesus says where your treasure is there, your heart will be also. And so all the details of the resources needed to accomplish everything that we believe God has called us to accomplish our in this thing. And I just need you as an individual or a family to begin to pray.

Say, Lord, what are you calling us to do? What are you calling me to do? And I just want you to do whatever it is that he tells you to do. One of the things I'm excited about, there will be thousands of people through 1122 that for the very first time in their life, they're going to trust Jesus in the area of their finances. And what at first feels like sacrifice, what they're going to actually experience is a financial freedom, they didn't realize was available. Anybody else with me on that one? I mean, that's my testimony, okay? And then there's some of you, God bless you, and you have been tithing since you were in Sunday school with Methuselah. Well, God bless you. And it's grown real comfortable, and God's just going to

stretch that. And then there's a bunch of us, us included, and we got a bunch of stuff, and it didn't do anybody any good, especially the kingdom. And we're not just going to look at what God's going to trust us with over the next two years, but we're going to look at the whole thing, and we're going to read the words of Jesus that says, why would you store it for yourselves treasures on earth? Why not store it up in heaven? The only thing you can take to heaven with you is people and praise this. So why don't we invest this thing into eternity? And then we have a thing called Advanced Commitment Night on November 6th and 7th. And if you want to go first, if you want to go first, I want to invite you to you can either come to St. John's on November 6th,

or we have two services, November 7th, that's San Pablo, and you can go first, and you can fill this thing out. We'll talk about it for a couple of weeks before then, and you can say, this is what it looks like for me and my family to say, God, this is our part in your great commission in regards to my giving. And then you'll take steps of obedience. And then you'll take steps of obedience in regards to your going and you're growing. And then commitment weekend will be November 19th and 1122. Isn't that neat? And we will all gather as a church and we'll say, all right, Lord, this is what it looks like, because you have called us to go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to

obey everything that you have commanded. And here's the thing, church. I get asked this all the time. What's the number one threat to 1122? And I think a lot of people assume it would be outside threats. Listen, man, we're under attack right now. But you know the church has always done really well with external threats. You know where the fastest growing church in the world is right now? It's the underground church in Iran.

And in fact, we'll be partnering them as we try to make disciples of all nations. In fact, think about the early church. how did it start? The Roman Empire is trying to stamp out the church with external threat. And they didn't bury them, they planted them, and then what sprouted was a worldwide movement

where people all over the world know the name of Jesus. So the church always handles the external threats pretty well. The greatest threat, in my opinion, is complacency. Because it's going so good, it's been going so good for so long. and the moment we as the people of God with the great commission of God take our eyes off of what he has told us to do and we begin to look around like man there's a lot of people here somebody else can serve a military family and somebody else can go on a mission trip and somebody else can be generous and somebody else can disciple a teenager then the moment complacency sets in it's only a matter of time before Jesus walks up

You should check the warning to the churches in the book of Revelation. And Jesus says, here, I'll take my lamp stand back. The moment the rear view gets bigger than the windshield, it's over for a church. And so what God is calling us to do is every single one of us. No matter how old you are or how long you've been in church, how long you've been following Jesus, is every single one of us would be like, all right, Lord, my answer is yes. Now what's my role in your great commission? Am I giving, my growing, am I going?

And here's the promise. The SV says, behold, I am with you always. And last week, Pastor Matt told us about the word behold. It's the first time I ever learned this. I didn't know this. Behold's not a word that we use a lot. I think we should bring it back. Show up at work tomorrow and be like, behold.

Jesus. Pastor Matt said, almost every time in the New Testament where the word behold happens, there's almost always a miracle associated with it. So as you're praying about your part in the Great Commission and you're giving, you're going, and you're going, Jesus is right there on the edge going, behold. Get ready for the miracle. Get ready for the miracle on the inside of you.

Get ready on the miracle that happens to you. Get ready for the miracle that happens through you. Why? Because behold, I will be with you always to the inside of you. very ends of the age. And will you just trust me on this one? I've been doing this a minute, 34 years. My own testimony on behalf of me and Gretchen. You have no idea what hangs in the balance with your simple yes. When we felt like God was told in telling us to get together with our buddies and play at this church, we had no idea. You have no idea that one teenager,

that you disciple, they may grow up to lead the next great awakening. You have no idea that your little piece of generosity, God uses it to plant a church that sparks a revival in the Middle East. You have no idea that your son or your daughter that you pour into to make a disciple of. That God might not just change your life and your kid's life, but the legacy of your family name until Jesus returns. Therefore, go. and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that He has commanded us and behold, church. He will be with us always to the very ends of the age. Would you please stand? Let me pray for us. Our good and gracious Heavenly Father God,

as we step into the biggest thing you have ever called us to, neighbors of nations. Lord, I pray that every single one of us, regardless of who we are, watching in a correctional facility right now at an outpost online at any of the campuses. God, that every single one of us would go before you with just humility and spiritful courage to say, all right, Lord, my answer is yes. Now, my question is, what's my role in your great commission? Am I giving, my growing, and my going? And God, I thank you for the promise that you are not going to leave us alone in this. But behold, we should get ready for a

miracle because you are with us. We pray it in the good strong name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen. And church, we're going to respond the way we respond, man. We're going to sing, this song called Let It Echo. It starts out this way. We've only scratched the surface. I mean, what if we've only seen the beginning of what God wants to do in us and through us and to us? And then it gets to a part where it says, hey, God, how about let this thing echo from this city to the nations. So why not us and why not now and why not here? And then, so we're going to sing and we're going to bring no special offering.

We don't even take up an offering. We're going to bring our ties and our offerings because it's a declaration that God, you first love me, and so I bring my first and best back to you. And we're going to pray. And every single one of us, we don't have room, but every single one of us should get down on our face and say, all right, God, what are you calling me to do in regards to your great commission, am I giving, my growing, my going. So let's sing, let's bring, let's pray. Let's respond.