The Great Commission

Bestselling author, speaker, and advocate for Christian apologetics, Dr. Alex McFarland.

Bestselling author and apologist, Dylan Burroughs. Together bringing you truth. For a new generation, this is TNG Radio. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. That's Matthew 28, 18 through 20, a passage very often known as the Great Commission. Hi, Alex McFarland here, and with me is Dylan Burroughs, and on today's show we're going to answer the question, why the Commission and why it's great.

Why did Christ give the church the Great Commission, and in what ways is this really a great, centuries-long, all-encompassing Commission? That's our topic, and you won't want to miss it. Dylan, welcome to the program. It's great to be with you, my friend. Great to be with you as always, Alex, and I'm fascinated, as always, with this concept of taking the message of Jesus to the ends of the earth, to all nations, all people groups. And this week, as we look at the news of the passing of Reverend Billy Graham and the impact he's had, speaking to over 210 million people worldwide during his lifetime, 185 countries, this man exhibited and expressed the heart of the Great Commission. And we want to talk about that today, because it's not just people like Billy Graham who were called to make disciples, but each of us who follows Jesus are called to make disciples of everyone we can for the cause of Christ.

Exactly. I'm glad you bring that up. And folks, as we record this, the whole world is talking about the passing of the Reverend Dr. Billy Graham, evangelist, some say America's pastor, the counselor, confidant, pastor to six decades-plus of presidents, world leaders. And we wanted to, as we talk about the Great Commission and evangelism, and the biblical mandate—and yes, it is a mandate—to tell your neighbor about Jesus and salvation. And we are to reach, every one of us is to reach someone for Christ. Dylan, let's talk about this person who God used, one individual, and he had a team around him, and certainly he had an incredibly godly and supportive wife, Ruth Bell Graham, and she was the daughter of missionaries herself.

But if anybody's ever wondered, I'm only one and what can one life do? Look at Billy Graham. One life, one individual, and the 20th century was changed. That's very significant for all of us to ponder, isn't it?

It really is. And you look at the life of Billy Graham, and he came from a farm, from humble beginnings in North Carolina, and even to his final crusade in June 2005 in New York City, he said, I have one message, that Jesus Christ came, he died on a cross, he rose again, and he asked us to repent of our sins and receive him by faith as Lord and Savior, and if we do, we have forgiveness of all our sins. So his message was simple. It was the core of the gospel, but through that, many lives were changed. With him, it was through the preaching of the gospel to evangelistic events. Through your life, it may be in a different form, but the same message that inspired his life and countless others through his ministry is the same message that we communicate today through whatever means God has called us.

Exactly, exactly. You know, Dylan, let's reminisce a little bit. It's been my privilege for about a decade to be on one of the boards within the Billy Graham ministry. There are several boards, one of which deals with broadcasting and radio. And my dear friend Jim Kirkland, who helps lead that part of the Billy Graham ministry, we were up there, and I was seeing some of the artifacts, and there's a mic. And some of you that are technical people, you might have heard the phrase, an RCA ribbon microphone. Well, there's this one that was the original microphone, and Jim Kirkland was telling me in the early days, when they were just getting started, this was the microphone they took on the road to the big arenas, and then when they weren't on the road, they would use it to record hour of decision radio.

Sometimes they would sort of need to record radio, but the mic was out on the road. Now, today they probably own hundreds of microphones, and any church owns dozens of microphones, but I mean, think about it. There was a time when Billy Graham just starting out, the organization owned a microphone. And so Jim Kirkland let me see that mic and handle it, and he said, every now and then they'll plug it up and it still works.

It's like 68 years old, and it still works. But the main thing that so many people listening to this program would concur, you probably were touched by the life of Billy Graham. Maybe you know people that came to the Lord through Billy Graham. Dylan, we had family members. I had several aunts that were never married, spinsters, and they all three went forward in a Billy Graham crusade.

And I have an older sister who may be listening to this right now in Raleigh, North Carolina in the early 70s at Carter-Finley Stadium. My sister went forward to accept Christ as a young teenager. And so the life of this man is just immeasurable, isn't it? It really is, and I've been looking at some of the tributes people have expressed online today at the Billy Graham website as well as on social media, and I'm struck again and again how one change in one person's life can have ripple effects through generations.

For example, one lady I read about today was from Brazil, and she said my heart is completely broken. My grandfather heard his speech when he came to Brazil and gave his life to Jesus. Because of Billy Graham, we are now the third generation that serves Jesus.

Can you imagine that? You impact one person's life, and three generations later there are people who are following the Lord because of one thing that you did. Now that's the kind of impact we can have as well, obviously, as we follow God's direction in sharing the Gospel with those around us, whether it be in Brazil or whether it be across the street with your neighbor or your coworker or your classmate. These are the kinds of things that God has called us to do, and these are the kind of benefits we see both through the generations on earth as well as the eternal impact we see in heaven.

Absolutely. The Bible says in Mark 16 verse 15 that we are to preach the Gospel to every creature. We are to proclaim the Gospel. And friend, you have a role in that. Maybe you go to church and you sit under a great pastor.

That's wonderful. And we've all had our heroes, and certainly the world is noting the passing of one of the greatest of all the spiritual mentors, Billy Graham. But remember, you have a role to play. There's a person that is in your life.

Maybe it's the person at the grocery store or the letter carrier or your neighbor or your relative. And they may never hear Billy Graham, but they know you. And so take up what the Word of God says. I mean, take it to heart that we are to tell our neighbor. We are to preach the good news of salvation in Jesus to everyone around us.

And so this is Truth for a New Generation radio, TNG radio, and we've got to pull away for a break. But when we come back, we're going to talk about Christ's Great Commission and what it means for each and every one of us. In all Christians who believe that America needs a spiritual revival, an awakening, a message of the gospel for our times, this is Alex McFarland encouraging you to attend the 2018 edition of Truth for a New Generation, the conference on apologetics, worldview, and evidence for the Christian faith.

Greensboro, North Carolina, March 23 and 24. Hear an amazing lineup that includes Josh McDowell, apologist J. Warner Wallace, Lauren Green and Todd Starnes, both from Fox News, attorney Abe Hamilton III of the American Family Association, music by the bands and orchestra from North Greenville University, and much, much more. Sessions for all ages equipping you to share your faith confidently in any situation. Visit truthforanewgeneration.com, that's truthforanewgeneration.com, TNG 2018, to save a nation. March 23 and 24, brought to you by North Greenville University, where Christ makes investment in the living out and the preservation of America. Stand Strong America will help you take the fear that you face and the bleakness that you face, but help you become a champion, a bold champion for Christ. In Stand Strong America, Jason Jimenez and I lay out the facts about our nation, the current condition, and how you, yes, you, your family, your church, your community can be involved in keeping this great republic. Stand Strong America is a guide to bring courage and hope for you, the Christian.

Wherever Christian books are sold. This goes out to my hero, Billy Graham. He heard the word, got the call, took the message to us all, said it so we all could understand. Around the world, here at home, he let us know we're not alone. Oh, thank you, Billy Graham.

Whatever you've done, whatever you are now, God loves you. Oh, thank you, Billy Graham. This is Dylan Burrows with Alex McFarland, Truth For A New Generation radio, and we're talking about making disciples of all nations. And Acts 5 42, that talks about the importance of sharing our faith with others. It tells us that day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is Lord or that Jesus is the Messiah. This is important for us today, just as it was in that time. We've been reflecting on the life and ministry of Billy Graham and how he broadcast to millions worldwide through media and through events the gospel of Jesus Christ. But we are called to share in whatever way God has equipped us, and to do so day after day, to do so in church, in a religious context like the temple courts are mentioned here, as well as from house to house in informal settings, whether it be your workplace, your home, or in your school. And as we look at this topic more, I want to talk with Alex McFarland here a little bit about this event we have coming up that's designed to help equip us better for sharing our faith with the next generation.

Oh wow, I'm so glad you mentioned that, Dylan. Folks, listen up. We're coming up soon on Truth for a New Generation. Just yesterday we had a great lunch with pastors to talk about this, but folks, listen carefully. We've got Josh McDowell coming. We've got J. Warner Wallace, Todd Starnes from Fox News. We've got so many incredible speakers. It's going to be in Greensboro, North Carolina, March 23-24, Greensboro, North Carolina. The website, truthforanewgeneration.com, truthforanewgeneration.com. It's a Friday night, all day Saturday.

It's perfect for all ages. And folks, if you've ever wanted to speak up for the gospel and maybe be a witness, but you're maybe a little unsure, you know, what if somebody asked me a question I couldn't answer? Or maybe you yourself, you just want to go deeper. You know, how do I understand the Bible? How do I support what I believe? How can my life make a difference?

How do I keep my kids on track and make sure that my sons and daughters don't grow up to walk away from the Lord? Look, all of these things and more are things that we're going to address at TNG. So please, I always say this, pray, promote, plan to attend. You'll hear some of the most amazing speakers.

Your life will be changed forever. And we can begin to, like Billy Graham so beautifully did, and like the Word of God tells us to do, to live out this great commission, Truth for a New Generation will help you do that. Please, go to the website truthforanewgeneration.com, and we want to see you in Greensboro, North Carolina, March 23 and 24. I will say for those out of town, we've got a lot of people coming to North Carolina for the event. There are hotels on the website.

We've got a lot of hotels that are giving discounts to conference attendees. And the theme, Dylan, is Save a Nation. We need the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ more urgently than ever, and Truth for a New Generation, we believe God is going to use this in a very significant way. Hey, listen to this, Dylan.

I thought about it one time. I was a young believer, and I'm always hearing about the Great Commission, the Great Commission. And certainly Billy Graham, with his ministry, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Ministries, they lived out the Great Commission. And the word evangelize, or evangelism, really speaks to proclaiming good news. An evangelist is one who proclaims the good news.

Well, what is the news? Well, the death, burial, the resurrection of Christ for the sins of the world. Remember in 1 Corinthians 15, 3 through 5, Paul said this. The apostle Paul wrote, I gave unto you that which I first received. How Christ died, was buried, rose from the dead. And so Paul is saying, look, of first importance, some translations say, that thing of primary importance, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for the sins of the world. That's the good news.

Dylan, let me ask you this. If somebody listening says, okay, Christ died, was buried, rose again, Jesus rose, how is that good news to me? For each and every person of each and every generation, how is that good news? Yeah, and many people think this when they first hear about the message of Jesus. Okay, so how is that good that Jesus died? Well, it's good news for us, even though it was not good news for him at the time. He suffered in our place, and that's where we talk about the substitution, or the substitutionary atonement of Jesus that theologians express at a certain level of discussion where we often make a disconnect between how that affects us on a day-to-day basis.

What that simply means is that we don't have to experience eternal punishment for our sins if we express faith in Jesus Christ. He has paid the price and taken the place of us so that we do not have to experience it ourselves. Amen.

That's good news. And we've been given this commission. Why the commission? Because of Christ's work. I mean, the fact that the Son of God took on a human body and went to the cross and paid for our sins, rose from the dead, I mean, we need to talk about this great work that the Lord did.

C.S. Lewis talked about the miracles of the Bible, but Lewis called Jesus' life and death and resurrection the grand miracle. I mean, parting the Red Sea, that's a miracle. Feeding the five thousand, that's a miracle. But Lewis said the incarnation and the atonement, paying for our sins, rising from the dead, that is the grand miracle, the greatest miracle of all. So we're commissioned because of Christ's work.

Dylan, I believe we're commissioned because of man's need. I mean, we are compelled to go into all the world and tell people about Jesus because people really are lost. Spurgeon one time, Charles Spurgeon said, think little of man's sin and you will think little of God's work to forgive that sin. I mean, a lot of times people kind of say, well, you know, sin, you know, you preachers need to just mellow out.

Don't preach against sin because it offends people, things like that. Listen, we are in a desperate state without Christ, according to the Word of God. Without Jesus, we're guilty. We're bound for hell.

We are hopeless. However, in Jesus, we are forgiven. We are restored. We are full of joy and absolute confidence because our sins are washed clean. And whenever we die, whenever our own mortality comes knocking, we're ready to meet God because we are forgiven by Jesus who rose from the dead. Now that's news that this world truly does need to hear. And that's what we are all about here at Truth For A New Generation.

We'll be right back in just a moment, so stick with us. We're in a battle for the future of our nation, and I want to see you at Truth For A New Generation as we pray and get equipped to defend the faith, asking God to save our nation. Don't miss Truth For A New Generation, March 23 and 24, Greensboro, North Carolina. You may register at truthforanewgeneration.com.

That's truth, F-O-R, truthforanewgeneration.com. First Peter 3.15 tells us to be ready always to give an answer for the hope we have. We're instructed to be prepared to defend our faith. This is Alex McFarland for the Life Answers Teams, students we train at North Greenville University, a leading Christian college in South Carolina. The Life Answers Teams are made up of students who will inspire and equip your congregation. These apologetics teams we train speak in churches to youth groups and train Christians of all ages to address key issues of our times from a biblical perspective like, is there a God? Is the Bible true?

What about gender and moral issues? Call me at 864-977-2008 and we will arrange for the Life Answers Team to come to your church and give a presentation that will benefit your people for years to come. 864-977-2008 and always be ready.

Colossians 1.13-14 says, He, Jesus, has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of His dear Son, that's Jesus, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Welcome back to the program. Alex McFarland here along with Dylan Burrows. You're listening to Truth for a New Generation radio, by the way. TNG, truthforanewgeneration.com is the website. A lot coming up, this great event that we hope you'll join us.

We have an app now. But apart from ministry news, Dylan, I want to talk about the gospel because this good news that Billy Graham exemplified, he gave his life to and many others. So many of the unsung heroes of the faith, perhaps we won't meet until we get to heaven. But the commission is great, let me say this Dylan, because it spans the centuries. Dylan, as a pastor and Christian worker, I've met former athletes that get really depressed when their physical body can no longer perform the great, you know, athletic feats.

I've met people that, you know, they get laid off from work and their whole life is gone. I think one of the reasons the commission is great is because of this. Listen, all that you have in Christ can never be taken away. This commission is in force for every generation. This commission involves you, dear believing friend, and you may not be able to run the four minute mile anymore. And singers can no longer hit the high C or F sharp.

And maybe the artist ages to the point where they can no longer be steady and hold the brush. But isn't it good news, Dylan, that no matter where you are in life, no matter what circumstance, God will never leave you or forsake you. You can always pray. There's always somebody nearby that needs the love and the truth of Jesus. And the commission is great, and the commission is worldwide, and the commission is personal, because for every one of our lives, there is a role we can play in showing Jesus to this world.

Yes, and what I love about the end of the great commission is Jesus reminding his followers that I will be with you always, even to the end of the age. We aren't doing this alone. We are not doing this in our own power, but we are doing this by the power of God's Spirit working through us. So you might think to yourself, I'm not that significant.

I don't have skills. I can't do anything big for God. Well, you can do big things for God. I think about Billy Graham and him growing up on a farm and wondering if he would ever do anything of significance.

And then you look back now at the impact that he's had. I'm looking at this quote from former President Ronald Reagan who said, This is the kind of life that we are seeking to live regardless of the skills we have, regardless of where God has called us. And Alex, you have a great story that we've talked about before where you were seeking God's plan for your next step, and you're watching Billy Graham speak, and he says something special about how to find your next assignment from God. Share that story with us, if you would, and talk a little bit about how that can apply to how God would have us set forth and doing His will and obeying the great commission in our lives today. Two decades ago—actually, it was more than two decades ago—I was part of a webinar, and Billy Graham was addressing a group of ministers and evangelists, and he was in a bed at the Mayo Clinic, actually, because he had fluid on his brain and he was getting medical treatment.

So he couldn't be there in person, and he spoke via video. And he said, Listen, don't be somebody that you're not. You have a special assignment from God that is tailored to you, and so when you get home, get on your knees, maybe beside your desk or wherever you have your quiet time, and say, God, what is my next assignment? And Dylan, I did that.

I got to my desk, and this was a few days later, and I got on my knees. I said, God, what is my next assignment? And I'm holding up a little pen.

I know those of you on radio obviously can't see this, but Dylan can see it. And it's a globe with a cross around it, and it says, Truth for a New Generation. And after this Billy Graham webinar, I got on my knees.

I said, God, what is my next assignment? And in my mind, instantly, I mean like instantly, I saw the words Truth for a New Generation. And now we've done Truth for a New Generation events in one form or another, where we bring together speakers, and it's really kind of a mixing of evangelism and apologetics.

And we've done dozens of cities around America. And a colleague who's been very close to you and me both, John Ankerberg, you know, he spoke in some of the very first ones we did, and he said that was kind of a new thing, to mix evangelism and apologetics. That was one way Billy Graham touched my life. But let me share one other story.

This is amazing. And folks, we're not lifting up a man. We're celebrating Jesus.

But this is illustrative of a life yielded to Jesus. Dylan, I was on the road preaching, and I went in a secondhand store. There was a pawn shop, and I just had some time to kill.

I was putting gas in the car, so I go in this pawn shop. And there was a lady there, and she looked kind of, you know, Asian, and she was actually from the Philippines. And she asked me what I was doing in town, and I was there to speak, and I said, are you a Christian? And she smiled, and she said, yes, my family is Christian. I said, how did you come to know the Lord? And she said, I was a little bitty girl, and my earliest memory, I was in a crowd of people, and a man picked me up, and he had this big, big book. And she said, I'll never forget, he sat me down on his lap, and he stared deeply into my eyes, and he said one word, Jesus. And the man that picked me up, the man who looked into my four-year-old eyes, and uttered the word that would change my life, it was Billy Graham. Dylan, I just, when I reflect on the life of this brother in the ministry, it kind of makes me want to recommit myself.

Doesn't it do that to you? It does, Alex, and I think of the Apostle Paul who ended his ministry with words very similar. He said, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Thanks for being with us here, Truth For A New Generation.

We look forward to being with you again. Truth For A New Generation, in association with Alex McFarland Evangelistic Ministries, exists to equip Christians with a biblical world view through conferences and camps. For information about upcoming events, visit truthforanewgeneration.com, or give us a call at 877-YES-GOD-1. That's 877-YES-GOD and the number 1. TNG radio is made possible by the friends of Alex McFarland Evangelistic Ministries, P.O. Box 485, Pleasant Garden, North Carolina, 27313. That's P.O. Box 485, Pleasant Garden, North Carolina, 27313. Or give online at alexmcfarland.com or truthforanewgeneration.com. Thanks for listening, and join us again next time as we bring you more truth for a new generation on TNG radio.