In what ways does Acts 26:16 connect with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20? Setting the Scene • Acts 26:16 records Jesus’ words to Paul: “ ‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and will see of Me.’ ” • Matthew 28:19-20 captures Jesus’ charge to the Eleven: “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 all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Key Phrases that Echo • “I have appeared to you for this purpose” (Acts 26:16) parallels “Therefore go” (Matthew 28:19). Both statements ground the mission in a direct command from the risen Christ. • “Servant and witness” (Acts 26:16) aligns with “make disciples… teaching them” (Matthew 28:19-20). Service and testimony are the heartbeat of disciple-making. • “What you have seen and will see of Me” (Acts 26:16) reflects “all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). Both point to a comprehensive, Christ-centered message. Shared Mission Mandate 1. Commissioned by the risen Lord • Acts 26:16: Jesus personally commissions Paul. • Matthew 28:19-20: Jesus personally commissions the apostles. 2. Called to witness to Christ • Acts: Testify to Jesus’ death, resurrection, and future revelation. • Matthew: Make disciples who obey everything Jesus taught. 3. Intended for all peoples • Acts 26:17-18 (context) sends Paul to “Gentiles.” • Matthew 28:19 targets “all nations.” Empowerment and Presence • Acts 26:16 implies ongoing revelation—“will see of Me.” Jesus keeps showing Himself to Paul (cf. Acts 18:9-10; 23:11). • Matthew 28:20 promises, “I am with you always.” The same abiding presence sustains both Paul and the church. • Supporting verses: Acts 1:8—“you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses… to the ends of the earth.” The Spirit supplies what Christ’s presence guarantees. Scope of Witness • Personal experience turned outward: Paul shares “what you have seen” (Acts 26:16). Likewise, disciples share what they learned from Jesus (Matthew 28:20). • Word and deed: Paul’s testimony includes proclamation and demonstration (Acts 26:18: “to open their eyes”). The Great Commission includes baptizing (a visible act) and teaching (a verbal ministry). Practical Takeaways for Us • Every believer shares Paul’s appointment as “servant and witness”—our lives testify to the risen Christ. • Disciple-making remains the church’s central task; programs are secondary to obeying Jesus’ simple command. • Confidence flows from His presence: the same Lord who appeared to Paul walks with us today. • We witness best when we recount what we ourselves “have seen and will see of Him” through Scripture and daily life, inviting others into obedient faith. |
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