Mission Motive – The Great Commission – Sermon Starter

Sermon Outline

Mission Motive – The Great CommissionSubtitled: God’s History of the World

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-19
Introduced May 2011

Brief Expositional Introduction: Matthew 28:18-19. This section has been affectionately called the Great Commission. Take note of a few things.

1. 28:16 – The mountain where Jesus especially had appointed them is the scene of this great commission to be announced. (Mountains seem to pop up here and there in the gospels as if they are great places of victory. For example, Luke 6 – Jesus first appoints his sent ones or ‘apostles)

2. 28:17 – Notice it says “some doubt”. It is quite possible that the 500 are the ones who would have “doubted”. 1 Cor 15:6. If it is so, then this Great Commision was give to many people; not just the 11. This proves the universal nature of the preceding commands.

3. 28:18 – The statement here is meant to induce courage to those who doubted.

4. There are 3 parts to this commission:

a. Teach, v. 19

b. Baptize, v. 19

c. Obey, v. 20

5. Notice there are 2 power statements before and after the Great Commision, v. 19 & v. 20. Point: Jesus is the power, authority, seal, and provider for the great Commission.

Conclusion / Decision / Invitation:
Fill In the Blank – You will need to determine this information.


Sermon Outline Creation Date: Can’t remember; it was written in anticipation of another sermon which never came to fruition.


Notes: There is no overall theme in this sermon; there were some ideas I started experimenting with including “mountains” in the New Testament; extent of the Great Commission; and Jesus as the source and sustainer of the Great Commission.

This sermons needs to be developed; I hope you might use the notes above as a sermon starter and perhaps you have learned a few things you did not know before. Thank you.