How does Acts 15:35 connect with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20? Key Texts • Acts 15:35: “But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, along with many others,” … “teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.” • Matthew 28:19-20: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations… baptizing them…” (v. 19) “teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always…” (v. 20) Shared Heartbeat: Making Disciples, Not Just Converts • In both passages the focus moves beyond a single salvation moment to ongoing discipleship. • Paul and Barnabas “remained” to keep teaching; Jesus said, “teaching them to obey.” Same agenda, different locations. Teaching as the Central Tool • Great Commission: “teaching them to obey all that I have commanded.” • Acts 15:35: Paul, Barnabas, and “many others” are “teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.” • Connection: the apostles obey Christ’s command by prioritizing solid, Scripture-driven instruction (cf. 2 Timothy 2:2). Antioch: A Living Illustration of “All Nations” • Antioch was a diverse, Gentile-heavy church (Acts 11:20-26). • Staying there models the “all nations” scope Jesus set. • From Antioch, missionaries are launched (Acts 13:1-3), showing the ripple effect of Great Commission obedience. Multiplication, Not Maintenance • “Many others” joined Paul and Barnabas—new teachers, new voices. • Jesus envisioned multiplying disciple-makers, not a bottleneck around a few leaders. • Acts 15:35 proves the strategy works: trained believers step up and share the load. Presence and Power • Jesus promised, “I am with you always.” • Acts records the Spirit’s empowering presence (Acts 1:8); Antioch experiences that same guidance (Acts 13:2). • The continuity underscores that Christ’s promise in Matthew 28 is already active in the church’s mission. Takeaways for Today • Stay, teach, and deepen—discipleship demands time, not hit-and-run evangelism. • Build teams—invite “many others” to share the Word; ministry was never meant to be solo. • Keep the nations in view—local disciple-making fuels global outreach. • Trust Christ’s presence—the same Lord who commissioned the Twelve empowers modern believers to teach, preach, and send. |
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