基督教的特点之一是基督教是全世界性的宗教。我的意思是基督徒想要传耶稣基督的名字和真理给全世界上的每一个人。动机是什么?
动机之一是主耶稣基督自己说的一句话，也刚好是我今天要跟您谈的经文。主耶稣告诉他的使徒的临终遗言是这一句，耶稣说：“天上地下所有的权柄、都赐给我了。所以你们要去、使万民作我的门徒、奉父子圣灵的名、给他们施洗。凡我所吩咐你们的、都教训他们遵守，我就常与你们同在、直到世界的末了”（马太福音28:18-20）。
耶稣如此教导他的门徒往外传福音，他们也如此作了，一直到今天。耶稣钉死十字架，复活了，是因为上帝特爱全世界的每一个人。因此，耶稣为您我设想，为我们建立了教会，使得万人、万民、万族，都能够获得救恩，成为基督徒。
请让我们把耶稣说的这句话，讲仔细一点，好吗？
耶稣说，“天上地下所有的权柄、都赐给我了，”意思是因为他已经从死里复活了，所以他才有权丙，只有他才有资格讲下面他所说的话。
“所以你们要去、使万民作我的门徒…”耶稣下令告诉他的使徒要到全世界去传扬福音，传讲救恩之道。
耶稣还告诉使徒，当去的时候，当传扬福音之时，怎么样让人们成为基督徒。耶稣说，要“奉父子圣灵的名、给他们施洗。”不但要为人施洗，“…凡我所吩咐你们的、都教训他们遵守，我就常与你们同在，直到世界的末了。”
基督徒都知道，耶稣说的这句话很重要。多年来，基督徒把这句话形容为“大使命”或“伟大的使命。”从这“伟大的使命”中可知，传福音的过程中包括“施洗”一事。传福音和“施洗”是分不开的。“奉父子圣灵的名”和“施洗”是分不开的。“…凡我所吩咐你们的、都教训他们遵守…”和“施洗”是分不开的。耶稣的门徒遵守耶稣临终遗言时，必须为人“施洗；”“洗礼”是非基督徒成为基督徒不可缺少的一点。
最后，耶稣基督给他门徒一个应许，说，“我就常与你们同在、直到世界的末了。”耶稣可与谁同在呢？不是那些听从耶稣伟大的使命，传扬福音，为人施洗，而教导他们遵守耶稣的训诲吗？又是那些接受耶稣的邀请，时常遵守耶稣的真理，而受洗成为基督徒的人吗？
欢迎您如此行！
【洗礼】十七：“使万民作我的门徒”
“Baptism” 17: “Make Disciples of All Nations”
作者：谢德华 ©y Edward Short
Baptism: “Make Disciples of All Nations”
Matthew 28:18
One thing that makes Christianity unique is that it’s a universal religion. By universal, I mean that Christians want to spread to all people the name of Jesus Christ, and the truths that he taught. What is the motivation for this?
One motivation is something that Jesus Christ said, and it also happens to be the Scripture that I want to share with you today. One of the final statements that Jesus made to his apostles was, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore 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 everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” [Matthew 28:18-20, NRSV].
Jesus instructed his disciples to take his gospel everywhere, and so they did, and so they still do, even today. Jesus was nailed to a cross, and then was resurrected from death because God loves every person in the world. This love caused Jesus to think of you and me. This love caused Jesus to establish his church, and enable all people from every nation and ethnic group to receive God’s grace and become Christians.
Let’s look a little more closely at what Jesus said.
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” means that because Jesus had risen from the dead, he had received special authority, and consequently only he was qualified to say these things that he said next.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” Jesus commanded his apostles to go into all the world and spread the gospel, the way of salvation.
Jesus also told the apostles that when they went and spoke forth the gospel, this is how they were to make Christians out of people. Jesus said that they were to go “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” Not only were they to go baptizing, but also, “teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
All Christians know that this was a very important statement, thus, for many years now, Christians have referred to this statement as “the Great Commission.” We know from this “Great Commission” that the process of preaching the gospel includes baptism. Evangelism and baptism are inseparable. “…in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” and baptism are inseparable. “…teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you…” and baptism are inseparable. In obeying these final instructions of Jesus, his disciples had to baptize people; baptism cannot be omitted when a non-Christian becomes a Christian.
Finally, Jesus gave his disciples a promise, he said, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” With whom can Jesus be together? Is he not with those who obey the Great Commission, who teach the gospel to others, baptize them, and teach them to obey what Jesus taught? Is Jesus not also with those who receive the invitation of Jesus, who obey him by being baptized and becoming Christians?